Broadband has become a necessity to thrive in our modern economy. A 2024 study conducted by Connecting Appalachia found that rural counties with high broadband adoption rates saw significant advantages over those with low rates of connectivity. Specifically, the more connected counties experienced 213 percent higher business growth, 10 percent higher self-employment growth, 44 percent higher GDP growth, and 18 percent higher per-capita income growth.
In short, areas connected to broadband – and the modern economy – have an inherent advantage over those left off the grid. In southern Ohio, we know this all too well.
As of the end of 2023, 75 percent of Appalachian Ohio lacked access to minimum internet speeds. While at the same time, the district I represent, which is largely Appalachian, includes the three poorest counties in Ohio. 14 of the 16 counties in the district rank in the bottom half of all Ohio counties in per capita income. These statistics are unquestionably linked when you consider all of the benefits that an internet connection can bring to a community.
That’s why my top priority since being elected to Congress has been to help those in southern Ohio get connected to rural broadband.
Since taking the oath of office in January, my work on broadband has been multifaceted. I have led three bills focused on expanding rural broadband access, been selected by my colleagues to serve as Co-Chair of the Rural Broadband Caucus, and worked with President Trump and Broadband Ohio to ensure federal dollars are being spent to connect those who have been left behind.
One of my key pieces of legislation would make it easier for small communities to access federal broadband funding. Our small towns don’t have the dedicated staff of larger, more urban cities who can spend hours combing through federal websites for grant opportunities. It can be discouraging to spend the limited time and resources on an application only to be denied in favor of cities with dedicated staff and expertise in securing federal funding, further expanding the disparity in connectivity.
I have also been working with President Trump and Broadband Ohio to launch the $42 billion BEAD Program, which sat idle under President Biden for nearly four years due to federal bureaucratic delays. Together, we did a lot of amazing things to reopen the application process, tell the story of need in rural Ohio, and secure a robust share of federal dollars to be deployed to our region. I applaud Broadband Ohio’s plan to get every Ohioan connected, and I look forward to continuing to partner with them as this funding is deployed.
In Congress, I will continue fighting to ensure that everyone in southern Ohio has access to this essential tool for growth and opportunity. For decades, federal broadband efforts have overlooked our region, and I am pushing to finally connect hardworking southern Ohio families and businesses to the modern economy.
U.S. Congressman Dave Taylor is a Republican from Clermont County representing Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District.
This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Opinion. Connecting Ohioans to the modern economy is my top priority
Reporting by U.S. Congressman Dave Taylor / Chillicothe Gazette
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
