I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4291 

To utilize loans and loan guarantees under the rural broadband access program to provide broadband service for agricultural producers and to 

provide universal service support for installation charges for broadband 

service for agricultural producers in order to improve precision farming 

and ranching, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 7, 2017 

Ms. STEFANIK introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 

Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 

in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To utilize loans and loan guarantees under the rural 

broadband access program to provide broadband service 

for agricultural producers and to provide universal service support for installation charges for broadband service 

for agricultural producers in order to improve precision 

farming and ranching, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Precision Farming 

3 Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. LOAN PRIORITIES IN PROVIDING ACCESS TO 

5 BROADBAND TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERV6 ICES IN RURAL AREAS. 

7 Section 601(c)(2) of the Rural Electrification Act of 

8 1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb(c)(2)) is amended— 

9 (1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of subpara10 graph (C); 

11 (2) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as sub12 paragraph (E) and, in such subparagraph, by strik13 ing ‘‘in the applications of the applicants’’; and 

14 (3) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the fol15 lowing new subparagraph (D): 

16 ‘‘(D) give priority to applicants that offer 

17 to provide broadband service, at better than the 

18 minimum acceptable level of broadband service 

19 established under subsection (e), to agricultural 

20 producers in the proposed service territory to 

21 improve their ability to conduct precision farm22 ing or ranching, as determined by the Sec23 retary; and’’. 


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1 SEC. 3. UNIVERSAL SERVICE SUPPORT FOR BROADBAND 

2 SERVICE INSTALLATION CHARGES FOR AGRI3 CULTURAL PRODUCERS. 

4 Section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 

5 U.S.C. 254) is amended by adding at the end the fol6 lowing: 

7 ‘‘(m) SUPPORT FOR BROADBAND SERVICE INSTAL8 LATION CHARGES FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS.— 

9 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A provider of broadband 

10 service serving a geographic area shall, upon a bona 

11 fide request from an agricultural producer for con12 nection to such service to improve the ability of the 

13 producer to conduct precision farming or ranching, 

14 install any line or other facility or equipment nec15 essary to enable such connection at a discount from 

16 the amount that the provider would charge other 

17 parties for a similar installation. 

18 ‘‘(2) AMOUNT OF DISCOUNT.—The amount of 

19 the discount provided under paragraph (1) shall be 

20 the lesser of— 

21 ‘‘(A) the amount that the provider would 

22 charge other parties for a similar installation; 

23 or 

24 ‘‘(B) $15,000. 

25 ‘‘(3) LIMIT OF ONE DISCOUNT PER AGRICUL26 TURAL PRODUCER.—An agricultural producer may 


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1 not receive more than one discount under paragraph 

2 (1). 

3 ‘‘(4) OFFSET OR REIMBURSEMENT.—A provider 

4 of broadband service that makes an installation 

5 under paragraph (1) shall— 

6 ‘‘(A) have an amount equal to the amount 

7 of the discount provided under such paragraph 

8 treated as an offset to its obligation to con9 tribute to the mechanisms to preserve and ad10 vance universal service; or 

11 ‘‘(B) notwithstanding the provisions of 

12 subsection (e), receive reimbursement utilizing 

13 the support mechanisms to preserve and ad14 vance universal service. 

15 ‘‘(5) CONSISTENCY WITH RURAL BROADBAND

16 ACCESS PROGRAM.—The Commission shall, in con17 sultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, promul18 gate such regulations as are necessary to ensure that 

19 this subsection is carried out in a manner that is 

20 consistent with the manner in which the Secretary 

21 of Agriculture carries out subparagraph (D) of sec22 tion 601(c)(2) of the Rural Electrification Act of 

23 1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb(c)(2)).’’. 

Æ 


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