CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Tennessee U.S. Senate candidate Phil Bredesen was the guest speaker at the Clarksville Downtown Kiwanis meeting on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.
During his presentation, Bredesen proposed a plan to help Tennesseans living in rural areas gain access to the internet. He suggested adding broadband service to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Act.
TVA is a federal corporation that was created in 1933. Bredesen says TVA has its origins in a much broader base than just the production of power. He said it was designed originally to be a rural development, rural electrification agency, but has bigger implications in the modern era.
“Broadband connectivity is an essential utility today. You can’t be successful without it,” Bredesen said.
According to Bredesen, Montgomery County has 91 percent accessibility to internet in homes, but there are other areas in Tennessee that are still struggling for access.
“TVA a perfect vehicle for fixing this. It is in the program’s DNA to address this problem,” he said.
Bredesen believes TVA has the people, money and systems to make broadband more accessible to rural areas in Tennessee.
Bredesen also mentioned that he is a strong proponent of net neutrality.
“Of all the things that are success stories in this country, the internet has to be right there at the top of things that have just changes the world. I think an essential part of that is the equal access or net neutrality” he said.
The former Tennessee Governor and Nashville Mayor, Phil Bredesen announced his candidacy for senate in December of 2017.
For more information about Bredesen’s campaign visit Phil Bredesen for Senate website.