AUGUSTA – Maine’s two U.S. senators are joining 61 of their colleagues in a call for the Federal Communications Commission to advance broadband services in rural America.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins and independent Sen. Angus King are joining other senators in sending a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. The senators say improving accessibility of broadband is necessary to make sure rural residents have “access to high quality voice and broadband services.”

The senators say they support a recent order that addressed budget shortfalls in the Universal Service Fund’s high-cost program.

They say the high-cost program is important because it’s responsible for helping the FCC provide reliable and affordable communications to everyone in the country. They say it’s especially important where deploying broadband is expensive and difficult.