I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5886 
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a program 
to make grants available to States to inform Medicaid enrollees, SNAP 
participants, and low-income residents of potential eligibility for the Af-
fordable Connectivity and Lifeline programs of the Commission, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 3, 2023 
Ms. KELLY of Illinois introduced the following bill 
OCTOBER 25, 2023 
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to estab-
lish a program to make grants available to States to 
inform Medicaid enrollees, SNAP participants, and low- 
income residents of potential eligibility for the Affordable 
Connectivity and Lifeline programs of the Commission, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Promoting Access to 
Broadband Act of 2023’’. 
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SEC. 2. AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY AND LIFELINE EN-
ROLLMENT OUTREACH GRANTS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Federal Communications Commission. 
(2) COVERED
INDIVIDUALS.—The term ‘‘cov-
ered individuals’’ means— 
(A) Medicaid enrollees; 
(B) SNAP participants; and 
(C) low-income residents. 
(3) COVERED
PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘covered 
program’’ means— 
(A) the Affordable Connectivity Program 
established under section 904(b) of division N 
of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 
(47 U.S.C. 1752(b)), or any successor program; 
and 
(B) the Lifeline program established under 
subpart E of part 54 of title 47, Code of Fed-
eral Regulations, or any successor regulation. 
(4) ELIGIBLE-BUT-NOT-ENROLLED.—The term 
‘‘eligible-but-not-enrolled’’ means, with respect to an 
individual, that the individual is eligible for, but is 
not enrolled in, a covered program. 
(5) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ 
has the meaning given the term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ in 
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section 4 of the Native American Housing Assist-
ance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 
4103). 
(6) LOW-INCOME.—The term ‘‘low-income’’ 
means a gross annual income that qualifies a house-
hold for participation in a covered program. 
(7) MEDICAID
ENROLLEE.—The term ‘‘Med-
icaid enrollee’’ means, with respect to a State, an in-
dividual enrolled in the State plan under title XIX 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) 
or a waiver of that plan. 
(8) REACH.—The term ‘‘reach’’ means, with re-
spect to an individual, to inform the individual of po-
tential eligibility for a covered program and to pro-
vide the individual with information about the cov-
ered program, as described in subsection (e). 
(9) SNAP PARTICIPANT.—The term ‘‘SNAP 
participant’’ means an individual who is a member 
of a household that participates in the supplemental 
nutrition assistance program under the Food and 
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.). 
(10) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each 
State of the United States, the District of Columbia, 
each commonwealth, territory, or possession of the 
United States, and each Indian Tribe. 
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(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Commission shall estab-
lish a competitive program to make grants available to 
States to inform covered individuals of potential eligibility 
for a covered program. 
(c) APPLICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may only 
award a grant under this section to a State that 
submits an application at such time, in such form, 
and with such information and assurances as the 
Commission may require. 
(2) MATTERS REQUIRED TO BE INCLUDED.— 
An application submitted by a State under para-
graph (1) shall include— 
(A) the number of covered individuals in 
the State; 
(B) a plan for the activities that the State 
will conduct using grant funds, including a list 
of each agency within the State that will assist 
in carrying out those activities; and 
(C) an estimate of the percentage of eligi-
ble-but-not-enrolled individuals in the State who 
will be reached by those activities. 
(d) SELECTION.— 
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(1) MINIMUM OF 5 STATES.—The Commission 
shall award grants under this section to not fewer 
than 5 States. 
(2) FACTORS FOR CONSIDERATION.—In award-
ing grants under this section, the Commission shall 
give favorable consideration— 
(A) to States that have higher numbers of 
covered individuals; and 
(B) to States proposing, in the plans sub-
mitted under subsection (c)(2)(B), to conduct 
activities that have the potential to reach higher 
percentages of eligible-but-not-enrolled individ-
uals in those States, as determined by the Com-
mission, taking into consideration the estimates 
submitted under subsection (c)(2)(C). 
(3) GEOGRAPHIC
DIVERSITY.—In awarding 
grants under this section, the Commission shall, to 
the maximum extent practicable, select States from 
different geographic regions of the United States. 
(e) USE OF FUNDS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—A State that receives a 
grant under this section shall use grant funds, in ac-
cordance with the plan included in the application of 
the State under subsection (c)(2)(B), to— 
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(A) inform covered individuals and organi-
zations or agencies that serve those individuals, 
as the case may be under the terms of the 
grant awarded to the State, of potential eligi-
bility for a covered program; 
(B) provide those covered individuals with 
information about covered programs, includ-
ing— 
(i) how to apply for a covered pro-
gram; and 
(ii) a description of the prohibition on 
more than 1 subscriber in each household 
receiving a service provided under a cov-
ered program; and 
(C) partner with nonprofit and community- 
based organizations to provide those covered in-
dividuals with assistance applying for a covered 
program and information about product and 
technology choices. 
