Rural communities would keep access to a federal broadband-infrastructure grant program for several more years under this bill. It extends the authorization window for the "middle mile" broadband program — funding that helps build the internet backbone connecting rural areas to the wider network — from the original 2018-2023 period out through 2031. The change is a single date fix to the Rural Electrification Act of 1936's broadband provisions, extending eligibility for grants rather than changing how the program works or how much any single grant pays out. Rural internet providers, cooperatives, and the rural households and businesses who depend on those connections for internet service are the ones affected. No new spending formula, eligibility rule, or oversight requirement is added — the bill simply keeps the program from lapsing.
Average Household Impact
- Rural broadband grant funding window — Middle-mile infrastructure eligibility extended from 2018-2023 through 2026-2031
Congressional Summary
Middle Mile for Rural America ActThis bill reauthorizes through FY2031 a Department of Agriculture program to support middle mile broadband infrastructure in rural areas. Under the program, middle mile infrastructure is broadband infrastructure that does not connect directly to end users (including anchor institutions) and may include interoffice transport, backhaul, internet connectivity, data centers, or special access transport to rural areas.The program provides grants, loans, and loan guarantees for middle mile projects in rural areas. It was established in 2018 but has not been funded.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-08-26
- Date Added
- 2026-07-10
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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