Wired for Growth: How Expanding Broadband Can Revitalize Rural Small Businesses (House Small Business Committee hearing, September 3, 2025)
Summary
Printed record of the House Committee on Small Business hearing held September 3, 2025, Wired for Growth: How Expanding Broadband Can Revitalize Rural Small Businesses, Small Business Committee Document Number 119–017, published in 2026. Opening statements came from Chairman Roger Williams and Ranking Member Nydia Velázquez. Witnesses were Kristi Westbrock, chief executive officer of CTC in Brainerd, Minnesota; Jimmy Todd, chief executive officer of Nex-Tech in Lenora, Kansas; Jeff Vander Werff, owner of VWF, LLC in Kent City, Michigan; and Karen Jackson-Furman, chief executive officer of the West Kentucky & Tennessee Telecommunications Cooperative. The appendix prints their statements, answers to questions from Hon. Scholten, and letters from APT, the Competitive Carriers Association, the Fiber Broadband Association, Small Business Majority and Starlink.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
Cite this document
“Wired for Growth: How Expanding Broadband Can Revitalize Rural Small Businesses (House Small Business Committee hearing, September 3, 2025).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/wired-for-growth-how-expanding-broadband-can-revitalize-rural-small-bu-edc938d469/
, SHA-256 84c79e35f01a8c66c03af43010abd3d543a565da0082ed6867ff159dd07e9619.Full text
WIRED FOR GROWTH: HOW EXPANDING
BROADBAND CAN REVITALIZE RURAL SMALL
BUSINESSES
HEARING
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS
UNITED STATES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
HEARING HELD
SEPTEMBER 3, 2025
Small Business Committee Document Number 119–017
Available via the GPO Website: www.govinfo.gov
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
61–674 WASHINGTON : 2026
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
Congress.#13
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS
ROGER WILLIAMS, Texas, Chairman
PETE STAUBER, Minnesota
DAN MEUSER, Pennsylvania
BETH VAN DUYNE, Texas
JAKE ELLZEY, Texas
MARK ALFORD, Missouri
NICK LALOTA, New York
BRAD FINSTAD, Minnesota
TONY WIED, Wisconsin
ROB BRESNAHAN, Pennsylvania
BRIAN JACK, Georgia
TROY DOWNING, Montana
KIMBERLYN KING-HINDS, Northern Marina Islands
DEREK SCHMIDT, Kansas
JIMMY PATRONIS, Florida
NYDIA VELÁZQUEZ, New York, Ranking Member
MORGAN MCGARVEY, Kentucky
HILLARY SCHOLTEN, Michigan
LAMONICA MCIVER, New Jersey
GIL CISNEROS, California
KELLY MORRISON, Minnesota
GEORGE LATIMER, New York
DEREK TRAN, California
LATEEFAH SIMON, California
JOHNNY OLSZEWSKI, Maryland
HERB CONAWAY, New Jersey
MAGGIE GOODLANDER, New Hampshire
LAUREN HOLMES, Majority Staff Director
MELISSA JUNG, Minority Staff Director
(II)
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
CONTENTS
OPENING STATEMENTS
Page
Hon. Roger Williams ................................................................................................ 1
Hon. Nydia Velázquez ............................................................................................. 2
WITNESSES
Ms. Kristi Westbrock, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager, CTC,
Brainerd, MN ....................................................................................................... 5
Mr. Jimmy Todd, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager, Nex-Tech,
Lenora, KS ............................................................................................................ 7
Mr. Jeff Vander Werff, Owner, VWF, LLC, Kent City, MI .................................. 8
Ms. Karen Jackson-Furman, Chief Executive Officer, West Kentucky & Ten-
nessee Telecommunications Cooperative, Mayfield, KY ................................... 9
APPENDIX
Prepared Statements:
Ms. Kristi Westbrock, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager,
CTC, Brainerd, MN ...................................................................................... 31
Mr. Jimmy Todd, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager, Nex-
Tech, Lenora, KS .......................................................................................... 39
Mr. Jeff Vander Werff, Owner, VWF, LLC, Kent City, MI ........................... 43
Ms. Karen Jackson-Furman, Chief Executive Officer, West Kentucky &
Tennessee Telecommunications Cooperative, Mayfield, KY ...................... 45
Questions and Answers for the Record:
Question from Hon. Scholten to Mr. Jeff Vander Werff ................................ 54
Questions from Hon. Scholten to Ms. Karen Jackson-Furman .................... 55
Additional Material for the Record:
APT Letter ........................................................................................................ 58
Competitive Carriers Association (CCA) Letter ............................................. 67
Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC) Letter ............................................... 70
Fiber Broadband Association Letter ............................................................... 74
NH Delegation Letter ....................................................................................... 77
Small Business Majority Letter ...................................................................... 79
Starlink Capacity Letter .................................................................................. 82
Western Governors’ Association (WGA) Letter .............................................. 88
(III)
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 0486 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 0486 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
WIRED FOR GROWTH: HOW EXPANDING
BROADBAND CAN REVITALIZE RURAL
SMALL BUSINESSES
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2025
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS,
Washington, DC.
The Committee met, pursuant to call, at 10:07 a.m., in Room
2360, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Roger Williams [chair-
man of the Committee] presiding.
Present: Representatives Williams, Stauber, Meuser, Van Duyne,
Ellzey, Alford, Finstad, Wied, Downing, Velázquez, McGarvey,
Scholten, Cisneros, Morrison, Tran, Simon, Olszewski, and
Goodlander.
Chairman WILLIAMS. Before we get started, I want to recognize
Representative Cisneros of the great State of California to lead us
in the pledge and the prayer. Would you stand.
Mr. CISNEROS. Please place your hand over your heart.
ALL. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of
America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under
God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Mr. CISNEROS. Dear Lord, I ask that you give this Committee,
this Congress, and our nation guidance so that we may bring jus-
tice and do the work of the people, for the benefit of the people.
For that, I pray. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Chairman WILLIAMS. Good morning everyone. Before we get
started, we are going to have—so you are not worried about what
you said or what you did, we will have people moving in and out
a lot today because there are a lot of other hearings going on. So
if somebody gets up after you talk, don’t worry about it. They are
heading—but they will be back. So I want you to be aware of that.
And I want to also say good morning to everyone, and I now call
the Committee on Small Business to order. Without objection, the
Chair is authorized to declare a recess of the Committee at any
time.
I now recognize myself for an opening statement. Welcome to to-
day’s hearing entitled: Wired for Growth, How Expanding
Broadband Can Revitalize Rural Small Businesses.
I want to begin by thanking our witnesses for being here today
and access to reliable, affordable broadband is not a luxury. It is
a necessity for small businesses, families, students, and commu-
nities across America. It is rural areas, in particular, that
(1)
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
2
broadband can mean the difference between growth and stagnation
and between new opportunities and being left behind.
For years, we have heard the frustration from rural entre-
preneurs who cannot compete on a level playing field because of
slower, nonexistent internet service. They cannot expand their
market, streamline operations, or use new technologies. That di-
vide is real and holds back small businesses and the communities
they serve.
This is why I have been proud to introduce legislation over the
years that would eliminate the digital divide. Further, broadband
deployment must be free from political interference. That is why I
am encouraged by the steps taken by the Trump administration to
reduce red tape, lower cost, and accelerate broadband deployment,
ultimately improving connective opportunities.
But cutting through regulatory burdens that slowed investment
and innovation for too long, the Trump administration is ensuring
that rural communities finally get connected. President Trump
promised to put America first, ensuring every American has the
tools to thrive in the modern economy.
So today’s hearing is about listening to small businesses and
rural providers who are experiencing this challenge. As legislators
and advocates for main street in Washington, we need a better un-
derstanding of what is working, where the roadblocks remain, and
how we can continue to build on the progress for small business
owners, broadband providers, and local leaders.
Our Committee is committed to ensuring that rural, small busi-
nesses have the same opportunities as those in our cities and sub-
urbs. Broadband is a critical infrastructure, workforce, develop-
ment, education, and healthcare. Most importantly, it is freedom,
freedom to innovate, freedom to compete and succeed.
I want to thank our witnesses again for joining us today. You
have come a long way. And I look forward to the discussion ahead
as we work to ensure that rural America is not left behind in the
21st century economy.
So with that, I would like to distinguish our Ranking Member
and acknowledge her for being here and leading New York, Ms.
Velázquez.
Ms. VELÁZQUEZ. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for calling this
crucial hearing.
Rural small businesses play a central role in local economies, ac-
counting for nearly 85 percent of firms and 54 percent of jobs in
rural counties. However, they face unique problems requiring
unique attention, one of which is access to broadband or high-speed
internet service, essential activities that many Americans take for
granted, like videoconferencing, online banking, e-commerce, and
most importantly, reliance on the high-internet speeds and capacity
made possible by today’s broadband infrastructure.
It is this technology that makes new ideas and companies soar
across the nation and the world literally at the speed of light. Over
one in four rural Americans have not been connected to broadband
internet infrastructure. The reason this gap exists can be found in
the issues rural telephone deployment encountered about a century
ago.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
3
Put simply, when faced with fewer customers per square mile
and more difficult geography than American cities, large corpora-
tions find it less profitable to invest in rural infrastructure, be it
phones, electricity, water, or broadband, and put their money in-
stead in more densely populated easier to reach places.
This is why government spending is sorely needed to fill the
holes in private spending. The previous administration made the
single largest investment in this space with a Bipartisan Infra-
structure Law through the Broadband Equity Access and Deploy-
ment, or BEAD, program. BEAD is a generational $42.5 billion in-
vestment in high-speed internet service nationwide, specifically tar-
geting the rural and tribal areas underserved by private industry
and creating jobs in those areas to install and maintain broadband
infrastructure.
These projects were by law to be powered mainly by fiber-optic
cables, the fastest and most reliable broadband technology cur-
rently in existence. However, the Trump administration abruptly
issued a policy notice upending the BEAD program, requiring grant
applicants to quickly rewrite and resubmit their proposals within
mere weeks.
