Broadband Adoption Act of 2015

Summary: Broadband Adoption Act of 2015 Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to adopt a final rule establishing support under the Universal Service Fund Lifeline Assistance Program for qualifying low-income consumers in urban and rural areas to purchase broadband Internet access service at reduced charges by reimbursing participating providers for each such consumer served. Requires the program to allow qualifying consumers to elect to apply support from the Lifeline program to basic telephone service, voice telephony service, or broadband Internet access service, regardless of whether the service is purchased as a stand-alone service or in a bundle. Directs the FCC to consult with the federal-state joint board on universal service regarding ways to encourage states to develop programs in conjunction with the Lifeline program. Requires the program to be technology neutral to promote competition from service providers. Requires participating broadband Internet access service providers to obtain FCC authorization to participate in the Lifeline program, but a provider is not required to be an eligible telecommunications carrier to receive support under the program. Directs the FCC to: (1) adopt regulations to prevent receipt of duplicative support under the Lifeline program, and (2) establish a national database to determine consumer eligibility. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Broadband Adoption Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. BROADBAND LIFELINE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    Section 254(j) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254(j)) 
is amended to read as follows:
    ``(j) Lifeline Assistance.--
            ``(1) In general.--Nothing in this section, other than 
        paragraph (2) of this subsection, shall affect the collection, 
        distribution, or administration of the Lifeline program of the 
        Commission set forth under sections 54.400 through 54.417 of 
        title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor 
        thereto.
            ``(2) Broadband lifeline assistance program.--
                    ``(A) Definitions.--In this paragraph--
                            ``(i) the term `broadband Internet access 
                        service' has the meaning given that term under 
                        section 8.11(a) of title 47, Code of Federal 
                        Regulations, or any successor thereto;
                            ``(ii) the terms `duplicative support' and 
                        `qualifying low-income consumer' have the 
                        meanings given those terms in section 54.400 of 
                        title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any 
                        successor thereto;
                            ``(iii) the term `Lifeline program' means 
                        the Lifeline program of the Commission set 
                        forth under sections 54.400 through 54.417 of 
                        title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any 
                        successor thereto; and
                            ``(iv) the term `participating broadband 
                        Internet access service provider' means a 
                        provider of broadband Internet access service 
                        that elects to participate in the Lifeline 
                        program to provide broadband Internet access 
                        service to qualifying low-income consumers 
                        under the final rule adopted under subparagraph 
                        (C)(i).
                    ``(B) Purpose.--The purpose of this paragraph is to 
                promote the adoption of broadband Internet access 
                service by all people of the United States while 
                recognizing that the price of broadband Internet access 
                service is one of the barriers to adoption for low-
                income households.
                    ``(C) Establishment.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Not later than 270 days 
                        after the date of enactment of the Broadband 
                        Adoption Act of 2015, the Commission shall 
                        adopt a final rule establishing Lifeline 
                        support under the Lifeline program for 
                        broadband Internet access service to enable 
                        qualifying low-income consumers in urban and 
                        rural areas to purchase broadband Internet 
                        access service at reduced charges by 
                        reimbursing participating broadband Internet 
                        access service providers for each such consumer 
                        served.
                            ``(ii) Model.--The final rule adopted under 
                        clause (i) shall provide that a qualifying low-
                        income consumer may elect to apply Lifeline 
                        support under the Lifeline program to basic 
                        telephone service, voice telephony service, or 
                        broadband Internet access service, regardless 
                        of whether the service is purchased as a stand-
                        alone service or as part of a bundle of 
                        services.
                            ``(iii) Digital literacy program.--The 
                        Commission shall consider providing a 
                        preference to a participating broadband 
                        Internet access service provider that includes 
                        components involving digital literacy programs 
                        as part of the offerings of the participating 
                        broadband Internet access service provider.
                    ``(D) State funds.--The Commission shall consult 
                with the Federal-State Joint Board instituted under 
                subsection (a)(1) regarding ways to encourage States to 
                develop programs that would work in conjunction with 
                the Lifeline program.
                    ``(E) Amount of support.--
                            ``(i) In general.--In calculating the 
                        amount of Lifeline support to be provided to 
                        each qualifying low-income consumer under the 
                        final rule adopted under subparagraph (C)(i), 
                        the Commission shall routinely study--
                                    ``(I) the prevailing market price 
                                for broadband Internet access service;
                                    ``(II) the prevailing speed of 
                                broadband Internet access service 
                                adopted by households; and
                                    ``(III) the prevailing broadband 
                                usage patterns of residential 
                                consumers.
                            ``(ii) Information.--In carrying out clause 
                        (i), the Commission shall rely on information 
                        that--
                                    ``(I) the Commission routinely 
                                collects; or
                                    ``(II) is publicly available.
                    ``(F) Technology neutral.--
                            ``(i) In general.--To promote competition 
                        from service providers to qualify under the 
                        Lifeline program, the Commission shall ensure 
                        that the final rule adopted under subparagraph 
                        (C)(i) is neutral as to the types of technology 
                        used to provide voice telephony or broadband 
                        Internet access service under the Lifeline 
                        program.
                            ``(ii) Authorization.--A participating 
                        broadband Internet access service provider--
                                    ``(I) shall not be required to be 
                                an eligible telecommunications carrier 
                                (as designated under section 214(e)) to 
                                receive support under the Lifeline 
                                program; and
                                    ``(II) shall obtain authorization 
                                from the Commission in order to 
                                participate in the Lifeline program.
                    ``(G) Accountability.--
                            ``(i) Nonduplication.--The final rule 
                        adopted under subparagraph (C)(i) shall 
                        incorporate regulations of the Commission in 
                        effect on the date of enactment of this Act 
                        that prevent the receipt of duplicative support 
                        under the Lifeline program.
                            ``(ii) Preventing waste, fraud, or abuse.--
                        In promulgating regulations to carry out this 
                        paragraph, the Commission shall consider any 
                        appropriate measures to prevent any waste, 
                        fraud, or abuse in the administration of the 
                        Lifeline program.
                            ``(iii) Eligibility.--The Commission, in 
                        consultation with other relevant Federal 
                        agencies, shall establish a national database 
                        to determine qualifying low-income consumer 
                        eligibility for Lifeline program subsidies.
                    ``(H) Evaluation reports.--Not later than 1 year 
                after the Commission adopts the final rule under 
                subparagraph (C)(i), and every year thereafter, the 
                Commission shall conduct an evaluation and issue a 
                report on the performance of the Lifeline program 
                during the 12-month period preceding the date on which 
                each report is issued.
                    ``(I) GAO study.--Not later than 1 year after the 
                Commission adopts the final rule under subparagraph 
                (C)(i), the Comptroller General of the United States 
                shall conduct a study and issue a report on the 
                performance of the Lifeline support provided under the 
                Lifeline program for broadband Internet access service.
            ``(3) Clarification of authority.--Nothing in this section 
        shall be construed to limit the authority of the Commission 
        under any other provision of law, including the authority to 
        promulgate regulations to promote the adoption of broadband 
        service by low-income households in the United States.''.