Lots of people talking about broadband and Blandin Foundation this week. First Senator Franken and now Senator Klobuchar! Senator Klobuchar sent the Foundation a nice note appreciating their work with broadband and again a nice nod to the Minnesota Broadband Vision…

I write in support of the Blandin Foundation’s ongoing work to expand broadband access to all Minnesotans. The benefits of high-quality broadband are clear, but not all Minnesotans enjoy equal access to these services. Rural residents often have slower speeds that those in urban areas. Additionally, there are lower adoption rates among seniors and low-income households.

I applaud Blandin Foundation, the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development and many other stakeholders in Minnesota that developed the Minnesota Broadband Vision during last year’s “Border to Border Broadband: Better Together” conference. I share your goals of ensuring that all Minnesotans have access to affordable, high-quality broadband that opens new opportunities in education, healthcare and the economy of tomorrow.

At the federal level, I will continue to advocate for policies that expand access to broadband. I look forward to continuing to work with the state government, the Blandin Foundation, and other stakeholders in Minnesota toward the goal of ubiquitous, high-quality, affordable broadband.