II 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2729 

To direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a program 

through which eligible individuals may obtain vouchers for the purchase 

of connected devices, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 14, 2021 

Mr. WARNOCK introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

A BILL 

To direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a program through which eligible individuals may 

obtain vouchers for the purchase of connected devices, 

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, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Device Access for 

5 Every American Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds that— 


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1 (1) approximately 25 percent of adults in the 

2 United States do not own a computer; 

3 (2) 4,400,000 households with students still 

4 lack consistent access to a computer, which prevents 

5 those students from completing schoolwork; 

6 (3) there are no reliable estimates about the 

7 number of students forced to share a computer with 

8 another member of their household, potentially forc9 ing the household to choose between important on10 line activities such as work and learning; 

11 (4) for those households without a computer or 

12 tablet, most cannot afford one; and 

13 (5) while computer access is nearly ubiquitous 

14 among high-income households, 40 percent of low-in15 come adults lack a computer. 

16 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

17 In this Act: 

18 (1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 

19 means the Federal Communications Commission. 

20 (2) CONNECTED DEVICE.—The term ‘‘con21 nected device’’ means any of the following: 

22 (A) A desktop computer. 

23 (B) A laptop computer. 

24 (C) A tablet computer. 


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1 (D) Any similar device (except for a tele2 phone or smartphone) that the Commission de3 termines should be eligible for the use of a 

4 voucher under the program. 

5 (3) ELIGIBLE EXPENSES.—The term ‘‘eligible 

6 expenses’’ means, with respect to a connected de7 vice— 

8 (A) the retail price of the connected device; 

9 (B) any sales taxes collected by the retailer 

10 with respect to the sale of the connected device; 

11 (C) any shipping charges assessed by the 

12 retailer with respect to the connected device; 

13 and 

14 (D) any reasonable (as defined by the 

15 Commission) product warranty and technical 

16 support services. 

17 (4) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘‘eligible 

18 individual’’ means an individual who is a member of 

19 an eligible household, as defined in section 904(a)(6) 

20 of division N of the Consolidated Appropriations 

21 Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–260), except that— 

22 (A) in determining under subparagraph 

23 (A) of such section 904(a)(6) for purposes of 

24 this paragraph whether at least 1 member of 

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1 section (a) or (b) of section 54.409 of title 47, 

2 Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor 

3 regulation, paragraph (1) of such subsection (a) 

4 shall be applied by striking ‘‘135 percent’’ and 

5 inserting ‘‘150 percent’’; and 

6 (B) subparagraphs (C) and (E) of such 

7 section 904(a)(6) shall not apply for purposes 

8 of this paragraph. 

9 (5) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means 

10 the program established under section 4. 

11 SEC. 4. CONNECTED DEVICE VOUCHER PROGRAM. 

12 (a) ESTABLISHMENT; REGULATIONS.—Not later 

13 than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 

14 the Commission shall establish, and promulgate regula15 tions to implement in accordance with this section, a pro16 gram through which— 

17 (1) an eligible individual may obtain a voucher 

18 that can be applied toward the purchase of a con19 nected device from a retailer; and 

20 (2) the Commission reimburses the retailer in 

21 an amount equal to the lesser of— 

22 (A) the amount of the voucher; or 

23 (B) the eligible expenses with respect to 

24 the connected device. 

25 (b) AMOUNT OF VOUCHER.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The amount of a voucher 

2 under the program shall be $400, as such amount 

3 may be adjusted by the Commission under para4 graph (2). 

5 (2) REEVALUATION; ADJUSTMENT.—Not later 

6 than 3 years after the date on which the Commis7 sion promulgates regulations under subsection (a), 

8 and every 3 years thereafter, the Commission 

9 shall— 

10 (A) reevaluate the amount of the voucher; 

11 and 

12 (B) after conducting such reevaluation, if 

13 necessary to ensure that the voucher reflects 

14 the average amount of eligible expenses with re15 spect to a connected device, adjust the amount 

16 of the voucher. 

17 (3) PRICE OF CONNECTED DEVICE EXCEEDING

18 AMOUNT OF VOUCHER.—If the eligible expenses with 

19 respect to a connected device exceed the amount of 

20 the voucher, an eligible individual may— 

21 (A) apply the voucher to such expenses; 

22 and 

23 (B) pay the remainder of such expenses to 

24 the retailer from other funds available to the in25 dividual. 


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1 (c) NUMBER AND FREQUENCY OF VOUCHERS.—An 

2 eligible individual may obtain 1 voucher under the pro3 gram every 4 years, except that not more than 2 eligible 

4 individuals per household may obtain a voucher under the 

5 program every 4 years. 

