You know that story about Rural Broadband Loosing its Funding? Well, Nevermind (pdf).
Broadband Wireless Magazine reports that the Rural Broadband Coalition issued an announcement that the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) will have over $800 million available for its broadband loan program in 2004.
RBC’s announcement appears to contradict Friday’s assessment by the Wireless Communications Association (WCA) that Congress was considering cutting the RUS broadband loan funding program.
Currently, House and Senate bills have appropriated $336 million for RUS loan and loan guarantees for 2004, according to RBC’s announcement. This funding will be added to $500 million in funding carried over from 2003.
Broadband Wireless Magazine reports that funding to cover the administrative activities of the RUS’ broadband loan program will be included in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development budget for 2004, according to RBC. In 2003, no funds were allocated for administration and salaries for the loan program, and the RUS had to find internal funds to process broadband loans.
RBC’s announcement (pdf) says the “current legislative and administration efforts are consistent with the commitment made in the 2002 Farm Bill to provide $2 billion over six years in broadband funding for rural communities and rural broadband Internet service providers.”
.gif)
