House Small Business Committee backs focus on broadband funding for remote areas - 2009-11-17 15:30:00 | Multichannel News

The cable industry has found allies in the chair and ranking members of the House Small Business Committee in its push to get the government to focus broadband stimulus money on areas where there is no broadband access.

In a letter to the National Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA) and Rural Utilities Service (RUS), which are soliciting comments on ways to improve the stimulus fund bidding process, Committee Chair Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.) and ranking member Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), wrote: "It is the Committee's recommendation that funds should be targeted to areas which are first "unserved" and only then to "underserved" areas, if funding remains." The letter was signed by 21 members, or about two-thirds of the committee...