The biggest change to the program overturns its emphasis on
fiber-optic cables, the best technology around, in favor of an untest-
ed technology cornered by Elon Musk’s satellites, citing cost sav-
ings. I am concerned that the administration is missing the reali-
ties of satellites, namely, that it cannot effectively match the speed,
reliability, and capacity offered by fiber.
I will jump at the opportunity to make BEAD projects more eco-
nomical and improve this once-in-a-lifetime investment. It seems
like this change will make BEAD focus more on cheap work than
on good work. In other words, President Trump isn’t lowering this
cost for rural America. He is selling rural America short.
Rural small businesses deserve the same high-speed, high-qual-
ity internet service as any other business in the country and the
world. That means the playing field we give them must be truly
level.
It is time for BEAD to honor the on-the-ground perspective clam-
oring for fiber projects. We must also consider the views of Amer-
ica’s territory.
Mr. Chairman, I request unanimous consent to insert into the
record a written statement of the Puerto Rico Telecommunications
Alliance.
Chairman WILLIAMS. So moved.
Ms. VELÁZQUEZ. With that, I look forward to having a robust
conversation today and thank all the witnesses for their presence.
I yield back.
Chairman WILLIAMS. The lady yields back.
And now I would like to recognize Mr. Stauber from the great
State of Minnesota to introduce his constituent, Ms. Kristi
Westbrock, testifying before us today.
Mr. STAUBER. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, for the oppor-
tunity to introduce the Minnesota witness this morning. I am
pleased to recognize Kristi Westbrock, who resides in Merrifield,
Minnesota, located in my district, with her husband and daughter.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
4
Kristi has served as a leader at Consolidated Telecommuni-
cations Company, headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, for over
17 years. Her work has been instrumental in expanding broadband
access to underserved communities, reinforcing her passion for
rural America and ensuring that all communities, regardless of ge-
ography, have access to reliable and affordable technology.
With a strong voice in the telecommunications industry and
heartfelt commitment to community impact, Kristi continues to
lead with vision, integrity, and a commitment to making a dif-
ference, which is why I am pleased—so pleased to have her join
this Committee today.
Kristi, I thank you for being here, and I look forward to hearing
from you.
Chairman WILLIAMS. Thank you, Mr. Stauber.
And our next witness is Mr. Jimmy Todd. Mr. Todd is the chief
executive officer and general manager of Nex-Tech based in
Lenora, Kansas. Since 2014, he has overseen the company’s oper-
ations and strategic growth while also serving as Chairman of Nex-
Tech’s wireless and holding board positions with the Fiber
Broadband Association and other organizations.
Mr. Todd previously served as an infantry officer in the Army
National Guard, as an aviation electronics technician in the U.S.
Navy, and thank you for that service. He earned a bachelor of arts
in social sciences from Chapman University and a master of busi-
ness administration from the University of Portland.
Our next witness here is Mr. Jeff Vander Werff. Correct, Jeff?
Mr. Vander Werff is fourth-generation farmer and the other of
VWF, LLC, from Kent City, Michigan. He oversees precision agri-
culture and agronomics on the farm focusing on the data-driven
practices that have positioned his operation as a community leader.
In addition to farming, he is also co-owner of the multilocation
agricultural retail business that serves much of Michigan. Here,
they offer specialized support for everything from apples to zuc-
chini and crops in between. Does that taste good when you mix all
that together?
Mr. Vander Werff is an American Farm Bureau Federation Mem-
ber and studied crop and soil science at Michigan State University.
And so thank you for that.
And I now recognize the Ranking Member from New York, Ms.
Velázquez, to briefly introduce our last witness appearing before us
today.
Ms. VELÁZQUEZ. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Ms. Karen Jackson-Furman is the CEO of West Kentucky and
Tennessee Telecommunications Cooperative, or WK&T, a rural co-
op serving West Kentucky, Northwest Tennessee, Southern Illinois
and Northern Alabama, founded in 1951 to connect rural Kentuck-
ians and Tennesseans to telephones. WK&T now also delivers high-
speed broadband to over roughly 2,500 miles and more than 33,000
network connections.
Ms. Jackson-Furman has over 31 years of experience in telecom
co-ops, including nine years at WK&T, holding roles like CEO,
CFO, and COO. As CEO, she has prioritized new strategic partner-
ships in pursuing state and federal grants to expand access to
unserved and underserved communities.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
5
She holds a bachelor’s degree from Southeast Missouri State Uni-
versity and an MBA from Southern Illinois University
Edwardsville.
Welcome, Ms. Jackson. Thank you for being here.
Chairman WILLIAMS. The lady yields back. Again, I want to
thank all of you for being here today.
Before we recognize the witnesses, I would like to remind them—
we have got some rules around here. I am going to tell you the
rules. They are not hard, okay?
I would like to remind them that their oral testimony is re-
stricted to five minutes in length. We want to stay with that. If you
see a light turn red in front of you, it means your five minutes is
up, and that you need to conclude, and you should wrap it up.
Okay?
So with that in mind, I now recognize Ms. Westbrock for her five-
minute opening remarks.
STATEMENTS OF KRISTI WESTBROCK, CEO AND GENERAL
MANAGER, CTC, BRAINERD, MINNESOTA; JIMMY TODD, CEO
AND GENERAL MANAGER, NEX-TECH; JEFF VANDER WERFF,
AGRA BUSINESS OWNER. MICHIGAN; AND KAREN JACKSON-
FURMAN, CEO, WEST KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE TELE-
COMMUNICATIONS COOPERATIVE;
STATEMENT OF KRISTI WESTBROCK
Ms. WESTBROCK. Chairman Williams, Ranking Member
Velázquez and Members of the Committee, thank you for the op-
portunity to participate in today’s hearing which focuses on the im-
portance of rural broadband connectivity and how it can revitalize
small business.
I am Kristi Westbrock. I am the CEO and general manager of
CTC, headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota. I am a native of
Browns Valley, Minnesota, with a population of 505. I grew up in
a small town where my graduating class was 26 people, and every-
one knew everyone by their first name. That grounded my passion
for rural America.
Today, I live in Merrifield, Minnesota, with my husband Mike
and my daughter Emily. I have been with CTC for 17 years, and
I have over 25 years of industry experience.
CTC is a full-service technology adviser serving Central and
Northern Minnesota for the past 75 years. With our fiber network,
we offer our members fast, reliable internet, phone, TV services, as
well as business phone systems and IT systems. CTC is a coopera-
tive, and we live by our mission to empower our members, employ-
ees, and communities through exceptional service and life-changing
technology solutions for a sustainable future.
As today’s hearing will hopefully underscore, fast, high-capacity
broadband in rural areas promote small business growth and cre-
ates jobs. For example, Leedrick Studios, a cutting-edge video pro-
duction and marketing company in Hibbing, Minnesota, saw an im-
mediate boost in its process and its production efficiency after hav-
ing a robust fiber connection. Leedrick had previously served with
spotty, less-reliable connection, but we were able to help his com-
pany achieve more and receive more from its clients.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
6
Jim Lee from Leedrick studios has stated, in our fast-paced in-
dustry where every second counts and digital connectivity is para-
mount, CTC’s unwavering reliability has been a game changer. It
is the bedrock upon which we have built our enhanced operational
efficiency. CTC hasn’t just met our expectations; they have rede-
fined them. Our transition has been transformative.
This is just one example of showing how we have been able to
contribute to our community and how a reliable connection can im-
pact rural broadband, rural businesses, and economic growth and
vitality. However, we have more work to do.
This is where public policy plays such a key role in helping build
and sustain broadband in rural markets that would not otherwise
justify such investments for ongoing operations.
For example, there has long been bipartisan recognition for years
that the lengthy review process is slowing down broadband deploy-
ment, particularly in regions with short construction seasons. In
Minnesota, even a brief delay can push projects back by years.
These setbacks increase costs, as unpredictable timelines make it
more challenging to secure contractors and maintain our work
schedule.
Grant programs play a key role in rural broadband deployment,
and I provide specific examples in my written testimony of pro-
grams that CTC has leveraged, as well as thoughts on where the
BEAD program is headed.
Last week the Minnesota Office of Broadband unveiled their
draft plan for public comment. CTC is expected to receive approxi-
mately 20 million of the BEAD funding, along with our members’
capital investment of 6 million to build out 2,209 locations with 35
of those being small businesses.
To be clear, grants by themselves are not enough to keep rural
America connected. It ultimately takes a mix of community com-
mitment and private capital to build networks as well. And in
many rural areas where terrific broadband exists today, those net-
works were not built by leveraging grants but, rather, through a
mix of private capital and loans and support from the FCC’s Uni-
versal Service Fund.
In fact, the continued operation and sustainability of network ef-
ficiency and affordable services in rural areas can present a signifi-
cant challenge. This is where USF has its greatest impact. Even if
federal funding is available to help with construction capital, we
still need to recover our matching investments, keep our rates af-
fordable for consumers and small business, and maintain our net-
works.
As I explain in my written testimony, while USF has been highly
successful, we need to modernize how this program is funded. And
we appreciate the work of bipartisan lawmakers from the U.S. Sen-
ate and House in considering such reforms.
I thank this Committee and interest in all these issues and look
forward to working with you to ensure all Americans experience
the benefits of broadband over the best possible networks both
today and for decades to come. Thank you.
Chairman WILLIAMS. Great on your timing.
Ms. WESTBROCK. Thank you.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
7
Chairman WILLIAMS. And if you hear me do this, that is to re-
mind you to move on. Okay?
All right. I now recognize Mr. Todd for his five-minute opening
remarks.
STATEMENT OF JIMMY TODD
Mr. TODD. Chairman Williams, Ranking Member Velázquez,
Committee Members, I am Jimmy Todd, CEO and general manager
for Nex-Tech, a rural cooperative serving 33,000 customers across
11,000 square miles in Kansas.
I have been in the telecom and technology industries for about
40 years now and have spent a lot of years advocating for fiber
broadband, precision agriculture, and USF reform. I have had ap-
pointments to the Kansas NG911 Coordinating Council, Team Kan-
sas on the Department of Commerce, and the FCC’s Precision Ag
Task Force, where I was a co-author of the 2023 report.
I am a proud veteran of 21 years with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army,
and Army National Guard.
