Senate Bill Would Reauthorize USDA Middle-Mile Broadband Program
House companion bill introduced in August remains in committee
Sergio Romero
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2026 – Bipartisan legislation introduced in the Senate on Friday would reauthorize a U.S. Department of Agriculture broadband program aimed at expanding middle-mile infrastructure in rural and underserved communities.
The Middle Mile for Rural America Act, introduced by Sens. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., and Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., would reauthorize the USDA’s middle-mile program for five years, from 2026 through 2031, allowing rural providers to connect more affordably to high-capacity internet backbones.
Companion legislation has been introduced in the House by Reps. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, and Josh Riley, D-N.Y., where it was referred to the House Agriculture and Energy and Commerce committees and awaits further action.
The legislation builds on changes made in the 2018 Farm Bill, which expanded the authority of the USDA Rural Utilities Service to fund stand-alone middle-mile broadband projects. Prior to that change, middle-mile infrastructure could generally only be supported as part of last-mile deployments, limiting rural networks’ ability to connect efficiently to the broader internet.
“High-speed internet isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity,” Slotkin said in a statement. “By strengthening USDA support for targeted broadband projects, this bipartisan bill helps lower costs and bring reliable, high-speed internet to rural Michigan and communities across the country.”
The proposal would extend and formalize that authority, providing low-cost loans and financing tools to help electric cooperatives and rural broadband providers construct fiber routes that link local networks to regional and national backhaul.
“If we’re going to ensure reliable, high-speed broadband service to people in rural areas, we must look at the whole network, which includes critical middle-mile projects,” Hyde-Smith said. “This is a small but significant USDA program that fills a gap to help ensure reliable and affordable service for rural homes and businesses.”
The bill would amend a framework first established under the Rural Electrification Act nearly a century ago. Originally enacted in 1936, the REA brought electricity to rural America by enabling low-cost federal financing for infrastructure. The new legislation applies a similar federal financing approach to broadband deployment.
Member discussion