黑料吃瓜网

Uncertainty around federal efforts to expand high-speed internet 鈥� and with it telehealth access 鈥� to all Americans swirled fast this week after President Donald Trump what he called the 鈥渞acist鈥� and 鈥渦nconstitutional鈥� Digital Equity Act.聽

The act is part of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, which passed under former President Joe Biden and included $65 billion for broadband infrastructure. But before Trump鈥檚 latest sniping on his Truth Social site, his administration had already thrown another of the infrastructure bill鈥檚 broadband programs into question.聽

Ten days ago, Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia sent a letter to Trump鈥檚 Commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, admonishing him to speed up his department鈥檚 review of the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program.聽

That program had been set to disburse money to states this spring to start connecting homes and businesses, and West Virginia would鈥檝e been among the first recipients.聽

鈥淲est Virginians have waited long enough,鈥� . Moore Capito noted her state was six weeks away from completing preparations to put the federal money to work.聽

More than 200 mostly rural counties across the U.S. are in dire need of health care providers and reliable high-speed internet, according to a 黑料吃瓜网 News analysis. A quarter of West Virginia鈥檚 counties lack these services, making doctor visits either in person or through telehealth difficult or impossible.聽

The analysis also showed that people who live in these counties tend to be sicker and die earlier than most other Americans.聽

In Lincoln County, West Virginia, where the Mud River bends through hollows and past cattle farms, stroke survivor Ada Carol Adkins has what she calls 鈥渨acky鈥� phone and internet service. It goes out frequently for days at a time.聽

Adkins has one message for her telecommunications carrier and lawmakers: 鈥淧lease come and hook me right.鈥澛�

She鈥檚 not the only West Virginian speaking out about bad connectivity. After receiving a briefing on the potential benefits of fiber and satellite connections, the West Virginia Broadband Enhancement Council last week adopted a resolution reaffirming its commitment to deploy high-speed fiber-optic lines.聽

In Grant County, commissioners sent a letter to Republican Gov. Patrick Morrisey expressing 鈥渟trong support鈥� for the deployment of fiber lines because of the region鈥檚 geographic and economic needs. Fiber, they wrote, is more sustainable and affordable than satellite, such as Elon Musk鈥檚 Starlink kits.聽

鈥淚f the residents of Grant County wanted Starlink they could purchase it at any time,鈥� the commissioners wrote.