East Michigan News

Congressman John Moolenaar, Congressman Sanford Bishop, Congressman Bill Huizenga, and Congressman Jimmy Panetta have introduced the Broadening Online Opportunities Through Simple Technologies (BOOST) Act. This legislation aims to provide assistance to families and residents in rural households who struggle with limited internet access.

The BOOST Act proposes a $300 tax credit for individuals who purchase a mobile hotspot or a signal booster to improve their internet connection. The tax credit is designed to alleviate the burden of expensive internet services and bridge the digital divide in rural areas.

Congressman Moolenaar emphasizes the importance of this act for Michigan families, stating, "My BOOST Act will ensure Michigan families can connect to the internet with their own hotspot or boost the internet speed they currently have. This is long overdue and will help families sooner rather than later."

Congressman Bishop echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the need for affordable broadband internet access in rural communities. He states, "Dependable access to high-speed internet is vital for a whole range of day-to-day activities. Through legislation like this, we want to help close the gap in rural services and ensure everyone is able to take full advantage of digital resources and fully participate in the 21st-century economy."

Congressman Huizenga highlights the ongoing connectivity challenges in Southwest Michigan, adding, "As new buildouts continue and communities grow, we introduced the BOOST Act because families should be able to afford and access this available wireless technology to meet their daily needs until the buildouts reach them."

Congressman Panetta draws attention to the disadvantages faced by working families in rural areas due to the lack of reliable wired broadband. He states, "The lack of reliable wired broadband in rural areas puts many working families at a disadvantage when it comes to work, school, and other opportunities. This tax credit is a straightforward step towards ensuring that families and businesses have access to internet services as we get closer to bridging the digital divide."

The BOOST Act allows homeowners or primary lessees in rural areas to claim a $300 tax credit after purchasing a mobile hotspot or signal booster. This is applicable in areas where internet speeds fail to meet the federal requirement of 25 megabits per second for downloading and three megabits per second for uploading.

The legislation was previously introduced in 2021 and has been reintroduced with the hope of providing much-needed support to rural communities. The text of the BOOST Act can be found on the official government website.

With the introduction of the BOOST Act, these lawmakers aim to address the pressing issue of limited internet access in rural areas. By providing financial assistance through a tax credit, they hope to empower families and individuals to overcome the challenges posed by inadequate connectivity.

For additional details, please follow this link: https://moolenaar.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/moolenaar-bishop-huizenga-panetta-introduce-bipartisan-boost-act