And I would like to share that, as we know, broadband is not a
luxury. It is an essential economic infrastructure, and robust
connectivity helps our rural communities attract new businesses,
retain businesses that we have, support entrepreneurs, and help
keep our young people in our rural communities.
For agriculture, fiber infrastructure enables precision tools and
ag tech that can serve resources, improve yields, and strengthen
the supply chain for food.
I would like to share a quick success story about McCarty Dairy,
who over a decade ago reached out to us. They were eight miles
outside of our cooperative footprint, and yet, they needed fiber
connectivity to secure a contract with a national yogurt brand.
Now, between where we served and their area, there was no one.
We looked at this as an economic development opportunity, and we
figured out how to make it work.
With that robust fiber connectivity, they are able to monitor the
health of 32,000 cows daily. The processing and condensing plants
are controlled through fiber optics. The robots are used to milk
10,000 cows a day, and the impact is jobs created, family liveli-
hoods sustained, and communities strengthened.
Farming has transformed a great deal from the days where the
single source of truth was the Farmer’s Almanac to today’s ag tech-
nology and data availability. Sensors, automated irrigation, drones,
robotic labor all require fiber last-mile infrastructure, and that
fiber last-mile infrastructure enables that LAST ACRE network
that connects all of these activities going on in today’s farms and
ranches.
There are many success stories that I can share, but challenges
continue to remain. Burdensome permitting processes delay builds,
which add to costs and discourage investments. Congress can help
by streamlining permitting so rural America doesn’t fall behind.
Nex-Tech was the first in the nation to bring fiber to a rural ex-
change. And despite early criticism of gold plating, we persevered
and continued with that focus. Fiber is the do-it-once, do-it-right
technology, and it supports smart ag, it supports AI, telehealth, re-
mote education—and will for decades—innovation in the future.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
8
According to the Center for Rural Innovation, rural counties with
broadband adoption above 80 percent see 213 percent higher busi-
ness growth, 10 percent higher self-employment growth, 18 percent
higher per capita income growth, and 44 percent higher GDP
growth. Broadband adoption directly drives entrepreneurship, jobs,
and community growth.
Millions of Americans, however, are still unserved or under-
served. I urge Congress to ensure federal broadband funding con-
tinues to prioritize fiber, the most reliable, scalable, and cost-effec-
tive technology.
Further, you know, if possible, cut the red tape so that we can
see permitting reform, as well as USF reform because that will
help rural America faster. Finally, ensuring affordability for all
Americans is going to remain important.
Thank you for the opportunity with the Small Business Com-
mittee here for this hearing and the opportunity to share with you.
I look forward to your questions.
Chairman WILLIAMS. Great job. I now recognize Mr. Vander
Werff for his five-minute opening remarks.
STATEMENT OF JEFF VANDER WERFF
Mr. VANDER WERFF. Good morning, Chairman Williams,
Ranking Member Velázquez, Members of the Committee. Thank
you for having us.
My name is Jeff Vander Werff. I am visiting you this morning
from the State of Michigan where my family and I operate an agri-
business and farming operation near the town of Sparta.
Like many Americans, we depend on reliable internet service as
a part of our daily lives, and in the wake of the COVID-19 pan-
demic, that need has only become more acute, and I want to thank
you for the opportunity to share some thoughts on this topic.
As a small business owner and farmer, the internet is a part of
our daily lives. From the connectivity of our precision agriculture
software to the use of cloud-based billing systems for our agri-
business, reliable high-speed internet is a necessity we have to
have. The lack of infrastructure, however, has made that more
challenging as our connected world continues to evolve.
It seems a weekly occurrence in our community Facebook groups
that someone is asking if there are better internet options available
for their homes and businesses. And, sadly, they are offered only
one or two providers in the area, and coverage is less than ideal.
Our family has tried to be a part of that solution for years by
installing and hosting broadband internet at our farms, utilizing
our physical elevation, as well as our 130-foot grain systems to
boost signals and help more folks reach high-speed fixed point
internet.
While private industry is making strides every day to improve
this, there is a lot of work to be done. We often hear the phrase
the last mile when describing services in rural areas, whether it be
the Postal Service or Amazon or high-speed internet, and this is
where the need is greatest.
And while innovations such as Starlink have helped tremen-
dously, they often are cost-prohibitive, putting a further burden on
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
9
rural America where poverty levels can often match those of our
most populated cities. I do believe there is a better answer.
Growing up, I often heard my grandparents talk about how life-
changing the Rural Electrification Act of the 1930s was and how
much life on their farms and rural communities improved. Today
we are at a similar inflection point with part of our country living
in the modern era while rural America lags behind.
This is just another contributing factor in the decline of our rural
towns and the small town America that we all love so much. It isn’t
just about businesses or farms being able to access internet service.
It is about lost opportunities for rural Americans in an increasingly
digital world. From education and job opportunities to simple
things like trying to order a tractor part, families are being forced
to make hard choices when it comes to where they live and where
they want to raise a family.
And the increase in online virtual work has made it more dif-
ficult for young Americans to plant their roots in the hometown
that their families have lived in for generations, further hollowing
out middle America.
I want to thank you again for your time this morning to discuss
this topic, and I certainly welcome any and all questions from the
Committee. Thank you.
Chairman WILLIAMS. Thank you very much.
I now recognize Ms. Jackson-Furman for her five-minute opening
remarks.
STATEMENT OF KAREN JACKSON-FURMAN
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. Chairman Williams, Ranking Member
Velázquez, and Members of the Committee, thank you for the op-
portunity to testify today on the important topic of how expanding
broadband access can ensure small businesses are able to thrive.
My name is Karen Jackson-Furman, and I am CEO of West Ken-
tucky and Tennessee Telecommunications Cooperative, a local pro-
vider serving rural parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, and Ala-
bama. We serve more than 33,000 customers covering approxi-
mately 2500 square miles, and employ 109 people from the commu-
nity. I am also here representing WTA, Advocates for Rural
Broadband.
WK&T will be celebrating its 75th anniversary next year. We got
our start with a loan from USDA’s Rural Electrification Adminis-
tration to provide telephone service to the citizens of several coun-
ties in Kentucky and Tennessee. Since then, we have expanded and
upgraded our operations. Today we provide 100 percent fiber
connectivity to our customers.
High-speed internet continues to transform our world, including
rural areas, and is a necessity for full participation in modern life
and economic competitiveness. WK&T isn’t just a residential inter-
net provider. We are also a small business that provides vital serv-
ices to more than 1,000 other small businesses. Its critical infra-
structure is vital for rural communities and small businesses.
For example, Ralph Brothers Farms in Graves County, Ken-
tucky, has 24 poultry barns connected to WK&T’s fiber internet
service. The brothers are able to monitor the barns on a mobile app
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
10
on their cell phones at any hour of the day and recognize problems
immediately.
In another example, Michael Warren and Nassar Nassar of Sa-
vant Learning Systems in Weakley County, Tennessee, worked
with Tennessee’s Bethel University to develop one of the first on-
line academic programs allowing police officers to complete their
continuing education and required training without having to trav-
el, saving both time and money. They say that their WK&T fiber
connection makes all the difference in what they do.
These are just a couple examples, but without a robust
broadband connection, it is virtually impossible for a small busi-
ness to make it in today’s world. And if small businesses aren’t
making it, America’s overall economy suffers.
Last year the White House noted that small businesses are re-
sponsible for more than 40 percent of America’s economic output
and two-thirds of net new jobs, and it is not just any connection
that matters, but one that can support high bandwidth applica-
tions.
At WK&T, we have chosen to deploy fiber because we want to
make sure our communities are not just getting by today with
good-enough service, but that they have a high-speed, robust, scal-
able broadband network that will provide opportunities decades
from now.
And, as shared in my written testimony, connectivity to our bur-
ied fiber network during the destructive EF-4 long-track tornado in
December of 2021 was never interrupted, allowing emergency serv-
ices to assist and potentially save lives.
I would be missing an opportunity if I did not give credit to sev-
eral important federal broadband programs, without which WK&T
would not be able to do what we do. We are able to build, operate,
and upgrade our network primarily because of the Federal Uni-
versal Service Fund administered by the Federal Communications
Commission.
The principles of reasonably comparable service at reasonably
comparable rates among urban and rural areas across the country
has guided U.S. telecom policy for decades. The USF covers a por-
tion of the costs of our network construction, but also ongoing oper-
ations, maintenance, and upgrades so we can keep our network on
pace with what Americans in more urban areas enjoy.
Thankfully, the constitutionality of the FCC’s USF program was
recently upheld by the Supreme Court. In addition, grants from
programs like USDA’s Reconnect Program created by Congress in
2018 and now the BEAD program have and will provide us oppor-
tunities to expand our network and services.
Lastly, as I alluded to earlier, having a broadband connection is
incredibly important, but it is also important that it be affordable.
As Congress looks to modernize USF, finding a solution to the af-
fordability question must be part of that discussion.
I would like to extend an invitation to each of you to come see
us. We would love to introduce you to our small town business
owners that rely on high-speed internet to run their successful
businesses while living in an area that they choose to live in.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify, and I look forward to
answering any questions you may have.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
11
Chairman WILLIAMS. Great job.
I will now move to the Member questions under the five-minute
rule, and I will now recognize myself for five minutes.
Mr. Vander Werff, as a small business owner and farmer myself,
I understand that the right technology is crucial to precision agri-
culture.
So my question is, how has limited or unreliable broadband im-
pacted your day-to-day operations?
Mr. VANDER WERFF. Well, thank you for that question, Mr.
Chairman.
The simple answer is we can’t operate without it. From, as some
of the other folks described, complicated ag operations, precision
ag, monitoring our grain systems, things like that require good, re-
liable, high-speed connectivity.
From our agribusiness perspective, we have had to deliberately
look to locate facilities in areas that have access to cable internet.
If we aren’t able to do that, then we are stuck using fixed point
wireless or satellite systems, but it just increases our costs much
more greatly on that.
So it is definitely something that is a very, very critical part of
the overall picture of operating a successful agricultural business
today.
Chairman WILLIAMS. Thank you. Now, this question is for both
Ms. Westbrock and Mr. Todd.
