INDIANOLA, Iowa  —  US Representative Cindy Axne says Iowa can reverse the trend of shrinking small towns by bringing faster data to rural parts of the state.

On Thursday Axne welcomed FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel to Madison and Warren Counties to meet with Iowans to discuss rural broadband issues.  Axne says the lack of high-speed data in rural Iowa is driving away business and young people.

“Communities who still don’t have good access and its limiting their ability to build an economic structure,” Axne said,  “You know our towns are starting to fall away a little bit and young people are leaving and we want our young people to stay there.”

Axne says better data speeds in rural Iowa could also help treat health problems in those areas.

“The two biggest issues that folks in our rural areas have identified, the health problems are diabetes and mental health,” said Axne, “both of which are actively made better through telemedicine.”

The FCC says events like those held today in Warren and Madison Counties are invaluable because they give commissioners a better understanding of the issues Americans are facing.