(2) MULTIPLE STATE AGENCIES.—A State that 
receives a grant under this section may provide 
grant funds to 1 or more agencies located within the 
State, as identified under subsection (c)(2)(B), to 
carry out the activities under the grant. 
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(f) OUTREACH TO STATES REGARDING GRANT PRO-
GRAM.—Before accepting applications for the grant pro-
gram established under this section, the Commission shall 
conduct outreach to States to ensure that States are aware 
of the grant program and how to apply for a grant under 
the grant program. 
(g) REGULATIONS REQUIRED.—Not later than 30 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commis-
sion shall promulgate regulations to implement this sec-
tion. 
(h) ENFORCEMENT.—A violation of this section or a 
regulation promulgated under this section shall be treated 
as a violation of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
U.S.C. 151 et seq.) or a regulation promulgated under 
such Act. The Commission shall enforce this section and 
the regulations promulgated under this section in the same 
manner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdic-
tion, powers, and duties as though all applicable terms and 
provisions of the Communications Act of 1934 were incor-
porated into and made a part of this section. 
(i) EXEMPTIONS.— 
(1) CERTAIN RULEMAKING REQUIREMENTS.— 
Section 553 of title 5, United States Code, shall not 
apply to a regulation promulgated under this section 
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or a rulemaking proceeding to promulgate such a 
regulation. 
(2) PAPERWORK
REDUCTION
ACT
REQUIRE-
MENTS.—A collection of information conducted or 
sponsored under the regulations required under this 
section shall not constitute a collection of informa-
tion for the purposes of subchapter I of chapter 35 
of title 44, United States Code (commonly known as 
the ‘‘Paperwork Reduction Act’’). 
(j) REPORT TO CONGRESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after 
establishing the grant program under this section, 
the Commission shall submit to Congress a report 
evaluating the effectiveness of the grant program. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report submitted under 
paragraph (1) shall include— 
(A) the number of individuals notified of 
covered program eligibility by States receiving 
grants under this section; 
(B) the number of new applicants to a cov-
ered program from States receiving grants 
under this section, including the number of 
those applicants who enrolled in a covered pro-
gram; and 
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(C) the cost-effectiveness of the grant pro-
gram established under this section. 
(k) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Commission such 
sums as may be necessary to carry out this section for 
the first 5 full fiscal years beginning after the establish-
ment of the grant program under this section. 
SEC. 3. GRANTS TO STATES TO STRENGTHEN NATIONAL 
LIFELINE ELIGIBILITY VERIFIER. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Federal Communications Commission. 
(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means a State that, not later than 30 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, submits to the 
Commission an application for a grant under this 
section containing such information as the Commis-
sion may require. 
(3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each 
State of the United States, the District of Columbia, 
each commonwealth, territory, or possession of the 
United States, and each federally recognized Indian 
Tribe. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall 
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establish a program to provide a grant, from amounts ap-
propriated under subsection (e), to each eligible entity for 
the purpose described in subsection (c). 
(c) PURPOSE.—The Commission shall make a grant 
to each eligible entity for the purpose of establishing, re-
newing, reestablishing, or maintaining or amending a con-
nection between the databases of the eligible entity that 
contain information concerning the receipt by a household, 
or a member of a household, of benefits under a program 
administered by the eligible entity (including any benefit 
provided under the supplemental nutrition assistance pro-
gram under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
2011 et seq.)) and the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier 
so that the receipt by a household, or a member of a 
household, of benefits under the benefits program— 
(1) is reflected in the National Lifeline Eligi-
bility Verifier; and 
(2) can be used to verify eligibility for— 
(A) the Lifeline program established under 
subpart E, part 54, of title 47, Code of Federal 
Regulations, or any successor regulation; and 
(B) the Affordable Connectivity Program 
established under section 904(b) of division N 
of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 
(47 U.S.C. 1752(b)), or any successor program. 
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(d) DISBURSEMENT OF GRANT FUNDS.—Not later 
than 120 days after the date on which the Commission 
establishes the program under subsection (b), funds pro-
vided under each grant made under such subsection shall 
be disbursed to the eligible entity receiving such grant. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be nec-
essary to carry out this section. 
Æ 
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