Last week, the Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility (E-BRIDGE) Act (H.R. 3193) passed the House by a vote of 410-16. The bill would make it easier for rural and impoverished communities to pursue broadband projects through Economic Development Administration grants, including difficult last-mile efforts that often delay rural broadband deployment. The bill also ensures that local communities can partner with the private sector in carrying out broadband projects and gives communities more flexibility in complying with their funding match requirements. The Senate has yet to act on a bipartisan companion bill (S. 1695) introduced in May 2021.
