To close the rural digital divide, the Federal Communications Commissionproposedthe establishment of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund which would direct up to$20.4 billion to expand broadband in unserved rural areas and provide rural America with the same opportunities available in urban areas. According to the proposal, millions more rural homes and small businesses would be connected to high-speed broadband networks providing up to gigabit speeds. "I appreciate the hard work that went into this item to fix the Commission's broken mapping process. Like some of the very laudable mapping bills being considered by Congress, including those by Chairman Wicker and Senator Capito, this item takes important steps in creating a more accurate and useful picture of broadband coverage, which should allow the Commission's universal service policies to better focus on those millions of Americans left behind without access to broadband service today,"notedFCC Commissioner Michael O'Reilly.