JCE Co-op hosted Rep. Darin LaHood at its headquarters in Elizabeth as part of his visit to northwestern Illinois on Wednesday, Aug. 21.

LaHood met with members of the co-op board and staff to discuss issues and concerns. Mike Casper, JCE president & CEO, provided the congressman and members of his staff with an overview of the co-op, the territory it serves and services provided.

“We’re pleased to be here today,” LaHood said. “I always look forward to hearing from you, Mike, and hearing about some of the challenges and concerns you have. Obviously, the work you do here for the community and what you give back is important, but also how public policy and the issues we deal with in Washington, D.C. affect what you do here on the ground whether it is energy policy, whether it is tax policy, whether it is regulatory burdens. This is a great opportunity to be here and listen to you.”

Kyle Buros, JCE Co-op chief operating officer followed up with a summary of what the co-op is doing locally to utilize programs provided by the federal and state governments.

“Our mission is to improve the quality of life of our members – that is the sole reason we even exist,” Buros said. “We want to utilize every opportunity that is available to us that we can sustainably do. We are constantly working on community engagement, with our local Farm Bureaus, and in our communities.

“When we are looking at programs, what is really relevant to members, what do they really need,” Buros said. “And fiber internet was one of those things that became extremely relevant especially during the pandemic.”

He highlighted several programs that were available to help increase rural connectivity, noting the co-op has been a successful recipient of ReConnect grants, Community Connect grants and Illinois Connect Round 3 grants. In total, the co-op has received approximately $100 million in grants – which is about 160-170 million in total infrastructure.

Buros outlined three areas of importance to co-ops across the country including funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), support for symmetrical internet speeds and national broadband mapping.

Co-op representatives stressed the importance of ACP stating the program had relieved some economic stress on rural households by making broadband available and affordable. In the long term, the co-op is hoping to see a program that will help ensure households are able to afford the internet they need.

“Having a program similar to LIHEAP (Low-Income Energy Assistance Program) to help keep those members connected is incredibly important,” said Jennifer Meyer, Vice President of Cooperative Services.

During a tour of the headquarters, LaHood heard more from employees about the programs and services the co-op provides to the members and communities it serves.