Congressional Broadband Tour

Escape from Washington, D.C.

Each year, FRS invites Congressional staff members to visit a rural area of the United States to learn more about rural telecommunications and the geographic and financial challenges of providing robust broadband service to remote rural areas. The tour also highlights the role rural telecom companies play in providing these essential services that support education, commercial activity, agriculture, health, and public safety. In 2023, the FRS Congressional Broadband Tour took place August 15-18 with a visit to eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota. Past Broadband Tours have taken place in New York, Montana, Kentucky, Vermont and Wyoming. The Congressional Broadband Tour is made possible by generous donations from NTCA member companies. To find out more about the annual FRS Congressional Broadband tour, please contact [email protected].

Congressional Broadband Tour - Minnesota and North Dakota

In 2023, FRS invited 16 House and Senate staff members to Minnesota and North Dakota. The tour is hosted annually to introduce congressional staff to areas where community-based rural broadband provides economic, educational, civic, and other vital services.

Congressional Broadband Tour

The FRS Congressional Broadband Tour is an incredible tool to help educate people who make decisions that affect rural citizens each and every day. FRS programs like this tour would not be possible without the support of our donors and sponsors.

Congressional Broadband Tour - Kentucky and Tennessee

“We’re really excited that the Foundation for Rural Service decided to come to Tennessee and Kentucky because the staffers many times live in Washington and work for rural Senators and Congressmen, but they don’t have a chance themselves to come out and see what it’s like in rural America—but they have to be up to date on the topics that are affecting rural America, so this allows the staffers to get out and come visit and see what it’s like on the ground in parts of the country that they wouldn’t normally see.”

Nancy J. White
CEO
North Central Telephone Cooperative (NCTC)

Perspective from the tour

I’m from West Virginia, so it’s very nice to go around and see other small communities. Really, this is a good opportunity for someone from my state to see best practices, see how they’re using telehealth, see how they’re hooking their schools up—really see the rough terrain and how they’re bringing really good access to communities that are very similar to our state.

Victoria Flood, Legislative Assistant, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, (R-W Va.)