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Missouri Senator Meets With Rural Leaders About Broadband

'This is not a luxury in many cases. It's an essential connection.' U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt said these words Wednesday afternoon at the Boone County Government Center during a roundtable discussion on broadband.

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(TNS) — "This is not a luxury in many cases. It's an essential connection."

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt said these words Wednesday afternoon at the Boone County Government Center during a roundtable discussion on broadband.

The Republican made the trip to Columbia to discuss broadband expansion and potential next steps to help better serve mid- Missouri.

One of his top priorities as a member of the Senate Commerce and Appropriations committees is expanding access to broadband, he said. One-third of rural Missourians remain without quality access to broadband.

"Of all the Western countries, we probably expanded internet the fastest with a pretty light touch," Blunt said. "That light touch is going to have to get a little bit heavier as we look at this as part of an essential part of our infrastructure."

Internet availability has become as important as telephone access once was, he said.

More: Sen. Roy Blunt emphasizes the connection between research and the economy during stop in Columbia

Columbia Public Schools Superintendent Brian Yearwood and spokesperson Michelle Baumstark were present to discuss issues the school district experienced related to internet access as classes moved online in 2020 because of the pandemic.

The district has provided each student with an internet-capable device, regardless of need for use outside of school. The issue remains that not every student has access to quality broadband, making access to online learning and schoolwork a daily struggle.

"The bottom line is we must provide continuity of the educational process for all scholars," Yearwood said.

"The pandemic has certainly exposed inequities in our system," Columbia Mayor Brian Treece said.

Treece expressed his desire to use $10 million of the $25 million from the American Rescue Plan Act funds to assist with improving the quality of internet and broadband for those currently without access to quality, high-speed internet.

More: COVID-19 pandemic exposes digital divide for Black families and online education, University of Missouri study finds

CPS has been working to update each student's devices to ones with LTE capabilities, versus providing an additional personal hotspot to students. Pandemic relief funds allocated to Boone County have allowed the school district to provide personal hotspots to students who need them.

Blunt also discussed the status of the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of vaccines. He then segued the discussion into the importance of quality internet in the dissemination of information.

He confirmed that he will be receiving his third dose, or booster, of the vaccine as soon as the eight months from his second dose have passed.

At the Missouri State Fair on Thursday, Gov. Mike Parson announced plans to deploy more than $400 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to increase broadband internet access, adoption and assistance statewide.

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