Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) announced that the Central Iowa Hospital Corp. will receive a grant of $8.3 million, with an additional $6.2 million in matching gifts, to allow the corporation to bring high-speed broadband capabilities to rural medical facilities across the state. The project plans to provide 2,400 hours of teacher-led training each year for approximately 7,900 residents over three years, according to a release from Harkin’s press office. “Broadband Internet has become a necessary utility in almost all aspects of life and commerce,” Harkin said in the release. “We are making a critical investment in the health and well-being of Iowans.” The grant is part of more than $71 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) awards to Iowa organizations announced in July.