Rural communities aren’t one size fits all when it comes to
connectivity. In your view, how important is it for federal
broadband programs to take a technology neutral approach, such
as allowing fiber, wireless, satellite, and other solutions to compete
based on what best fits each community’s needs? Ms. Westbrock?
Ms. WESTBROCK. Thank you, Mr. Williams. Yes. So we believe
that there is room for all technologies in networks, especially when
you are looking at how we can potentially serve communities.
But in my professional opinion, fiber broadband is the answer
mostly because we know that it is scalable, and with the AI explo-
sion that we will see, the networks are going to have to be that ro-
bust. I also want to make sure that in the BEAD program that the
dollars are spent well and that we are not back asking for addi-
tional dollars because one of the technologies didn’t stand up for
the long haul.
I believe in doing that with our taxpayers’ dollars and making
the best investment when we can.
Chairman WILLIAMS. Good. Thank you. Mr. Todd, you want to
add to that?
Mr. TODD. Yes, Chairman. Thank you for the question. And I
would agree with Ms. Westbrock in that fiber is the preference, and
here is why. It is a generational investment.
When using federal funds to make an investment for broadband
connectivity, it is something that we want to stand for generations.
You know, we go back to the early, mid 1990s with fiber infrastruc-
ture and it is still operating today. However, we have used other
technologies that in short periods of time have to be fully replaced.
And so when you look at the reliability and the long-term
generational use of the investment, in my opinion, fiber is the pref-
erence.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
12
Chairman WILLIAMS. Let me move on, Mr. Todd. How do your
companies adapt their deployment strategies to account for unique
challenges of serving sparsely populated rural areas where higher
cost and terrain or geography may limit certain technologies?
Mr. TODD. So we have been very fortunate to leverage funding
through grants from the federal government, as well as the State
Government. We have been able to expand our network out to
reach our neighbors.
So beyond our cooperative footprint, we have—you know, the net-
work is already in place. So being able to expand there is less cost-
ly than if we were start a greenfield build in a particular area.
So we continue edging out as we find funding to be able to reach
those sparsely populated areas because I am in a very ag-heavy
area. So ranches and farms are the biggest businesses in North-
west Kansas, North Central Kansas. So with that, we expand fiber
to reach those businesses.
Chairman WILLIAMS. Thank you. Ms. Westbrock, as a
broadband provider, what tools or approaches do you find most ef-
fective in keeping service affordable for rural communities?
Ms. WESTBROCK. Yes. So from an affordability standpoint, we
specifically were users of the ACP program and find it extremely
beneficial during COVID. And so we—keeping it affordable and giv-
ing the best technology solutions, we have to also leverage our USF
program, the grants that we get, all of those pieces because that
drives, too, the affordability and the ability to offer the best serv-
ices to our members for that price.
Chairman WILLIAMS. In limited time, Mr. Todd, what chal-
lenges have you faced with current mapping efforts?
Mr. TODD. With mapping, they continue to improve, but they
tend to be a snapshot in time. Not all information presented is al-
ways accurate. It is probably worse on the mobile wireless side
than it is on the fixed side.
But there are improvements that we have seen in recent years,
and we hope to see continued improvements in mapping.
Chairman WILLIAMS. All right. Thank you. I yield back my
time.
And now I recognize the Ranking Member for five minutes of
questions.
Ms. VELÁZQUEZ. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Ms. Jackson-Furman, why doesn’t rural broadband receive as
much investment from private industry as more urban areas?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. Because it is a very high cost area to
serve, and it is very sparsely populated. For instance, we serve 13
customers per square mile, and that drives the cost up and makes
it very expensive and less profitable.
Ms. VELÁZQUEZ. So there is no question that fairer funding is
needed to fill the gap?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. That is right.
Ms. VELÁZQUEZ. Ms. Jackson-Furman, can you briefly walk us
through the pros and cons of using fiber and satellite for
broadband?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. Sure. Thank you. Fiber is scalable, it
is reliable, and it is faster than satellite broadband. Right now, the
up-front cost to deploy, I know, is a point of contention right now.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
13
But once the fiber is in the ground, it is scalable because just the
electronics on the end of the fiber need to be upgraded to provide
the needed bandwidth for the future.
Satellite deployment, we have—they share spectrum. There is
only so much spectrum. Even if you launch more satellites, it is a
shared spectrum resource amongst different spectrum—or satellite
providers. So the throughput is not what it is with fiber.
And then we have the issue of needing to replenish the constella-
tions every approximately five years with satellite, and there are
unknown environmental concerns with those satellites coming back
down and different things like that that we don’t understand yet.
Ms. VELÁZQUEZ. In fact, a recent study finds that satellites fall
below broadband standards when more than a handful of users
connect within a square mile.
Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to insert this study into
the record.
Chairman WILLIAMS. So moved.
Ms. VELÁZQUEZ. Ms. Jackson-Furman, should satellites be the
exception, not the norm in bid projects?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. Yes, ma’am, I agree with that. I think
that satellite has a place. Many times it is on things—mobile, RVs,
in boats, maybe very remote hunting lodges where there isn’t a lot
of infrastructure, which those are far and few between.
But I think there is a place for all the different technologies. But
whenever fiber is available and the funding for fiber is available,
absolutely, it should be fiber.
Ms. VELÁZQUEZ. Why is it important to have a variety of
broadband programs serving different needs?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. The programs that I am familiar with,
Reconnect, Community Connect, BEAD, USF, they all have dif-
ferent purposes. I think it is important that they not overlap, but
for instance, Reconnect, that is a—that helps with the capital infra-
structure cost, but also has a loan component that might be bene-
ficial for some companies to utilize.
BEAD, that is 100 percent capital infrastructure. But USF, it is
unique in that it has got the component for maintenance, upgrades,
the long-term operation support. So we need the different funding
mechanisms to keep rural America connected.
Ms. VELÁZQUEZ. And it will help expand rural broadband be-
yond what a single program could provide?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. Yes, that is correct. I agree.
Ms. VELÁZQUEZ. How does the Universal Service Fund, USF,
keep your rates affordable and your model sustainable?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. Well, it does in that it keeps rates af-
fordable because of the subsidies that we receive. It is cross-sub-
sidization, so that the urban areas and the rural areas can have
comparable services for comparable rates.
And so anybody in this room that has a cell phone helps con-
tribute to that fund. And then the funds are redistributed so that
rural America can benefit and stay connected just like urban areas.
So it is paramount in keeping rates affordable.
Ms. VELÁZQUEZ. Thank you. In June, the Supreme Court re-
jected a challenge to the USF funding mechanism, letting the FCC
continue its programs.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
14
What does that mean for co-ops like yours?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. It means everything. It allows us to
stay on cutting-edge technology. It allows us to keep our networks
upgraded, maintained, expansion potentially. It is the difference
between operating and not operating.
Ms. VELÁZQUEZ. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Chairman WILLIAMS. The lady yields back.
I now recognize Mr. Meuser from the great State of Pennsylvania
for five minutes.
Mr. MEUSER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, very much. And
thanks very much to our witnesses. Certainly, a very important
subject.
I travel my district, I travel my state, and sadly, here in 2025,
maybe 20 percent of my district has very poor broadband service,
and it is ridiculous. There is a lot of money going towards it, fed-
eral money, state money. The management of it is awful.
I know in Pennsylvania, our current Governor set up an initia-
tive three years ago—two years ago that sounded good but really
accomplished nothing. Nothing has improved, but I am not just
going to blame—blame our State leadership. I mean, this has been
the case—this should have been improved five years ago, ten years
ago.
So that is why—now, Ms. Westbrock, in your State of Minnesota,
let me just ask. On a scale of 1 to 10—because a lot of money goes
towards this, I mean, $1.5 billion.
And I know how our Democrat colleagues say we just need more
money, just give us more money. That is great. Okay. But nothing
is improving with the money that has gone.
Now, there has been $1.5 billion sent to Pennsylvania over the
last years, and, again, zero improvement. How is Kansas devel-
oping—excuse me, Minnesota.
Ms. WESTBROCK. Yeah. So, in Minnesota I would say that our
Office of Broadband has done a remarkable job in our State grant
programs. I believe they have been allocated extremely well, al-
though I will say that there are providers that take the money, and
then they don’t build out the—they say they are going to do it, and
then three years later, people are still waiting for that.
Mr. MEUSER. They go where the money is.
Ms. WESTBROCK. Absolutely.
Mr. MEUSER. They can do more—right. So the language is writ-
ten terribly for rural broadband. It is not restrictive enough. So you
give it a good rating. Go on.
Ms. WESTBROCK. I give our office a good rating. I would say
this, that we have to be very careful, again, of who is getting that
money. If you look across the country in rural communities where
there are cooperatives and family owns that are local to those com-
munities, that money is being spent correctly.
When you start looking at how it goes into certain corporations,
that is when things start to—start to stray a little, in all honesty,
and so——
Mr. MEUSER. Thank you. Mr. Todd, same question.
Mr. TODD. In Kansas, the KOBD has managed federal funds
that have been allocated to the State, and I would say a majority
of those programs are—projects have been fiber-based.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
15
Now, I won’t say that all of them have been fiber-based. I would
like to say that most were the case. The fiber infrastructure is
what will last, and that is what makes the difference.
Mr. MEUSER. Is that a lot more money?
Mr. TODD. It does cost more money, yes, sir. And in order to
reach customers that are not connected, I understand the need for
fixed wireless or other means, just as was described earlier.
But at the end of the day, whenever a fiber project can be fund-
ed, that makes the difference.
Mr. MEUSER. Mr. Werff, I am going to get to you in a second.
What else is holding it back besides the misallocation?
You know, there are some that say the prevailing wage issues in
states like Pennsylvania, some of the deregulation that is taking
place under the Trump administration should improve things.
Mr. Werff, I will turn to you with that. What are the issues
standing in the way besides the misallocation of federal funds and
state funds that truly are allocated for rural broadband?
Mr. VANDER WERFF. Well, Congressman, I am not a person
who installs rural broadband, so I can’t speak too much to that.
But from the boots-on-the-ground perspective as an enduser, I
think it is just the complexity of it.
People have mentioned terrain, and a lot of parts in Michigan,
it is very hilly. So point to point becomes more of an issue.
