Carr Visits Tennessee with Senator Marsha Blackburn
Events Focused on Telehealth, Expanding Rural Connectivity

NASHVILLE, TN, October 4, 2022—Today, Commissioner Brendan Carr is in Tennessee for events with Senator Marsha Blackburn.  Carr will also be visiting with the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, Stuart McWhorter, as well as Tennessee’s State Broadband Director, Taylre Beaty.  First, Carr will visit a small rural Internet service provider that is using 2018 FCC funds to upgrade copper networks to new high-speed services.  Carr will then visit a health care facility that is delivering state of the art care via telemedicine.  Carr will then visit one of the nation’s oldest radio broadcast operations.  Then, Carr will join officials from Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s administration to discuss opportunities to expand affordable, high-speed broadband connections across the state.  Carr will join Senator Marsha Blackburn for an event with stakeholders who are spearheading efforts to build high-speed Internet networks.  

Commissioner Carr issued the following statement:

“It is great to be back in the Volunteer State with Senator Blackburn who has been such a strong leader on expanding telehealth and rural broadband—priorities that have only taken on added urgency over the past two years.  Today’s visits are especially timely because the U.S. Government Accountability Office—the congressional watchdog—recently noted that the Administration’s new broadband initiatives are not guided by a coordinated national strategy.  Without a course correction, there is a real risk that rural communities may be left behind.   So today’s events with Senator Blackburn represent important steps towards filling that gap in leadership.  I applaud Senator Blackburn’s leadership and work to promote a more coordinated and streamlined approach to connecting every corner of the state to high-speed Internet offerings.”

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Office of Commissioner Brendan Carr
www.fcc.gov/about/leadership/brendan-carr
Media Contact:  Greg Watson
(202) 418-0658 or greg.watson@fcc.gov