II 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1046 

To establish the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 4, 2019 

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO (for herself, Mr. GARDNER, Mr. JONES, Mr. JOHNSON, 

Ms. BALDWIN, and Mrs. BLACKBURN) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation 

A BILL 

To establish the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth, 

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 ‘‘Advancing Critical 

5 Connectivity Expands Service, Small Business Resources, 

6 Opportunities, Access, and Data Based on Assessed Need 

7 and Demand Act’’ or the ‘‘ACCESS BROADBAND Act’’. 

8 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

9 In this Act: 


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1 (1) AGENCY.—The term ‘‘agency’’ has the 

2 meaning given that term in section 551 of title 5, 

3 United States Code. 

4 (2) ASSISTANT SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Assist5 ant Secretary’’ means the Assistant Secretary of 

6 Commerce for Communications and Information. 

7 (3) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 

8 means the Federal Communications Commission. 

9 (4) FEDERAL BROADBAND SUPPORT PRO10 GRAM.—The term ‘‘Federal broadband support pro11 gram’’ does not include any Universal Service Fund 

12 program and means any of the following programs 

13 (or any other similar Federal program) to the extent 

14 the program offers broadband internet service or 

15 programs for promoting broadband access and adop16 tion for various demographic communities through 

17 various media for residential, commercial, or com18 munity providers, or academic establishments: 

19 (A) The Telecommunications and Tech20 nology Program of the Appalachian Regional 

21 Commission. 

22 (B) The following programs of the Rural 

23 Utilities Service of the Department of Agri24 culture: 


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1 (i) The Telecommunications Infra2 structure Loan and Loan Guarantee Pro3 gram. 

4 (ii) The Rural Broadband Access 

5 Loan and Loan Guarantee Program au6 thorized under section 601 of the Rural 

7 Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 

8 950bb). 

9 (iii) The Substantially Underserved 

10 Trust Area Initiative. 

11 (iv) The Community Connect Grant 

12 Program established under title III of the 

13 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 

14 Drug Administration, and Related Agen15 cies Appropriations, 2004 (division A of 

16 Public Law 108–199; 118 Stat. 19). 

17 (v) The Distance Learning and Tele18 medicine Grant Program under section 

19 2333 of the Food, Agriculture, Conserva20 tion, and Free Trade Act of 1990 (7 

21 U.S.C. 950aaa–2). 

22 (C) The following programs of the Eco23 nomic Development Administration of the De24 partment of Commerce: 


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1 (i) The Public Works and Economic 

2 Adjustment Assistance Programs. 

3 (ii) The Planning and Local Technical 

4 Assistance Programs. 

5 (D) The following programs of the Depart6 ment of Housing and Urban Development: 

7 (i) The Community Development 

8 Block Grant Program under title I of the 

9 Housing and Community Development Act 

10 of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.). 

11 (ii) The loan guarantee program 

12 under section 108 of the Housing and 

13 Community Development Act of 1974 (42 

14 U.S.C. 5308) (commonly known as the 

15 ‘‘Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program’’). 

16 (iii) Assistance from the Public Hous17 ing Capital Fund established under section 

18 9(d) of the United States Housing Act of 

19 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437g(d)). 

20 (iv) Assistance from the Public Hous21 ing Operating Fund established under sec22 tion 9(e) of the United States Housing Act 

23 of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437g(e)). 

24 (v) The Multifamily Housing Pro25 grams. 


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1 (vi) The Indian Community Develop2 ment Block Grant Program. 

3 (vii) The Indian Housing Block Grant 

4 Program under section 101 of the Native 

5 American Housing Assistance and Self-De6 termination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4111). 

7 (viii) Loan guarantees under title VI 

8 of the Native American Housing Assist9 ance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 

10 (25 U.S.C. 4191 et seq.) (commonly known 

11 as the ‘‘Title VI Loan Guarantee Pro12 gram’’). 

13 (ix) The Choice Neighborhoods Initia14 tive. 

15 (x) The HOME Investment Partner16 ships Program authorized under title II of 

17 the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable 

18 Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12721 et seq.). 

19 (xi) The Housing Trust Fund estab20 lished under section 1338 of the Federal 

21 Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and 

22 Soundness Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 4568). 

23 (xii) The Housing Opportunities for 

24 Persons With AIDS Program authorized 


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1 under the AIDS Housing Opportunity Act 

2 (42 U.S.C. 12901 et seq.). 

3 (E) The American Job Centers of the Em4 ployment and Training Administration of the 

5 Department of Labor. 

6 (F) The Library Services and Technology 

7 Grant Programs of the Institute of Museum 

8 and Library Services. 

9 (5) OFFICE.—The term ‘‘Office’’ means the Of10 fice of Internet Connectivity and Growth established 

11 under section 3. 