So it is just a matter of getting those projects funded, getting
these things going, and getting the cable into the ground, for lack
of a better way to put it.
Mr. MEUSER. We have the same issue in my district, the hills.
That is what you hear, and that is where, of course, fiber would
come in and overcome that issue.
Is that your thought as well in Kansas?
Mr. TODD. Well, fortunately, we don’t have the mountains to
deal with in Kansas. We have the Flint Hills in the eastern part
of the state, but quite honestly, fiber does overcome those chal-
lenges wherever you can deploy it.
Mr. MEUSER. Okay. Ms. Furman, do you have anything to say
on this broad question?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. Sure. I will just add that we are work-
ing in four states: Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama. And
I commend all four broadband offices for working very, very hard.
They have been given a hard task, and they have worked very hard
to execute.
A few of the things that we run into that cause delays are occa-
sionally permitting issues, railroads especially, sometimes, you
know, and I am absolutely for environmental review——
Mr. MEUSER. Sorry. Thank you. I have run out of time.
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. Oh, okay.
Mr. MEUSER. I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman WILLIAMS. The gentleman yields back.
I now recognize Mr. McGarvey from the great State of Kentucky
for five minutes.
Mr. MCGARVEY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I want to first welcome my fellow Kentuckian, Ms. Jackson-
Furman. Thank you for being here today, and welcome to the
Small Business Committee.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
16
I am really grateful for all the work that you are doing to expand
broadband access in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, especially in
our hardest-to-reach places. So thank you for that.
This is a pretty bipartisan issue, I think. I know that everybody
in America wants reliable, affordable connectivity to the internet.
As a parent where school just started, literally everything your
kids now do is online. This is not a want. This is a need to have
affordable connectivity throughout this country.
And it wasn’t so long ago that Democrats and Republicans actu-
ally came together and worked on this with the Affordable
Connectivity Program, which gave internet access to one in four
Kentucky families and 23 million households across the country.
But the Republicans did let that program expire last year, and I
still hear from constituents for whom that program was a lifeline,
a connection to their doctor, to their school, to their kids’ activities,
to homework, to work. That is now gone.
So Republicans and Democrats came together and created the
BEAD program, too, which Ms. Jackson-Furman correctly noted in
her testimony will bring broadband to 2100 underserved Kentucky
locations. This is what BEAD was designed for, making it easier
for co-ops like WK&T to go into the hardest-to-connect places and
deliver on that last mile.
But in June, the Trump administration abruptly reworked the
BEAD program requirements, creating chaos for State broadband
programs, offices, small service providers, and communities that
were about to get reliable internet for the first time.
So, Ms. Jackson-Furman, we will start there and just say, tell us
about what the Trump administration’s changes on the BEAD pro-
gram meant to you and the people for whom you provided internet.
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. Thank you. The biggest thing that it
meant to companies like me is removing the fiber preference and
allowing satellite to compete on equal footing and then fixed wire-
less too, specifically satellite, though. I know they have put in a lot
of applications for a lot of locations.
So what that means for me, I think we fared pretty well in our
application area in Kentucky through a consortium that we are in-
volved with. But in Tennessee where we applied for funding, we
lost locations that were awarded to satellite. And I say that—sat-
ellite was the only other applicant in that area, so I am assuming
they were awarded to satellite because they weren’t awarded to
WK&T with fiber technology. So that was the biggest impact.
Mr. MCGARVEY. And I am hearing from everybody’s testimony
up here—again, the goal is to get internet to people who need it,
right? I am hearing from everybody up here that this preference for
satellite makes it less reliable for people to get internet.
Is anybody disagreeing with that right now? Great. Silence is an
answer.
So there is a really well-known entrepreneur from my hometown
of Louisville, Kentucky, David Jones, Sr. And he once said: Quality
is often the most affordable thing you can do. So fiber is a better
quality than satellite, it lasts longer than satellite, and even
though it might be more expensive up front, is what I am under-
standing that it is cheaper over the long term and better for the
people who need it, Mr. Todd?
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
17
Mr. TODD. In our experience, what we have seen is that the in-
vestment, when you look at the operating as well as the capital in-
vestments, over a 10-year period, you end up being in a better posi-
tion with underground fiber.
Mr. MCGARVEY. And isn’t that what we should be looking at
is where are we in the best position for both the people of the coun-
try and for taxpayers’ money with this program?
Mr. TODD. Absolutely.
Mr. MCGARVEY. Okay. That helps. And it is working better in
the areas that most need it, right? Those hard-to-reach areas where
sometimes in the mountains of East Kentucky or wherever you are,
satellite might not be as reliable, this gets it there and over the
long run is cheaper, it is better for people.
And I would love to see us go do that to deliver on that bipar-
tisan goal of making sure everybody in this country is connected
to the internet.
In an urban district like mine, a lot of people don’t really strug-
gle with broadband access. It is the affordability of broadband right
now. And the Affordable Connectivity Program made it just a little
bit easier for families struggling to put food on the table to get by,
to have internet.
I just want to ask, Ms. Jackson-Furman—you have got 20 sec-
onds—what does it mean in rural communities and what is hap-
pening now that the funding is gone?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. Well, the ACP program definitely
helped people connect, stay connected. And now that it is gone,
they have been disconnected in many cases. And that is it in a nut-
shell.
Mr. MCGARVEY. You did it in under 20 seconds. Thank you so
much.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Chairman WILLIAMS. The gentleman yields back.
I now recognize Mr. Finstad from the great State of Minnesota
for five minutes.
Mr. FINSTAD. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to welcome Ms.
Westbrock to the Committee. As a fellow Minnesotan, I just want
to say thank you. Thank you for what you do for our neighbors.
And for the Committee, what she does for our neighbors is—there
is no cookie-cutter approach.
Every hookup that you provide, every high-speed internet access
point that you provide, you are going through lakes, you are going
through rocks, you are going through forests. You live in a gnarly
part of the state when it comes to not a direct A-to-B-type hookup.
So thank you for being creative and figuring it out.
You know, access to high-speed internet is the great equalizer in
rural America. It provides opportunities for our small businesses
to, you know, really be competitive globally. And without that ac-
cess, we lose opportunities in rural America.
And one of the things that I have heard from small businesses
across Minnesota is really just understanding the maps. You know,
we see the different maps, whether it is from the State broadband
office, whether it is from the federal level.
As a small business is looking at locating or expanding or, you
know, really trying to figure out where they can play in that global
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
18
economy, you look at one map and says, well, this area has, you
know, great access to high-speed internet. And then you set up
shop, and you realize you don’t.
So from your perspective, just give me the lay of the land in re-
gards to the mapping of what we in government, you know, think
to believe to be true versus what is on the ground a reality.
Ms. WESTBROCK. Sure. Thank you. Across our service territory,
we receive requests on a daily basis from business owners won-
dering if we are going to build in their area because they don’t
have access to a good connection. We immediately go to the maps
to look and see if there is any opportunity to be able to build to
them using a federal program or a state program.
And when we go there and look, they show that they are served.
And this happens probably eight out of the ten times that someone
calls in. And the reason that they are showing served is because
people are overreporting their data, companies are overreporting.
And at specific locations, they may serve someone in that area, but
they are reported in the entire census block.
So, for us, I would say we—we really are worried that this money
is being spent, and grant programs are being created based on in-
correct data.
Mr. FINSTAD. So on that point, where does the buck stop for the
overreporting, the inaccuracies?
Because, I mean, to a certain extent, if you were an outsider
looking in, you would say, well, that is a bunch of malarkey, that
is fraud, that is misrepresenting where the federal dollars are
going, and it is not the reality that we see.
So where does the buck stop on that?
Ms. WESTBROCK. Sure. So I think that the buck has to stop on
that we need to put serious consequences in for chronic over-
reporting on this map data because until that happens, I don’t see
it getting corrected because what it does is it opens up those areas,
then, for a provider like us to come in and use federal dollars to
be able to build in that area. And those providers do not want that
to happen.
Mr. FINSTAD. So as has been stated earlier, I mean, I think this
issue is a very bipartisan issue. I think you will see support on
both sides of the aisle.
I think where we can probably really hone in to make sure the
dollars are getting to where they need to go is if we just start with
the maps and be honest with ourselves about—we are not just
going to keep throwing money against the wall and relying on
maps that aren’t accurate because, at the end of the day, if you are
in that area that the map says you are getting the service, but you
know in reality you are not, we are throwing good money at bad.
And so I think that is one area for us to start.
I hear it from our small businesses all the time, that they—de-
pending on what map they look at, they say they are covered, but
the reality is they are not. And it has to be frustrating not just
from a small business perspective, but for a provider like you that
is trying to do well and trying to really get to that farmer at the
end of that three-mile gravel road that on paper might say they
have service, but they don’t.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
19
So I think that is one of the areas that we can really dig into
here in Congress to try to figure out how do we do better with the
dollars that we are spending to make sure we are actually getting
to that farmer at the end of the three-mile road.
And I just, again, want to thank you for what you do for our
neighbors. I know that—like I said, not—not two projects are alike,
but you are a problem solver and you are really trying to do good
for our neighbors, and I appreciate you being here.
Mr. Chair, I yield back.
Chairman WILLIAMS. The gentleman yields back.
I now recognize Mr. Cisneros from the great State of California
for five minutes.
Mr. CISNEROS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Like several have already shared today, I believe we are at an
inflection point, much like electricity in the early 20th century,
internet access is a foundational technology in the 21st century.
Every house and small business across this great nation should
have access to the internet, not just in urban communities, but in
rural communities too. It is becoming more important as our coun-
try increasingly relies on the internet for information, economic
growth, and communication.
Just earlier this year, the Trump administration attempted to
eliminate many Social Security services over the phone, essentially
pushing seniors in rural areas to rely on the current access to
internet or travel long distances to a field office. This highlights
how access to broadband is not only critical for small businesses,
but for the broader communities.
For small businesses, there is no doubt internet access can foster
growth and enhance capabilities to succeed in this digital economy.
I am eager to work with my colleagues across the aisle to ensure
all Americans have access to high-speed and affordable broadband.
With that, Ms. Jackson-Furman, I would like to ask you, private
sector plays a key role in building out broadband access.
