I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4308 
To provide for grants to finance broadband transmission in certain rural 
areas. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 8, 2017 
Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico (for herself and Mr. 
O’HALLERAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speak-
er, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the ju-
risdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide for grants to finance broadband transmission 
in certain rural areas. 
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 ‘‘Rural Broadband Ex-
pansion Act’’. 
SEC. 2. COMMUNITY CONNECT GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture (in 
this section referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall make 
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grants to finance broadband transmission in rural areas 
eligible for Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program 
benefits authorized by section 2331 of the Food, Agri-
culture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, and shall 
offer assistance to persons interested in applying for the 
grants with respect to the grant application process. 
(b) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall require 
any entity receiving a grant under this section to 
submit annual reports until 3 years after completion 
of the project for which the grant is made, in a for-
mat specified by the Secretary, that describes— 
(A) the use by the entity of the grant, in-
cluding new equipment and capacity enhance-
ments that support high-speed broadband ac-
cess for educational institutions, health care 
providers, and public safety service providers 
(including the estimated number of end users 
who are currently using or forecasted to use the 
new or upgraded infrastructure); and 
(B) the progress towards fulfilling the ob-
jectives for which the grant is made, includ-
ing— 
(i) the number and location of resi-
dences and businesses that will receive new 
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broadband service, existing network service 
improvements, and facility upgrades result-
ing from the grant; 
(ii) the speed of broadband service; 
(iii) the average price of broadband 
service in a proposed service area; 
(iv) any changes in broadband service 
adoption rates, including new subscribers 
generated from demand-side projects; and 
(v) any other metrics the Secretary 
determines to be appropriate. 
(2) ADDITIONAL
REPORTING.—The Secretary 
may require any additional reporting and informa-
tion by any recipient of a grant under this section 
so as to ensure compliance with this section. 
(c) AUDITS.—The Inspector General, Department of 
Agriculture, shall conduct annual audits of the grant pro-
gram provided for in this section, and shall direct the Sec-
retary to implement such recommendations as the Inspec-
tor General finds necessary to ensure that the funds made 
available under subsection (f) are used properly and effi-
ciently. 
(d) GAO REPORTS.—The Comptroller General of the 
United States shall submit to the Secretary annual reports 
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