JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, alongside Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins, is calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to return $177 million in defaulted funding to the state for rural broadband expansion.
The funds, initially awarded through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), were intended to expand internet access to nearly 85,000 underserved locations in Missouri.
However, with providers defaulting on their obligations, the money remains unused.
Bailey and Hawkins argue that the FCC should follow precedent and redirect the funds to the Missouri Broadband Fund, managed by the state’s Office of Broadband Development.
“As Attorney General, I will enforce the laws as written, which includes ensuring the FCC follows precedent and returns the allocated funding to Missouri families who depend daily on internet access,” Bailey said in a provided statement. “My office will continue to fight to gain affordable internet service and to save Missourians’ taxpayer money.”
The call echoes previous instances where the FCC returned unused broadband funds, such as with the Connect America Fund to New York in 2017 and 2020. Bailey and Hawkins believe that similar action is justified for Missouri.
“Missourians expect accountability, both from internet service providers who receive incentives and from the government entity that distributes their tax dollars,” Hawkins said in a provided statement. “Returning these defaulted funds to Missouri will enable our state to serve people that have been left behind and are still waiting for reliable and affordable broadband.”
The letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr noted the critical role of broadband in modern life.
"Rural Americans rely on affordable and reliable internet access to run their households, businesses, and farms," the letter reads. "We rely on broadband for telemedicine, education, and to access everyday necessities in our increasingly digital world. Ensuring access to state-of-the-art broadband technology is key to helping rural communities grow and thrive into the future and beyond, and access to this service is key as we seek to bring the next generation home to our communities."
Bailey and Hawkins highlighted that rural communities rely on internet access for telemedicine, education, and economic growth.
“Ensuring access to state-of-the-art broadband technology is key to helping rural communities grow and thrive into the future and beyond, and access to this service is key as we seek to bring the next generation home to our communities,” the letter reads.
Bailey further stressed that rural Missourians should not bear the burden of service provider defaults. “Citizens should not be penalized for these defaults, which reach disproportionately across rural areas,” he said.
The letter concludes with a firm request for action.
“We request that action be taken by the FCC to rightfully return previously allocated funding to Missouri, so that we can continue to expand needed broadband access in our state.”
The attorney general and Farm Bureau president are hopeful the FCC will respond promptly and favorably to their appeal.
With the funds returned, they believe the state can swiftly deploy reliable broadband services to underserved communities, fulfilling the original intent of the RDOF program.