Do you have any notes for this Committee on how the federal
government can accelerate private investment or improve collabo-
ration within the private sector to ensure underserved areas have
the access to internet they need?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. I think that private investment is ex-
tremely important. I know that we have had many collaborative ef-
forts with local governments. We have had partnerships with local
counties, local municipalities. It all comes down to money.
But I think that the private investment from co-ops and other
companies, coupled with these other local investments are what
really makes it work whenever there is a lack of federal funding.
Mr. CISNEROS. All right. So how can we use the federal funding
that is out there? Is there any changes that we need to make to
the current system right now to help the private sector continue to
invest in this?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. Well, I think making the funding
available is key. I think that is kind of what we have heard across
the panel this morning. Making—the funding and the different
funding mechanisms need to remain because they all have different
goals, and they contribute to the success of connectivity in rural
America in different ways.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
20
So continuing the funding, the USF programs, the Reconnect pro-
grams, the—make sure the BEAD money is allocated and spent
and put into service. Those are all very important to get rural
America connected and stay connected.
Mr. CISNEROS. All right. Thank you very much.
Mr. Vander Werff, your parallel between electricity and
broadband is actually what I was thinking when I heard the topic
for this hearing.
With ongoing conversations about next generation internet tech-
nologies, what would be the impact of a wired digital divide on
small town America if we don’t start making improvements now?
Mr. VANDER WERFF. Thank you, Congressman. That divide is
only going to continue to increase. And being someone who lives in
a rural community, has grown up and lived there for generations,
one of the big things that we see is the number of young people
that continue to leave our communities. And if we want to have
rural America continue to exist, to be quite direct about it, for an-
other two or three generations, we have to give young people an
incentive to want to stay there.
And if they can’t further their education, if they can’t access on-
line job opportunities, things like that, that divide is only going to
continue to grow and continue to erode rural America.
Mr. CISNEROS. Well, thank you for that answer.
Ms. Jackson-Furman, another question for you. Once networks
are built, how important is it to ensure our families and businesses
can afford to connect to these networks?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. It is very important. I think that
whenever connectivity is ubiquitous, all boats rise in a community.
There is opportunities for remote work, remote education, which of-
tentimes lead to career positions and remote work and sustain-
ability of families in rural America. So it is extremely important.
Mr. CISNEROS. All right. Well, thank you all for being here
today.
And like my colleagues have said, right, this is a bipartisan
issue. It is something that all of America needs no matter whether
you live in the urban areas, like my district is, or in rural America.
This is what drives our economy now. This is how we commu-
nicate, and this is how we do business. And if we don’t make these
investments and if we don’t support these efforts to ensure that ev-
erybody has access to this, it is only going to leave people behind.
You know, I think in our day and age right now, we would never
stand for anybody living in a house or being anywhere without
electricity or running water in their house, and I think we have to
feel the same way right now today about internet connectivity.
So with that, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
Chairman WILLIAMS. The gentleman yields back.
I now recognize Mr. Stauber from the great State of Minnesota
for 5 minutes.
Mr. STAUBER. Thank you, Chairman Williams and Ranking
Member Velázquez for holding this hearing today.
You know, in rural Minnesota broadband isn’t a luxury. It’s actu-
ally a matter of survival. I have heard from businesses across my
district in all the counties and small communities who are trying
to serve their communities by running restaurants, farms, auto
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
21
shops, and much more. Yet they can’t reliably upload a payroll file
or process a credit card when a snowstorm knocks out their sat-
ellite service.
It is 2025, and this can’t be accepted as the status quo for our
rural communities. Connectivity is no longer optional, and right
now federal broadband programs are too duplicative, too bureau-
cratic, and too slow to deliver results for main street.
Ms. Westbrock, you know this better than most. You serve rural
Minnesotans every day through CTC. Could you speak to the regu-
latory roadblocks like permitting delays and redundant reporting
that hinder your ability to build and connect our communities?
Ms. WESTBROCK. Thank you.
It is our primarily roadblock during construction season of get-
ting the permitting approved. And so, in one really specific exam-
ple, as you know, we hope that we can start building in April, and
we hope that we can go to mid-October, but then our construction
season is over.
So, when we have 6-month delays for soil testing, that causes our
project to get pushed back another year. And then we wait another
6 months for the State to approve it. We are now pushed back 2
years on that project only because of the delays in permitting.
Mr. STAUBER. And the 2 years, it becomes more expensive
every year you delay.
Ms. WESTBROCK. Absolutely.
Mr. STAUBER. In your testimony, you also mentioned the im-
portance of the Universal Service Fund in helping maintain afford-
able service for rural areas. That is an issue that I have worked
on with you directly, and I signed onto the amicus brief defending
the USF before the Supreme Court, and I was glad to see the court
ruled in our favor preserving this essential program.
Can you expand on why the USF is so critical to rural broadband
operations and what you believe Congress should do to help mod-
ernize and sustain it.
Ms. WESTBROCK. Sure. And thank you for signing onto that
brief. That was a very important time for us.
There are several pieces of legislation right now. The Fair Con-
tributions Act, Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act, and
then the USF working group that are working on updating pro-
grams which would put USF on more stable footing. Failing to ad-
dress these concerns will accelerate the declining pool of resources
available for USF.
And for us specifically, we work very, very hard to not be de-
pendent on it. I mean, we are building out and diversifying our
business all the time, but at the end of the day, our business is still
over 20 percent dependent on USF, and that number for many co-
ops is a low percentage.
But without that, we cut jobs. We cut services. Our networks
don’t stay as reliable. So USF does have to have reform.
Mr. STAUBER. I actually went out and toured one of your sites
there. Incredible people, incredible leadership, and trying to spice
up fiber. I mean, it is just an amazing process, and I was very
happy to be there just outside Brainerd.
And finally, in your testimony, you provide some specific exam-
ples of how broadband service has helped small businesses in our
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
22
community. Can you talk about what broadband service technology
you believe is most beneficial to meet the needs of small businesses
in our rural communities?
Ms. WESTBROCK. Yes, and I would love to give you a specific
example. 7Sigma Systems is a company that is located in Brainerd,
Minnesota. They have 25 employees, but they run a software com-
pany. That software company touches millions of end users on our
fiber network.
And just to take into account the 25 employees they have, they
have no brick and mortar, and so those 25 employees are in States
like Georgia, Indiana, Wisconsin, Texas, Iowa, and they are all op-
erating—all of those employees have to have reliable network in
order to support that.
And so that business is so exciting because those people can live
where they want to live and have the jobs that they have for a live-
lihood there.
But we believe in fiber, Representative Stauber.
Mr. STAUBER. Yes, you know, representing a rural community,
that is a quality of life issue. If you talk to realtors, I mean, the
first thing people ask us: Is it a reliable service? That is a huge
component to the economies that are going to drive new home
buildings, first time home ownership in rural America.
I remember we held a hearing in Scandia, Minnesota. We talked
to a business owner who said he would have never located there
had he realized there wasn’t the reliable service.
So we can’t hear that. Small businesses are the engine of our
economy, and you helped make our economy better by laying that
fiber so we can go into greater America and enjoy our quality of
life.
Mr. Chair, that is it and I yield back.
Ms. WESTBROCK. Thank you.
Chairman WILLIAMS. The gentleman yields back.
I now recognize Dr. Morrison from the great State of Minnesota
for 5 minutes.
Ms. MORRISON. Thank you, Chairman Williams and Ranking
Member Velázquez for holding this hearing, and thanks to our wit-
nesses for being here and taking the time.
A quick shout out, of course, to my fellow Minnesotan, Ms.
Westbrock. I love all the Minnesota representation in the House
today, Mr. Chair. Thank you.
While I was home in Minnesota in August, I had the pleasure
of meeting with many small businesses from around my district.
We all know small business plays a vital role in our economy, and
their entrepreneurial spirit helps them devise innovative solutions
to the unpredictable challenges that are thrown their way.
One of the critical tools that help our small businesses innovate
and modernize is, of course, broadband internet. So many aspects
of our lives, such as e-commerce, education, and healthcare now
rely on having reliable high-speed internet service.
As a physician myself, telehealth enabled me to continue to con-
nect with and care for my patients during the pandemic, and since
then telehealth flexibilities have continued to play a crucial role in
ensuring patients are able to access the care they need, especially
in rural areas.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
23
Telehealth options fill a gap in areas where in-person care is lim-
ited or specialty care is unavailable, but to access these services,
patients and providers have to have reliable broadband connec-
tions.
So with that in mind, Ms. Jackson-Furman, do you have sugges-
tions on ways that the USF can be improved to ensure that rural
healthcare providers have the broadband capabilities needed to
provide telehealth care?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. Well, we have got specific programs
within USF that are designed for specific initiatives, such as E-
Rate and other health services. So I think that if that were a pri-
ority, I think that potentially a specific fund could be set aside for
something like that.
But in the greater realm, if the BEAD funds are expended the
way that they are supposed to be expended to achieve what they
are supposed to achieve, we should have connectivity. It is an inter-
net for all program, right, and we think that there may be holes
left post BEAD that reconnect and different funding mechanisms
can help fill.
But I think that all of that has to do with deploying the facilities
and then having specific USF programs to help people stay con-
nected and to continue to maintain those networks going forward.
Ms. MORRISON. Thank you. I appreciate that answer.
In June, the Trump administration issued a policy notice making
substantive changes to the BEAD program. One of the most signifi-
cant changes was deprioritizing the installation of highly reliable
fiber-optic cables and allowing funding to go to satellite broadband
technology providers. This change opened the way for Starlink,
America’s largest satellite broadband provider and a subsidiary of
SpaceX to receive funds for BEAD projects.
Ms. Jackson-Furman, again to you. Can you discuss the impact
of those changes?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. Sure.
The biggest impact for providers such as WK&T was losing the
fiber preference and allowing fixed wireless and satellite specifi-
cally to compete for the funds. The short answer is that it will cre-
ate a landscape of haves and have-nots for fiber connectivity, which
is faster, more reliable, and scalable. So some folks will be left with
an inferior service, and that is unfortunate.
