WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, today announced that access to high-speed broadband is expanding to 16,280 rural homes and businesses in southwest Michigan through the Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction. The auction allocated nearly $13 million to help close the digital divide in Upton’s Congressional district. “The COVID-19 pandemic has further expanded the digital divide in Michigan and across the country, exposing a larger... Read more

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) and United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced a $3.3 million federal grant to help provide high-speed broadband service in southwest Michigan. The funding is part of the ReConnect Program that Upton and Congress supported in 2018. The grants recipient - Southwest Michigan Communications, Inc. – will also received a $3.3 million loan to help fund the $6.7 million project. The funding will be used to deploy... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) and House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-SC) today announced the introduction of the “Rural Broadband Acceleration Act,” bipartisan legislation that directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to fund shovel-ready, high-speed internet projects immediately, so consumers can access broadband within a year. Roughly one in four rural households cannot connect to the internet, and it is often too slow and too expensive for the households who d... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, today introduced H.B. 7005 – the Showing How Isolationism Effects Long-term Development (SHIELD) ACT – to assess how international data localization laws impact each country’s economy, our economy, and cross-border commerce. The SHIELD Act will require the Secretary of Commerce and Federal Trade Commission to conduct an assessment and analysis of regulations regarding data localization and to establish a list of such laws and develop a means... Read more

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing nearly $11 million for broadband service in unserved and underserved rural communities across Southwest Michigan. Southwest Michigan Communications Inc. will receive a $10.7 million loan/grant combination to deploy Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband service to Van Buren and Allegan counties. This project will extend broadband availability to 22 farms, 19 businesses, and... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Reps. Fred Upton (R-MI), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Bill Flores (R-TX), and Marc Veasey (D-TX) led 240 lawmakers in asking the Trump Administration to direct current federal government advertising funds to local news and media outlets. “The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting local communities across our nation in unprecedented ways. All Americans are attempting to understand the full measure of this crisis, even as it continues to evolve on a daily basis. As in many of our... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, today received the Champion of Public Broadcasting Award from America’s Public Television Stations (APTS). As chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee from 2011-2017, Upton shepherded passage of legislation establishing the broadcast spectrum incentive auction and ensuring that all channel repacking costs were covered. Upton is now co-chair of the Public Broadcasting Caucus, which encourages federal investment in public media and ... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, today announced that Kevin Wang, a student at St. Joseph High School, has won the 2019 Congressional App Challenge from the Sixth Congressional District. Upton met with Wang at his school earlier today, where he got to see the app and discuss the importance of science and coding to 21st century careers. “Kevin and the app he created serve as shining examples of the talented students we have here in southwest Michigan,” Upton said. “The app t... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, today voted for and the House passed the bipartisan TRACED Act, an effort to put an end to illegal robocalls in southwest Michigan and across the country. The legislation – S. 151 - now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk to be signed into law. “I have been part of the effort to stop illegal, pesky, and annoying robocalls all year because enough is enough,” Upton said. “It’s an issue that impacts families, hospitals, seniors, and American... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, today received this year’s Champion of Science Award from The Science Coalition for his continued efforts in advancing scientific research and innovation across a number of issues, including health, cyber security, energy and the environment. Upton is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and helped secure additional funding for the development and discovery of cures for a number of diseases through his historic 21st Century Cu... Read more