Appalachian Regional Development Amendments Act of 2015

To reauthorize and improve the Appalachian regional development program, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Appalachian Regional Development Amendments Act of 2015 2. Reauthorization of Appalachian regional development program Section 14703 of title 40, United States Code, is amended— (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following: (a) In general In addition to amounts made available by section 14501 and any other amounts made available for the Appalachian development highway system program under any other provision of law, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Appalachian Regional Commission to carry out this subtitle $100,000,000 for fiscal years 2016 through 2020. ; (2) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections (d) and (e), respectively; and (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following: (c) High-Speed broadband deployment initiative Of the amounts made available under subsection (a), $10,000,000 shall be used to carry out section 14509. . 3. High-speed broadband deployment initiative (a) In general Subchapter I of chapter 145 of subtitle IV of title 40, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 14509. High-speed broadband deployment initiative (a) In general The Appalachian Regional Commission may provide technical assistance, make grants, enter into contracts, or otherwise provide amounts to persons or entities in the Appalachian region for projects and activities— (1) to increase affordable access to broadband networks throughout the Appalachian region; (2) to conduct research, analysis, and training to increase broadband adoption efforts in the Appalachian region; (3) to provide technology assets, including computers, smartboards, and video projectors to educational systems throughout the Appalachian region; (4) to increase distance learning opportunities throughout the Appalachian region; (5) to increase the use of telehealth technologies in the Appalachian region; and (6) to promote e-commerce applications in the Appalachian region. (b) Limitation on available amounts Of the cost of any activity eligible for a grant under this section, not more than— (1) 50 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section; (2) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526, 80 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section; or (3) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which an at-risk designation is in effect under section 14526, 70 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section. (c) Sources of assistance Subject to subsection (b), grants provided under this section may be provided from amounts made available to carry out this section in combination with amounts made available under other Federal programs or from any other source. (d) Federal share Notwithstanding any provision of law limiting the Federal share under any other Federal program, amounts made available to carry out this section may be used to increase that Federal share, as the Appalachian Regional Commission determines is appropriate. . (b) Conforming amendment The analysis for chapter 145 section 14508 14509. High-speed broadband deployment initiative. . 4. Termination Section 14704 of title 40, United States Code, is amended by striking 2012 2020 5. Effective date This Act and the amendments made by this Act take effect on October 1, 2015.

Summary: Appalachian Regional Development Amendments Act of 2015 This bill authorizes appropriations for the Appalachian Regional Commission for FY2016-FY2020, extends the termination date of the Appalachian Regional Development Program through the end of FY2020, and allots funding to enable the Commission to provide technical assistance, make grants, and enter into contracts in the Appalachian region to increase affordable access to broadband networks throughout Appalachia and for related projects and activities.