FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Rep. Rob Summerfield
April 22, 2021 (608) 266-1194
Rep. Summerfield Responds to Governor’s Veto of Broadband Funds
Madison… Following the Governor’s veto today of Assembly Bill 239, Rep. Rob Summerfield (R-Bloomer) released the following statement:
“With approximately 400,000 Wisconsinites lacking access to basic internet, and approximately 20% of those being rural residents, this bill was not a ‘nice-to-have,’ it was a necessity. Not only does broadband impact so many different aspects of our everyday lives, including education, healthcare, and other basic services, but our neighboring Midwestern states have recently rolled out aggressive proposals to connect their economies and move their states into the future. Wisconsin needs an ambitious, bold plan to ensure we will be competitive in the coming decades. This veto is a step in the wrong direction in accomplishing that goal.”
If passed, Assembly Bill 239 would have allocated $500 million from the American Rescue Plan Act funds to the Broadband Expansion Grant program. Earlier this year, Governor Tony Evers declared 2021 the “Year of Broadband”.
###
The 67th Assembly District includes portions of Dunn and Chippewa counties.