Media Contact: 
Evan Swarztrauber, (202) 418-2261
evan.swarztrauber@fcc.gov

For Immediate Release
   --
Carr to Visit South Dakota for Field Hearing with Senator Thune
Events Focus on Rural and Tribal Broadband, Smart Ag, and Telehealth

WASHINGTON—FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr will visit South Dakota and join Senator Thune for a field hearing in Sioux Falls focused on the innovation and economic opportunities that broadband is bringing to rural America—from precision agriculture and telehealth to education and jobs.  Prior to the hearing, Carr will visit western South Dakota, including meeting with representatives of the Oglala Lakota Nation to discuss broadband deployment on tribal land and how Internet connections are being used for healthcare and education on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Tuesday (September 3) 

Carr will kick off his trip in Lead, SD, where broadband connectivity has helped transform a mile-deep gold mine that dates back to the 1800s into a cutting-edge research lab for particle physics work.  He’ll finish the day with a visit to a local broadcast station in Rapid City.

Wednesday (September 4)

Carr begins the day a few hours south of Rapid City on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, which is one of the largest reservations in the U.S.  In Pine Ridge Village, he will see firsthand how the FCC’s Rural Healthcare Program is helping deliver telehealth on tribal land.  Then, he’ll head to Oglala Lakota College in Kyle, SD, to see how connected “smart rooms” expand access to education opportunities for students on tribal land using distance learning.  In Kyle, Commissioner Carr will join a discussion with the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council to discuss connectivity challenges on the Pine Ridge Reservation.  Following that, he’ll head to Interior, SD to tour active fiber builds on tribal land.  Carr will then wrap up the day in Midland, SD at a connected farm where broadband is supporting everything from precision agriculture to a farmer-owned information technology business.

Thursday (September 5)

Carr starts off the day at a tower site in Mitchell, SD, where a fixed wireless deployment, supported by the FCC’s Connected America Fund Phase II, is bringing high-speed Internet to unserved areas in Davison County.  At the site, Carr will join local elected officials to discuss how the FCC’s Universal Service Program is creating opportunities for local broadband providers to close the Digital Divide in South Dakota.  Then, he’ll join Mayor TenHaken on a rooftop in Sioux Falls to see the small cells that are being deployed to support 5G in the Great Plains.  Following that, he’ll visit a manufacturer of precision ag equipment and high-altitude balloons used to deliver connectivity in extreme weather and disaster areas.  Next up is Southeast Technical College, where Carr will see firsthand how community colleges can serve as a pipeline for 5G jobs.  Carr will wrap up his trip to South Dakota by testifying at a Senate Commerce Field Hearing held by Senator Thune.  

If members of the media are interested in attending these visits, contact Evan Swarztrauber at or at (202) 418-2261 for more information.

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Office of Commissioner Brendan Carr: (202) 418-2200
Twitter: @BrendanCarrFCC
www.fcc.gov/about/leadership/brendan-carr