To authorize the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the Department of Commerce to make grants for the establishment of information technology centers in rural areas.

Summary: Rural Information Technology Investment Act - Amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to direct the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to provide grants to rural businesses, not-for-profit organizations, or to a state, local, or tribal government serving a rural area to establish information technology centers.

Sets forth grant priority provisions.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Information Technology 
Investment Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR RURAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CENTERS.

    Part C of the National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration Organization Act is amended by inserting after section 
158 (47 U.S.C. 942) the following new section:

``SEC. 159. GRANTS FOR RURAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CENTERS.

    ``(a) Authorization.--The NTIA shall make grants to eligible 
entities, and determine (subject to subsection (e)) the amount of such 
grants, for the establishment of information technology centers in 
rural areas.
    ``(b) Eligible Entities.--Eligible entities may be--
            ``(1) any small business or not-for-profit organization or 
        business operating in a rural area, as determined by the NTIA; 
        and
            ``(2) any State, local, or tribal government serving such 
        an area.
    ``(c) Application.--
            ``(1) In general.--To receive a grant under this Act, an 
        eligible entity shall submit an application to the NTIA in such 
        time and manner, and having such content, as the NTIA may by 
        rule require.
            ``(2) Matching required.--An eligible entity shall include 
        in the application an assurance that the entity will provide, 
        from State, local, or tribal government sources, an amount 
        equal to not less than 15 percent of the grant amount in order 
        to carry out the establishment of the information technology 
        center under the grant.
    ``(d) Priority.--In making grants under this Act, the NTIA shall--
            ``(1) give priority to eligible entities that--
                    ``(A) promote information technology research and 
                development at any institution of higher education (as 
                such term is defined in section 102 of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)) serving a rural 
                area;
                    ``(B) are located in a county with an unemployment 
                rate, as determined on the basis the most recent data 
                available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, of at 
                least 1.1 times the national unemployment rate for the 
                period to which such data relate;
                    ``(C) are certified by the Small Business 
                Administration as qualified HUBZone small businesses; 
                or
                    ``(D) work in conjunction with a local Workforce 
                Investment Board (established pursuant to section 117 
                of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 
                2832)); and
            ``(2) take into consideration--
                    ``(A) the comprehensive nationwide inventory map of 
                existing broadband service capability and availability 
                in the United States developed and maintained pursuant 
                to section 6001(l) of division B of the American 
                Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (PL 111-5; 123 
                Stat. 516) or any other applicable data administered by 
                a State, local, or tribal agency; and
                    ``(B) the availability of service capabilities in 
                the area for which the eligible entity is applying for 
                with reference to such map, and the speed of Internet 
                service, and other relevant factors.
    ``(e) Determination of Amounts.--In determining the amount of each 
grant awarded for a fiscal year under this section, the NTIA shall 
specify a minimum amount and such amount may be renewed for up to one 
year upon a finding by the NTIA that the grant recipient has satisfied 
subsection (f).
    ``(f) Audits.--Each grant recipient under this section shall 
undergo an audit administered by the NTIA. The NTIA shall report 
findings of the audits to Congress on an annual basis.
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2012 to 
carry out this section.
    ``(h) Definitions.--As used in this section--
            ``(1) the term `information technology' means the use of 
        hardware, software, services, and supporting infrastructure to 
        manage and deliver information using voice, data, and video by 
        means of a computer or data network or networks;
            ``(2) the term `information technology center' means a for-
        profit or not-for-profit business venture that offers 
        information technology services including application 
        maintenance and support, application development, help desk 
        services, personal computer maintenance and support, network 
        management, data center management, database management, server 
        management, or web hosting, and is designed to expand high tech 
        job opportunities in rural areas; and
            ``(3) the term `rural area' means the terms `rural' and 
        `rural area' mean any area other than--
                    ``(A) a city or town that has a population of 
                greater than 50,000 inhabitants; and
                    ``(B) the urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to 
                such a city or town.''.