So a specific impact to WK&T is we lost the opportunity to serve
serviceable locations that we would have otherwise served with
fiber.
Ms. MORRISON. That is concerning. Thank you. And good to
know.
I, of course, would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Starlink is
owned by Elon Musk, and these changes made by the Trump ad-
ministration came shortly after Mr. Musk’s tenure as a, quote, spe-
cial government employee.
In the lead up to the passage of the budget reconciliation bill, the
majority attempted to condition BEAD funding on States agreeing
to not regulate artificial intelligence for 10 years. I am concerned
about how this would threaten online safety, jeopardize data pri-
vacy, and spread misinformation.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
24
But I would like to hear from you, Ms. Jackson-Furman, on how
linking program funding to an unrelated condition might hinder
broadband deployment.
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. In my opinion, AI is a separate issue
from BEAD funding, and they shouldn’t be linked at all. AI, obvi-
ously, is a tool that we all use in day-to-day life, and it is exciting
and it is new. I think that it does need to have some boundaries
on the sides of it to make sure it is used appropriately. But, ulti-
mately, I believe BEAD funding and AI are completely unlinked.
Ms. MORRISON. I agree with you. Thank you, Ms. Jackson-
Furman.
And thank you, Mr. Chair, and our witnesses. I yield back.
Chairman WILLIAMS. The lady yields back.
And it is like being at the Minnesota State Fair with all of these
Minnesotans here today.
I now recognize Mr. Alford from the great State of Missouri for
5 minutes.
Mr. ALFORD. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am not from Minnesota,
but another ‘‘M’’ State, Missouri. Good to have you with us.
I have the honor of representing Missouri’s Fourth Congressional
District, largely rural, 24 counties in the heart of Missouri and the
heart of America.
Right now 15 federal agencies with more than 100 different pro-
grams have been working to try to make sure that every American
has access to broadband. Despite this, I meet folks each and every
time I am back in the district, and they ask me one thing: When
are we getting broadband?
Farmers cannot use modern technology. Families cannot access
telemedicine. Small businesses are not willing to relocate to rural
areas because they don’t have the tools necessary to conduct small
business in 2025. Many of my constituents lack the rural
broadband, about 70,000 families. That is a lot. And this is despite
billions of dollars being spent on attempts to expand rural
broadband, including the most recent trench of $42 billion from the
Biden administration’s Infrastructure and Jobs Act.
It is unacceptable in my opinion that 7 million homes and busi-
nesses primarily in rural areas like Central Missouri still lack ac-
cess to rural broadband.
Ms. Westbrock, thank you for being here today. Billions of tax-
payer dollars, as we have said, have already been spent on
broadband expansion, and yet rural communities still do not have
adequate access. Why is that?
Ms. WESTBROCK. Well, I will give you my professional opinion
on that. I believe that the reason that they don’t have access yet
is because the way certain programs have been administered, that
the programs have given money to companies that don’t follow
through on the work that they say they are going to do or they take
shortcuts. They don’t put in the robust connections that should be
put in and then they are lacking that connectivity still in rural
America.
And we see it over and over with large corporations that say X
and they don’t do X, and that is very concerning when you live in
small rural communities, and you hear that often.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
25
Mr. ALFORD. Are there any consequences to that lack of fulfill-
ment for what they are really charged with doing with the federal
government’s money?
Ms. WESTBROCK. I am unaware of any.
Mr. ALFORD. Mr. Todd, you are the CEO of Nex-Tech, a com-
pany bringing fiber to rural communities in nearby Kansas. Given
your advocacy for broadband funding reform, what legislative or
regulatory burden do you believe most slows deployment in areas
like my district?
Mr. TODD. Thank you for the question.
And I would say what would slow things down is generally the
permitting process. As you know, there are different levels of per-
mitting and right-of-way access that must be navigated. You have
got different programs within the federal government which are
not in sync, but you also have State and county and municipality
codes that you have to work with. All of those can present delays
in getting the permitting necessary to build out a project. That
leads to delays and increased cost, unfortunately.
Mr. ALFORD. As I stated, more than 100 programs have been
set up to try to get rural broadband to everyone. Can you explain
how a streamlined effort could help providers and their customers
in rural communities? I assume some of this would be overcoming
some of the regulations that are stifling the growth of expansion.
Mr. TODD. I believe consistency would simplify things. Stream-
lining and consistency would make a difference. When a different
program follows different rules and how you approach not only pre-
senting a project but being approved and then acting on it, then
that creates complications. So uniformity and consistency would be
a great help.
Mr. ALFORD. Mr. Werff, we have 1 minute left.
There are thousands of folks just like you in my district who are
forced to adapt and attempt to run their small businesses without
full access to broadband. How has this lack of access to broadband,
how has that affected your business?
Mr. VANDER WERFF. Thank you for the question.
We have been fortunate so far that we have been able to locate
facilities and locate people in areas where we have access to at
least something as far as broadband goes, but an overarching part
of this conversation is not just broadband but cellular access be-
cause oftentimes—for example, our billing and software and every-
thing for our Ag retail facilities, those orders are all taken on iPad.
So either it is a hot spot or cellular connectivity, but the software
itself is based in Illinois and operates all on cloud.
So we can’t operate without high-speed reliable internet, and so
occasionally that forces us to reconsider where we want to locate
a facility.
Mr. ALFORD. Thank you. Thank you all for your answers and
for being here today.
And I yield back, Chairman.
Chairman WILLIAMS. The gentleman yields back.
And I now recognize Mr. Tran from the great State of California
for 5 minutes.
Mr. TRAN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
26
Ms. Westbrock, last year your company CTC announced a part-
nership with the Communications Workers of America to create the
first broadband center apprenticeship program for Minnesota and
other States in the region. How beneficial are programs like these
to both workers and providers like yours?
Ms. WESTBROCK. It is extremely important, especially in rural
communities, that we can provide young—new workers coming into
programs with the apprenticeship program.
In this case, we had a tremendous experience in working with
the CWA. We had our first two that graduated from the appren-
ticeship program. They both came straight out of high school into
the apprenticeship program and are already working in a great job
with great income.
So, it has been super successful, and my thanks to CWA for
working with us.
Mr. TRAN. That is so good to hear.
How can the federal government better maintain and expand its
support for registered broadband apprenticeship programs like
yours?
Ms. WESTBROCK. Funding. Funding mechanisms are needed.
Today that program is really grassroots, and we are trying to fund
it ourselves with them and us involved, but we just—we need more
help, and we need more awareness of how helpful these apprentice-
ship programs are.
Mr. TRAN. I agree with that. Thank you for your testimony.
For both Ms. Jackson-Furman and Ms. Westbrock, for more than
30 years the Universal Service Fund has been a critical federal pro-
gram for working families, ensuring millions of Americans have ac-
cess to broadband in the most rural and underserved areas in Cali-
fornia and across the country.
Reliable high-speed internet connection isn’t a luxury, and it is
vital to how modern small businesses operate. Thankfully,
SCOTUS upheld the constitutionality of the program, but now Con-
gress must look toward improving the program.
Ms. Jackson-Furman first. In your respective written testimony,
you highlighted the importance of Universal Service Fund. Could
you first discuss how Congress could modernize and strengthen the
Universal Service Fund and ensure it continues to meet the evolv-
ing connectivity needs of all Americans?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. Yes. Thank you.
So major modernization does need to happen in the funding
mechanism piece of that. So the base needs to be broadened for
who contributes to the fund. Right now the majority of the funding
comes from long distance services on voice bills, and that pool of
revenue is ever retracting.
And so the FUSF factor is exceeding 36 percent. So I think it will
go to 39 percent for the fourth quarter of this year. That is not sus-
tainable.
So expanding the base contribution to edge providers and all ISP
providers would bolster the fund, make the support predictable for
the foreseeable future, and help us all operate with confidence
when we are making 20-year investments.
Mr. TRAN. Amazing.
Ms. Westbrock, anything to add?
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
27
Ms. WESTBROCK. I would just add that the modernization of
USF is critical for our rural communities to have that support.
Mr. TRAN. Thank you so much for your testimony and for all the
witnesses for being here.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Chairman WILLIAMS. The gentleman yields back.
I now recognize Mr. Downing from the great State of Montana
for 5 minutes.
Mr. DOWNING. Mr. Chair, thank you very much for holding
this. Thank you, witnesses, for being here.
My home State of Montana is one of the least densely populated
places in the country. We have really, really long roads, and we lag
behind the rest of the country in broadband access. Only 73 percent
of our households have access, which is below the national average
of about 95 percent.
This lack of access sets back rural job creators competing in our
modern economy. Reliable connection to the internet is crucial for
small businesses to market their products, to recruit talent, and,
you know, effectively run their operations.
So this one is to the whole panel. From your experience both as
broadband providers and as rural businessowners, what impacts
have you seen broadband expansion have on making rural small
businesses more viable for outside investments? I will open that to
the panel.
Ms. Westbrock?
Ms. WESTBROCK. Yes. I would like to specifically talk about
Nature Link, which is a company that is in our service territory.
They are a small resort, and they have the ability to hold corporate
functions there. When they went into that area, the services that
were there weren’t what they needed to attract those large con-
ferences to their resort, and so once we got the connectivity there,
they were able to start booking those, and now we are bringing in
those dollars into our local economy.
Mr. DOWNING. Thank you.
Anyone else? Mr. Todd?
Mr. TODD. Thank you, sir.
With regard to entrepreneurship, we have seen the ability for
young people or folks that are interested in starting and growing
a business facilitated by fiber broadband capabilities, and without
that, they would be somewhere else. They choose our area because
of the infrastructure that we have, the connectivity that they can
have access to.
So small businesses grow. Entrepreneurs are able to start busi-
nesses, and it just continues to benefit the community as a whole.
Mr. DOWNING. Right. Thank you.
Mr. Vander Werff?
Mr. VANDER WERFF. Thank you, Congressman.
I think the thing to recognize from my perspective on this issue
as a small business owner, you know, oftentimes when we think
about business growth with internet connectivity, it is sort of the
big sexy things like starting an e-commerce business or a web-
based business.
But in reality, it is your local HVAC contractor. It is the local
lumbar yard simply being able to go on LinkedIn and look for em-
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
28
ployees. It is being able to run payroll software. It’s being able to
order parts and services off the internet.
