Middle Mile for Rural America Act
Introduced Jan 14, 2026 by Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith
It's waiting on a committee vote to reach the full chamber. Most bills never leave this stage.
This bill reauthorizes through FY2031 a Department of Agriculture program to support middle mile broadband infrastructure in rural areas. Under the program, middle mile infrastructure is broadband infrastructure that does not connect directly to end users (including anchor institutions) and may include interoffice transport, backhaul, internet connectivity, data centers, or special access transport to rural areas.
The program provides grants, loans, and loan guarantees for middle mile projects in rural areas. It was established in 2018 but has not been funded.
Summary by the Congressional Research Service.
No floor votes yet — it hasn't reached the floor of either chamber.