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The Honorable Tom Wheeler 
Chairman 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street, SW 
Washington, DC 20554 
Dear Chairman Wheeler: 
July31,2014 
Rece1ved & Inspected 
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Broadband Internet access has become an essential part of the economic and social fabric in many rural 
communities, as a tool to build businesses, apply for jobs, enhance educational opportunities and connect to 
friends and relatives. With robust broadband service, even a small town can rely on its residents' talent and 
determination to compete with the world. Without it, the same community risks being left behind in today's 
technology-centric economy. 
Phase II of the Connect America Fund ("CAF II") offers a tremendous opportunity to bring advanced fiber-fed 
broadband connections to millions of Americans in rural areas. Thanks to the Commission's well-publicized 
efforts, thousands of rural communities are now counting on CAF II. Indeed, the June l 0 Further NPRM has 
raised hopes further by more than doubling the promised download speeds in the 20 II USF/ICC 
Transformation Order, from 4 Mbps to 10 Mbps. 
We are writing today to emphasize how important it is to ensure that the final details of CAF II live up to its 
promise. We are concerned that if the Commission more than doubles the speed requirements without allowing 
the appropriate level of flexibility in other clements ofCAF II, the program's overall mission could be 
endangered. To the Commission's credit, the June 10 FNPRM identifies a number of constructive ideas that 
could help achieve the speedier network goals without exceeding the CAF II annual budget. These include 
extending the term of support up to ten years and providing flexibility on the build-out parameters. We hope 
you wi ll take these ideas to heart. 
We also encourage you to be as precise as possible when targeting support to areas where broadband would not 
otherwise be available. Now that we arc in the final phase of CAFII , we hope the FCC will collect targeted, 
accurate data on existing service areas to ensure that all unserved customers have access to broadband. It is also 
important that this effort protects the interests of ex isting providers from overbui lding. 
Despite years of federal efforts to overcome the digital divide, we continue to hear from constituents in 
Wyoming who seek assistance in bringing advanced broadband service to their homes. The concerns they raise 
are a reminder of how challenging rural broadband policy can be, but also how important it is that we work with 
all stakeholders to ensure that we get it right. We thank you for considering our concerns and look forward to 
working with you. 
Sincerely, 
' ... 
" I 
~ d, /.~ ~1?~~11W:C.d>U 
Michael B. Enzi ' ~ John Barrasso, M.D. Cynthia Lummis 
United States Senator United States Senator United States'Representative 
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