Task the REA with expanding broadband access

[rickgroves]

The REA (Rural Electric Authority) was founded in 1936 with a primary goal of promote rural electrification. When I was a child our electric company was the REA. They did a great job! But the job has been pretty much done for decades now and they still have a significant budget. They do use it to assist rural electric coops so I’m not saying it’s all wasted, but it seems to be a situation of finding busy work to justify their existence. I propose at least investigating the potential for using this existing organization, which has a solid background in rural challenges, to expand and improve broadband access in remote rural areas where there are not many options for families with little resources.