Rep. Sam Graves, U.S. Representative for Missouri's 6th District | Twitter Website
Rep. Sam Graves, U.S. Representative for Missouri's 6th District | Twitter Website
The Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility (E-BRIDGE) Act has been signed into law as part of the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024. This legislation, identified as S. 4367, received approval from both the House and Senate in December 2024.
The E-BRIDGE Act is designed to facilitate broadband projects under Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants by removing obstacles, including challenging last-mile efforts that often delay rural broadband deployment. It allows local communities to collaborate with the private sector on broadband projects and provides more flexibility in meeting funding match requirements.
By extending broadband access to rural and economically distressed areas, the E-BRIDGE Act aims to attract new businesses, support existing ones, and lay a foundation for economic recovery. It also seeks to better prepare these communities for future disasters.
The E-BRIDGE Act was introduced in the House on March 23, 2023, during the 118th Congress by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO), alongside Reps. Jenniffer González-Colón (R-PR), Tracey Mann (R-KS), and Michael Guest (R-MS). Chairman Graves had previously introduced this act in the 116th and 117th Congresses, gaining broad bipartisan support before its enactment.
Chairman Sam Graves expressed his satisfaction with the passage of the bill: “The E-BRIDGE Act has been an ongoing priority of mine for the last six years, and I’m extremely pleased to finally see it being signed into law,” said Chairman Sam Graves. “Unfortunately, too many of our communities, particularly in rural America, still lack broadband access. In some cases, just completing that ‘last mile’ is what stands in the way of connecting people to a job they need. The E-BRIDGE Act will help spur projects that attract jobs and businesses to expand economic development and opportunity in rural and poor communities.”
Further information about the E-BRIDGE Act can be found in section 2223 of the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (S. 4367).
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