Better internet service could be on the way to rural areas

Bailey Whitlock and her family have bad cell service at home. They're still using a landline, and their internet service is terrible.

"If you barely turn your head, we automatically lose it," Whitlock said.

They're not alone. According to BroadbandNow.com, 21% of people in Louisiana are underserved. Either they can't get internet, or the internet they can get is too expensive or not very reliable.

Congressman Ralph Abraham, who sits on the House Agriculture Committee, is working to ease that in the Farm Bill that's almost on it's way to President Trump's desk. The Farm Bill talks work requirements for some food stamps recipients and more money for farmers.

"For us to develop a highly-skilled and highly educated workforce from leaving that state and attract more businesses we have to have that broadband internet connection," Abraham said.

Parts of that bill would provide money to expand high-speed internet to millions in rural America.

"The USDA had $700 million to expand before, and now they have another 600-million that Congress has allocated," Abraham said.

The USDA said it's using that money to expand broadband infrastructure.

The USDA just launched, https://www.usda.gov/broadband, it's website that gives you direct access to information to its decades-long programs.