Welch Calls Broadband Essential for Rural Opportunity at Vermont Statehouse

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2026 – Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, said the importance of broadband access is foundational for rural economic development, according to a press release issued during Vermont’s annual Northeast Kingdom Day on Thursday.

Welch, the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, met with state and local leaders in Montpelier to discuss federal priorities aimed at strengthening rural communities, including investments in connectivity, health care, and small businesses.

“The role we have in government is not about handouts, it’s about creating a level playing field for rural communities,” Welch said. “That means affordable and accessible health care. That means state-of-the-art broadband.”