SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission visited Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Wednesday, promoting his “Build America” agenda for the FCC.

Chairman Brendan Carr first stopped by the KELOLAND Media Group studio. KELO is a sister station of this news organization. Along with touring the station, Carr went hundreds of feet in the air. 

“As FCC Chairman, I want to make it easier for America’s telecom crews and tower techs to build out new networks and modern infrastructure,” Carr said in a news release about the trip to formally roll out his agenda. 

In the news release, Carr said he held his first policy speech in Sioux Falls because that’s where he “first put on a hardhat and harness to climb a tower.” 

“The Build America agenda sets the guideposts that the agency will use to do exactly that—unleashing more investment and innovation, putting more shovels in dirt, and increasing connectivity for Americans in communities all across the country.  In other words: it’s time to build,” Carr said ahead of his visit.

Carr then climbed the KELOLAND-TV tower outside our station, which is just over 200 feet, before departing for the formal speech at the Vikor Headquarters. Vikor is a wireless infrastructure construction company.

During that speech, Carr focused his remarks on trimming red tape and modernizing infrastructure.

Carr announced plans to phase out copper wire technology in favor of new high-speed networks. He also said changes would make it easier to attach high-speed lines to utility polls and other initiatives to streamline regulations.

He announced the FCC would be moving to free up spectrum and auction it off, using those funds to replace aging infrastructure.

He also pointed to early successes in speeding up the satellite permitting and launch process.

“The Build America agenda will expand America’s space economy,” Carr said to the assembled crowd. “I want to see U.S. companies dominate in orbit.”

Carr said the package of policy initiatives would “expand and strengthen America’s blue-collar workforce.” Using the time to highlight the sometimes unseen work that keeps our communities connected.

Carr, who had served as a FCC commissioner since 2017,  was appointed FCC chairman by President Donald Trump in January.