It is not necessarily a necessity to have for a business to be able
to create a digital storefront. It is just a necessity of having a
cloud-based business. I mean, you can’t even get QuickBooks as a
desktop software anymore. It is all cloud-based, and if you don’t
have some kind of 5G or higher connectivity, it is not going to
work.
Mr. DOWNING. Something to add, Ms. Jackson-Furman?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. We had a seed company that was a
large user of our data services, and they attracted outside invest-
ment, and they were bought by a much bigger company, a world-
wide company. So that is opportunity. It brings opportunity for
folks to grow when they have access to the worldwide stage to our
fiber connectivity.
Mr. DOWNING. Right. I appreciate that.
You know, it is important to me that we have access for entre-
preneurs that are in less served areas, which is, you know, a big
part of my State, making sure that we have the connectivity and
can attract the financing because that is, obviously, a key part to
that.
So, you know, I introduced earlier this year the Expanding Ac-
cess to Capital for Rural Job Creators Act trying to solve some of
these problems, but a big part is this connectivity as well.
But in the interest of time, I am going to move on to a different
topic on, you know, the impact of broadband on farming. You know,
farming is a crucial sector in rural economies across our country,
including, you know, in Montana. I am in the central and eastern
part of the State.
Small farmers and ranchers are increasingly reliant on high-tech
methods and machinery in order to remain competitive. Precision
agriculture tools like, you know, GPS, autonomous equipment,
drones, soil sensors, all of these depend on broadband for accessing
data and operating effectively.
So I will start with Mr. Vander Werff. Has unreliable broadband
limited your ability to adopt these tools on your farm in rural
Michigan?
Mr. VANDER WERFF. It has created challenges for us to do so.
You have to remember when we are creating data out in the field,
we are creating terabytes of data at a time, and that data, even if
it is remotely uplinked to a cloud-based server, as a lot of it is, you
then have to be able to access that.
So even if I have great connectivity through cellular on the
equipment, I still have to have a broadband connection at my office
or this data is useless to me.
Mr. DOWNING. Right. We are seeing more and more demand for
this. And, unfortunately, I could go deep into this, but I have run
out of time.
So on that, Mr. Chair, I yield back.
Chairman WILLIAMS. The gentleman yields back.
I now recognize Ms. Goodlander from the great State of New
Hampshire for 5 minutes.
Ms. GOODLANDER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you
to our witnesses for being here today for this important hearing.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
29
We are all back from our districts. I spent 40 days and 40 nights
pounding the pavement across New Hampshire, and the issue of
reliable, affordable internet access came up pretty much every-
where I went.
In conversations with family farmers—and I am grateful that
you are here today to help us dig in on that front—rural entre-
preneurs, small businesses of all kinds, you know, in New Hamp-
shire, in my district, a lot of the challenge comes from we see just
a situation where we have got weather-dependent reliability when
it comes to the internet.
We had an opportunity through the Bipartisan Infrastructure
Bill, which paved the way for my State to really deliver broadband
across the board. $191 million has been put on the table for the
State of New Hampshire.
Our State, on a bipartisan basis, as we always work, put to-
gether a great 5-year plan. And just last month, changes to the
BEAD program, which is really the lifeline for my State. To be able
to achieve what we all want to see, which is universal broadband
access that is reliable and affordable, the BEAD program is critical
to that.
Ms. Jackson-Furman, I know you have applied for—and the
other witnesses, have you all applied for BEAD grants or worked
with the program?
So I just want to ask—and, Mr. Chairman, I would like to enter
into the record a letter I wrote to Secretary Lutnick last month
about this specifically. Thank you very much. It hasn’t received a
response yet.
We have an opportunity here with this $191 million in the State
of New Hampshire. We’ve got a great plan. It was already ap-
proved. It is waiting for us and waiting for the grantees across my
State who have gone through a lot of trouble to navigate com-
plicated federal programs. And I am all for cutting the red tape
and waste, fraud, and abuse wherever we can find it.
But Ms. Jackson-Furman, can you tell us a little bit about your
experience with the BEAD program and what it means for the goal
we all want to achieve?
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. Sure. Thank you.
The BEAD program is—the fiber preference was removed. I
know I said that before, but that was a really large issue for us,
providers like us in rural America, the fiber preference being re-
moved.
While we think there is a place for all technologies, fixed wireless
and satellite alike, fiber technology is considered the future-proof
technology with the full scaleability and robust reliability that fixed
wireless and satellite do not offer.
So it makes sense to spend the dollars in a program like BEAD
to provide sure connectivity as opposed to taking a gamble on what
might be, and so I think that creating a system where not every-
body has access to the same technology is unfortunate.
Ms. GOODLANDER. Ms. Westbrock, can you talk a little bit
about your experience with BEAD and what disruptions you have
seen in this freeze on federal funds?
Ms. WESTBROCK. Sure.
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
30
So, the BEAD program has been complicated as a provider to
navigate. We have spent many nights working on a BEAD applica-
tion. We are recently preliminarily awarded the $20 million, but if
that fiber preference wouldn’t have changed, I believe that we
would have been awarded much more than that.
We didn’t apply for certain areas specifically because we knew
that the match that we had would not be the match that we would
need to have without being able to get a waiver. So we chose not
to apply in certain areas.
Ms. GOODLANDER. We welcome all of your ideas on how we
can make these programs work better.
I have got a bill, a bipartisan bill with Congressman Wied, the
Office of Rural Affairs Enhancement Act. It is an office within this
Small Business Administration. I wanted to—I have got 30 seconds
left—ask our witnesses just if anyone has thoughts on how the
SBA can be a more effective force multiplier and operator in help-
ing to connect rural small businesses with what is theirs, these fed-
eral programs and funding streams. I would welcome your ideas
since we are, after all, the Small Business Committee.
Ms. JACKSON-FURMAN. I will jump in here.
So I think that we would ask that individually, as Congressmen
and women, whenever the contribution reform vote comes up in
Congress, we need your help in order to have contribution reform
so that USF remains sustainable in the foreseeable future.
As far as the Small Business Committee, I don’t have anything
to ask right now, but as Members of Congress I do.
Ms. GOODLANDER. Thank you very much.
I yield back, Mr. Chair.
Chairman WILLIAMS. The gentlelady yields back.
And I would like to thank our witnesses for their testimony and
for appearing before us today. You all did a really good job. Your
hometowns and States should be proud of you.
Without objection, Members have 5 legislative days to submit ad-
ditional materials and written requests for the witnesses to the
Chair, which will be forwarded to the witnesses. I ask the wit-
nesses to please respond promptly.
And if there is no further business, without objection, the Com-
mittee is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 11:35 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
31
APPENDIX
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 31 here 61674.001
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
32
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 32 here 61674.002
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
33
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 33 here 61674.003
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
34
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 34 here 61674.004
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
35
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 35 here 61674.005
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
36
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 36 here 61674.006
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
37
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 37 here 61674.007
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
38
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 38 here 61674.008
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
39
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 39 here 61674.009
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00043 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
40
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 40 here 61674.010
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00044 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
41
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 41 here 61674.011
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00045 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
42
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 42 here 61674.012
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00046 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
43
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 43 here 61674.013
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00047 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
44
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 44 here 61674.014
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00048 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
45
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 45 here 61674.015
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00049 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
46
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 46 here 61674.016
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
47
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 47 here 61674.017
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00051 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
48
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 48 here 61674.018
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
49
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 49 here 61674.019
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00053 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
50
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 50 here 61674.020
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00054 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
51
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 51 here 61674.021
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00055 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
52
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 52 here 61674.022
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
53
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 53 here 61674.023
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00057 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
54
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 54 here 61674.063
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00058 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
55
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 55 here 61674.064
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00059 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
56
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 56 here 61674.065
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00060 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
57
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 57 here 61674.066
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00061 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
58
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 58 here 61674.024
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00062 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
59
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 59 here 61674.025
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00063 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
60
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 60 here 61674.026
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00064 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
61
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 61 here 61674.027
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00065 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
62
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 62 here 61674.028
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00066 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
63
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 63 here 61674.029
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00067 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
64
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 64 here 61674.030
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00068 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
65
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 65 here 61674.031
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00069 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
66
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 66 here 61674.032
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00070 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
67
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 67 here 61674.033
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00071 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
68
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 68 here 61674.034
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00072 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
69
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 69 here 61674.035
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00073 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
70
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 70 here 61674.036
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00074 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
71
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 71 here 61674.037
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00075 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
72
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 72 here 61674.038
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00076 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
73
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 73 here 61674.039
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00077 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
74
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 74 here 61674.040
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00078 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
75
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 75 here 61674.041
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00079 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
76
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 76 here 61674.042
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00080 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
77
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 77 here 61674.043
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00081 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
78
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 78 here 61674.044
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00082 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
79
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 79 here 61674.045
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00083 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
80
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 80 here 61674.046
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00084 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
81
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 81 here 61674.047
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00085 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
82
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 82 here 61674.048
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00086 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
83
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 83 here 61674.049
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00087 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
84
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 84 here 61674.050
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00088 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
85
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 85 here 61674.051
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00089 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
86
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 86 here 61674.052
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00090 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
87
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 87 here 61674.053
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00091 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
88
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 88 here 61674.054
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00092 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
89
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 89 here 61674.055
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00093 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
90
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 90 here 61674.056
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00094 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
91
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 91 here 61674.057
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00095 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
92
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 92 here 61674.058
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00096 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
93
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 93 here 61674.059
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00097 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
94
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 94 here 61674.060
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00098 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
95
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 95 here 61674.061
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00099 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
96
Æ
SBR125-LTP with DISTILLER Insert offset folio 96 here 61674.062
VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:50 Feb 03, 2026 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00100 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6011 F:\DOCS\61674.TXT DEBBIE
File and source
- File
- CHRG-119hhrg61674.pdf
- Size
- 33,884,236 bytes
- SHA-256
- 84c79e35f01a8c66c03af43010abd3d543a565da0082ed6867ff159dd07e9619
- Our copy
- CHRG-119hhrg61674.pdf
- Original
- www.govinfo.gov