(!!ongress of tlfe1ltnite~~tutes l!lIIllslJingtnn. ilQI: 20515 March 25, 2011 The Honorable Julius Genachowski Chainnan Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th Street, SW Washington, DC 20554 Dear Chalfltiifl GenaChoWSki: We write to you concerning the current need for affordable high capacity broadband services in the seven counties that comprise the Brazos Valley in Central Texas. Today health care providers in these rural communities do not have access to adequate and affordable high-capacity services necessary to deliver cost effective, quality health care to the rural and low-income residents of the area. With six separate Local AccesslUld Transport Areas (LATA) boundaries dividing the region, both a lack ofcompetitive pricfug and ashortil.geof high-capacity services among existing rural carriers leave our health· care providers and their patients in this area without access to state-of-the art diagnostic tools· available at medical centers located in more urban centers ofthe state. We understand the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) recently proposed reforms to the universal service health care support mechanism which includes a health infrastructure program to fund up to 85 percent ofthe eligible costs for the design, construction and deployment ofdedicated broadband networks that connect non-profit health care providers in areas ofthe country where the existing broadband infrastructure is inadequate: We believe a properly designed and administered health infrastructure program, as proposed by the Commission, offers the most cost-effective way ofbringing telemedicine benefits to the Brazos Valley. The Brazos Valley Council ofGovernments has already created a non-profit entity, Brazos 2020 Vision, with the goal ofproviding affordable connections to health care facilities in the area. The Commission's proposed health infrastructure program will allow for a one-time investment to fund the construction ofthe Brazos 2020 Vision broadband health network through a competitive bidding process open to all, rather than rely on perpetual universlil service subsidies to existing providers which has contributed to the increasing cost ofthe Universal Service Fund. For this reason, and in light ofthe critical health care needs ofour rural areas, we strongly support the Commission's proposed health infrastructure funding. Implementing the proposed health infrastructure program Will provide our Brazos Valley Council ofGovernments the opportunity to move ahead with its plaits to build high-speed, high capacity network between our hospitals,rural clinics, erriergencymedical services, nursing schools and other mediclil facilities.Hig~speed connections between our rural health care PRINTED'ON AECYCLEO PAPER .. facilities will provide our rural residents access to cutting-edge medical technology that will deliver significant improvements to patient care, while also enabling the Brazos Valley to fully implement next generation 911, electronic health record requirements and other IP-based emergency technqlogies. Eventually, the investment made to deploy these networks williead to increased broadband availability throughout our broader rural communities. As the Commission considers the final components ofits new Rural Health Care Program, we urge it be mindful ofthe infrastructure needs ofour rural communities by including the health infrastructure program as proposed in its Notice ofProposed Rulernaking. Sincerely, &~c·2~ Rep. Bill Flores tlJfl~r:R Rep. Michael McCaul