12 (6) UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND PROGRAM.—The 

13 term ‘‘Universal Service Fund program’’ means any 

14 program authorized under section 254 of the Com15 munications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254) to help de16 ploy broadband. 

17 (7) UNIVERSAL SERVICE MECHANISM.—The 

18 term ‘‘universal service mechanism’’ means any 

19 funding stream provided by a Universal Service 

20 Fund program to support broadband access. 

21 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE OF INTERNET 

22 CONNECTIVITY AND GROWTH. 

23 Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 

24 of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall establish the Of25 fice of Internet Connectivity and Growth within the NaVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:02 Apr 10, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1046.IS S1046

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1 tional Telecommunications and Information Administra2 tion. 

3 SEC. 4. DUTIES. 

4 (a) OUTREACH.—The Office shall— 

5 (1) connect with communities that need access 

6 to high-speed internet and improved digital inclusion 

7 efforts through various forms of outreach and com8 munication techniques; 

9 (2) hold regional workshops across the United 

10 States to share best practices and effective strategies 

11 for promoting broadband access and adoption; 

12 (3) develop targeted broadband training and 

13 presentations for various demographic communities 

14 through various media; and 

15 (4) develop and distribute publications (includ16 ing toolkits, primers, manuals, and white papers) 

17 providing guidance, strategies, and insights to com18 munities as the communities develop strategies to 

19 expand broadband access and adoption. 

20 (b) TRACKING OF FEDERAL DOLLARS.— 

21 (1) BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE.—The Of22 fice shall track the construction and use of and ac23 cess to any broadband infrastructure built using any 

24 Federal support in a central database. 


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1 (2) ACCOUNTING MECHANISM.—The Office 

2 shall develop a streamlined accounting mechanism 

3 by which any agency offering a Federal broadband 

4 support program, and the Commission through the 

5 Universal Service Fund, shall provide the informa6 tion described in paragraph (1) in a standardized 

7 and efficient fashion. 

8 (3) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 

9 date of enactment of this Act, and every year there10 after, the Office shall make public on the website of 

11 the Office and submit to the Committee on Com12 merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 

13 and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 

14 House of Representatives a report on the following: 

15 (A) A description of the work of the Office 

16 for the previous year and the number of resi17 dents of the United States who received 

18 broadband access as a result of a Federal 

19 broadband support program or a Universal 

20 Service Fund program. 

21 (B) The number of residents of the United 

22 States described in subparagraph (A), broken 

23 down by the Federal broadband support pro24 gram or universal service mechanism to which 

25 the broadband access was attributable. 


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1 (C) An estimate of the economic impact of 

2 the broadband deployment efforts described in 

3 subparagraphs (A) and (B) on the local econ4 omy in areas receiving assistance through those 

5 efforts, including any effect on small businesses 

6 or jobs. 

7 SEC. 5. STREAMLINED APPLICATIONS FOR SUPPORT. 

8 (a) AGENCY CONSULTATION.—The Office shall con9 sult with any agency offering a Federal broadband support 

10 program to streamline and standardize the application 

11 process for grants or other financial assistance from the 

12 program. 

13 (b) AGENCY STREAMLINING.—Any agency offering a 

14 Federal broadband support program shall amend the ap15 plication for broadband support from that program, to the 

16 extent practicable and as necessary, to streamline and 

17 standardize applications for Federal broadband support 

18 programs across the Federal Government. 

19 (c) SINGLE APPLICATION.—To the greatest extent 

20 practicable, the Office shall seek to create 1 application 

21 that may be submitted to apply for all, or substantially 

22 all, Federal broadband support programs. 

23 (d) WEBSITE REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 

24 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Office shall 

25 create a central website through which a potential appliVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:02 Apr 10, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1046.IS S1046

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1 cant can learn about and apply for support through any 

2 Federal broadband support program. 

3 SEC. 6. COORDINATION OF SUPPORT. 

4 The Office, any agency that offers a Federal 

5 broadband support program, and the Commission, 

6 through the Universal Service Fund, shall coordinate with 

7 each other to ensure that Federal support for broadband 

8 is being distributed in an efficient, technology-neutral, and 

9 financially sustainable manner, with the goal of serving 

10 the largest number of persons in the United States while 

11 avoiding overbuilding and promoting the most job and eco12 nomic growth for all residents of the United States. 

13 SEC. 7. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 

14 Nothing in this Act is intended to alter or amend any 

15 provision of section 254 of the Communications Act of 

16 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254). 

17 SEC. 8. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED. 

18 No additional funds are authorized to be appro19 priated to carry out this Act. This Act shall be carried 

20 out using amounts otherwise authorized. 

Æ 


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