Our rural areas need reliable internet. Wyoming received $348 million under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Act in 2023 authorized by President Joe Biden and in 2025 the money was approved and deposited with the Wyoming Business Council. The Wyoming Joint Appropriations Committee reduced the Business Council’s budget to $15 million in 2026, so the $348 million was transferred to the Governor’s office. This grant to connect Wyoming’s 39,000 under-served rural homes and ranches is a high priority even though several issues exist. The money for high-speed internet must be spent within four years. It is a great opportunity to connect our small businesses, schools, and agricultural producers with the internet communication we have in the cities. I spent the last 15 years traveling through Wyoming visiting schools and hospitals for AIG/VALIC, Corebridge as a financial consultant and experienced the problems our rural areas face. I will not let the current administration waste Wyoming’s rural internet funding. We need to make sure this money is utilized by Wyoming and I will work with the Governor’s office to ensure the funds get used appropriately.