6 (d) MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CONNECTED DE7 VICES.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—A voucher under the pro9 gram may not be applied toward the purchase of a 

10 connected device unless the connected device meets 

11 minimum standards to ensure that connected devices 

12 meet the needs of the average user, which the Com13 mission shall establish in the regulations promul14 gated under subsection (a). 

15 (2) REEVALUATION; REVISION.—Not later than 

16 3 years after the date on which the Commission pro17 mulgates regulations under subsection (a), and every 

18 3 years thereafter, the Commission shall— 

19 (A) reevaluate the minimum standards es20 tablished under paragraph (1); and 

21 (B) after conducting such reevaluation, if 

22 necessary to ensure that connected devices con23 tinue to meet the needs of the average user, re24 vise such minimum standards. 


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1 (3) STANDARDS FOR NEW AND REFURBISHED

2 DEVICES.—The Commission may establish separate 

3 minimum standards under paragraph (1) for new 

4 connected devices and for refurbished connected de5 vices. 

6 (e) COLLABORATION WITH RETAILERS.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall col8 laborate with retailers to ensure the wide acceptance 

9 of vouchers and the wide availability of covered de10 vices that will be free of charge to consumers after 

11 applying a voucher. 

12 (2) WEBSITE.—The Commission shall establish 

13 a website, which shall— 

14 (A) link to offerings by retailers of con15 nected devices eligible for the use of a voucher 

16 under the program so that a consumer may ini17 tiate the purchase of such a device using the 

18 voucher through the website; and 

19 (B) if the number of vouchers available 

20 over a particular time period is limited, indicate 

21 the number of vouchers remaining. 

22 (3) CATALOG.—The Commission shall establish 

23 a catalog, which shall— 

24 (A) be accessible to consumers without 

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1 ers of connected devices eligible for the use of 

2 a voucher under the program; and 

3 (B) if the number of vouchers available 

4 over a particular time period is limited, indicate 

5 the number of vouchers remaining. 

6 (f) ADVERTISEMENT OF PROGRAM.—The Commis7 sion shall advertise the availability of the program, includ8 ing by carrying out advertising campaigns in collaboration 

9 with retailers of connected devices. 

10 (g) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Commission shall 

11 provide technical assistance to retailers, eligible individ12 uals, and community-based organizations regarding par13 ticipation in the program. 

14 (h) ENFORCEMENT.— 

15 (1) IN GENERAL.—A violation of this section or 

16 a regulation promulgated under this section shall be 

17 treated as a violation of the Communications Act of 

18 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) or a regulation pro19 mulgated under that Act. 

20 (2) MANNER OF ENFORCEMENT.—The Com21 mission shall enforce this section and the regulations 

22 promulgated under this section in the same manner, 

23 by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, 

24 powers, and duties as though all applicable terms 

25 and provisions of the Communications Act of 1934 


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1 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) were incorporated into and 

2 made a part of this section. 

3 (i) USE OF UNIVERSAL SERVICE ADMINISTRATIVE

4 COMPANY PERMITTED.—The Commission shall have the 

5 authority to avail itself of the services of the Universal 

6 Service Administrative Company to implement the pro7 gram, including developing and processing reimburse8 ments and distributing funds. 

9 (j) PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT REQUIREMENTS.— 

10 A collection of information conducted or sponsored under 

11 the regulations required under subsection (a) shall not 

12 constitute a collection of information for the purposes of 

13 subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code 

14 (commonly known as the ‘‘Paperwork Reduction Act’’). 

15 (k) PRIVACY ACT OF 1974 REQUIREMENTS.—The re16 quirements to publish notices related to system of records 

17 notices or computer matching agreements of the agency 

18 before implementation required under paragraphs (4), 

19 (11), and (12) of section 552a(e) and to provide adequate 

20 advanced notice under section 552a(r) of title 5, United 

21 States Code (commonly known as the ‘‘Privacy Act of 

22 1974’’), shall not apply when the matching program is 

23 necessary to determine eligibility under the program, ex24 cept that the notices shall be— 


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1 (1) sent to the Committee on Homeland Secu2 rity and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the 

3 Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House 

4 of Representatives, and the Office of Management 

5 and Budget; and 

6 (2) simultaneously submitted for publication in 

7 the Federal Register. 

8 (l) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

9 authorized to be appropriated to the Commission for fiscal 

10 year 2022, to remain available until September 30, 2026, 

11 $5,000,000,000 to carry out this section, of which not 

12 more than 3 percent may be used to administer and pro13 mote the program. 

Æ 


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