MADISON - Russ Feingold, candidate for U.S. Senate, hit the road this week to listen to students, community leaders and everyday Wisconsinites discuss the importance of access to high-quality broadband Internet -- particularly in Wisconsin’s rural communities.

Access to reliable high speed broadband is critical to growing Wisconsin’s economy, expanding small businesses, enhancing educational experiences and lifting up the middle and working classes. But in far too many of Wisconsin’s rural communities, Internet access is so limited that business innovation is stagnant and, for instance, students at NWTC in Oconto Falls told Russ they are forced to drive to library and high school parking lots in order to access Wi-Fi and complete their homework.

Russ firmly believes that in order for Wisconsin to compete in a global economy, all Wisconsinites deserve access to broadband Internet. Sen. Ron Johnson, on the other hand, spent the week fighting the FCC on their efforts to keep the Internet open and free and has signed a letter complaining that the benchmark broadband speed is too high.

Check out some of the coverage of Russ’s travels this week, as he talks with Wisconsinites about the importance of high quality access to internet:

WFXS (Rhinelander):

Russ Feingold Discusses Broadband Access

From the Iron Mountain Daily News:

“The candidate said his campaign will focus on rebuilding Wisconsin's infrastructure, and he would like to see high-quality broadband Internet access in all of the state's communities.

Gehlhoff estimated at least half of Florence County's population has high-quality Internet access, though there are "dead spots" in the southern portion and on national forest land.

Feingold said better availability of broadband Internet allows new businesses to start up locally and would help keep younger people in the area where they were raised, rather than have to look elsewhere for work.”

From WEAU (Eau Claire):

“The Democratic candidate was there to discuss the importance of high-quality broadband internet access across Wisconsin.

Feingold said, “Anybody that talks about getting a new small business, they come here and they get entrepreneurial help, they go out and they start their business. If they're out somewhere they can't get internet, it's still not going to work.”

From the Green Bay Press-Gazette:

“The former senator also has been advocating for broader access to broadband in the state, because it has become a necessity in today’s culture.

“It’s unacceptable that everyone doesn’t have the same access to the Internet; this should be like a utility, like electricity or telephone, where it’s guaranteed to everyone,” Feingold said. “That’s the change in attitude that has to happen.”

He said people living in rural areas suffer from this, and he stated upwards of one million people do not have broadband access.”

From the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram:

“Feingold also talked about his goal to increase broadband access across Wisconsin, an effort to help rural businesses compete globally. It also would help provide education and health care to rural areas in Wisconsin, he said.”