BISHOP, MOOLENAAR, PANETTA, AND HUIZENGA INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO HELP MAKE RURAL BROADBAND INTERNET MORE AFFORDABLE
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02-D) and Congressman John Moolenaar (MI-02-R) introduced the Broadening Online Opportunities Through Simple Technologies (BOOST) Act. Joining them introducing the bipartisan bill are Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-19-D) and Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-04-R). The legislation would allow households in rural, low connectivity areas to claim a $300 tax credit after purchasing a mobile internet hotspot or a signal booster to increase their internet speeds.
“I am happy to reintroduce the bipartisan BOOST Act with my colleagues, which will help make broadband internet access more affordable and accessible to rural communities. Dependable access to high-speed internet is vital for a whole range of day-to-day activities including individuals teleworking, children doing homework, and families accessing telemedicine,” said Congressman Bishop. “Through legislation like this we want to help close the gap in rural services and ensure everyone is able to take full advantage of digital resources and fully participate in the 21st Century economy.”
“My BOOST Act will ensure Michigan families can connect to the internet with their own hotspot or boost the internet speed they currently have. This bipartisan legislation will empower residents in rural areas who have been waiting far too long to have reliable internet in their homes. This is long overdue and will help families sooner rather than later,” said Congressman Moolenaar.
“The lack of reliable wired broadband in rural areas, including parts of California’s 19th Congressional District, puts many working families at a disadvantage when it comes to work, school, and other opportunities,” said Congressman Panetta. “I am proud to reintroduce the bipartisan BOOST Act to provide a tax credit that these students, employees, and employers need to better afford equipment that can improve their wireless internet signal. This tax credit is a straightforward step towards ensuring that families and businesses have access to internet services as we get closer to bridging the digital divide.”
“A critical lack of reliable connectivity still exists in portions of Southwest Michigan. As new buildouts continue and communities grow, we introduced the BOOST Act because families should be able to afford and access this available wireless technology to meet their daily needs until the buildouts reach them,” said Congressman Huizenga.
The BOOST Act allows homeowners or renters in rural areas to claim a $300 tax credit after purchasing either a mobile hotspot or signal booster where internet speeds do not meet the federal requirement of 25 megabits per second for downloading and three megabits per second for uploading. A map of areas eligible for the tax credit can be found here.
Congressman Bishop worked with Congressmembers Moolenaar, Panetta, and Huizenga to introduce this bill in the previous Congress.
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