WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, today joined U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) in reintroducing the ReConnecting Rural America Act, bipartisan legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) ReConnect Loan and Grant Program. ReConnect plays a central role in expanding access to high-speed broadband in rural communities, where broadband access is severely limited compared to what is available in urban and suburban areas.   

“The last few years have shown all of us how important high-speed broadband is to our communities. From online school and remote work to telemedicine, a good connection is essential,” said Senator Welch. “Many rural communities don’t have access to broadband at all, let alone the higher speeds needed to participate in today’s digital economy. Our bipartisan legislation will help more Americans access the service they need, with the help of USDA’s ReConnect Loan and Grant program. I’m glad to partner with Senator Marshall on this important bill.”   

“Just as the great Kansan President Eisenhower understood the importance of investing in our nation’s highways in the 1950s, we must invest in the critical highway of our time: reliable, high-speed internet,” said Senator Marshall. “Broadband isn’t a luxury – it’s essential for our way of life. From family farms to schools to small businesses, rural communities depend on connectivity now more than ever. The ReConnecting Rural America Act will help bring rural Kansas up to speed, and I am proud to work with Senator Welch to reintroduce this important legislation.” 

As of early 2025, over a third of Americans lack access to one or no broadband provider. Recent data reports that more than 45 million Americans lack fixed terrestrial 100/20 Mbps broadband, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) minimum standard for broadband speed. Many Americans, in particular in rural areas, lack access to higher-speed 100/100 Mbps service required to telecommute, access telemedicine, or participate in remote schooling.   

The ReConnecting Rural America Act of 2025 will codify and clarify components of the ReConnect Program and, in so doing, reduce red tape and speed broadband deployment. The bill will:   

• Establish 100/100 Mbps symmetrical buildout speeds for ReConnect. 

• Clarify that USDA can make grants, loans, or grant-loan combinations under ReConnect.  

• Set unserved definitions to ensure ReConnect reaches those who need broadband the most, and not building broadband where it is not needed.  

• Clarify that Communications Union Districts are eligible entities under ReConnect.   

• Improve coordination and communication among stakeholders at the federal level.  

Read more about USDA’s ReConnect Loan and Grant Program here.   

As Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, Senator Welch has led the fight to expand access to affordable, high-speed internet across America. In January, Senator Welch pushed then-USDA Secretary nominee Brooke Rollins to support broadband buildout in rural communities. Last Congress, Senator Welch helped secure more than $17 million through USDA’s ReConnect Program to support NEK Community Broadband’s efforts to help low-income Vermonters access affordable broadband. 

Read and download the full text of the bill. 

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