(ii) SUBMISSION TO ASSISTANT SEC-
RETARY.—An entity to which the Assistant 
Secretary awards a grant under the Pro-
gram shall submit to the Assistant Sec-
retary each measurement and evaluation 
performed under clause (i)— 
(I) in a manner specified by the 
Assistant Secretary; 
(II) not later than 15 months 
after the date on which the entity is 
awarded the grant amounts; and 
(III) annually after the submis-
sion described in subclause (II) for 
any year in which the entity expends 
grant amounts. 
(C) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—An entity to 
which the Assistant Secretary awards a grant 
under the Program may use not more than 10 
percent of the amount of the grant for adminis-
trative costs in carrying out any of the activities 
described in subparagraph (A). 
(D) TIME LIMITATIONS.—With respect to 
a grant awarded to an entity under the Pro-
gram, the entity— 
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(i) except as provided in clause (ii), 
shall expend the grant amounts during the 
4-year period beginning on the date on 
which the entity is awarded the grant 
amounts; and 
(ii) during the 1-year period beginning 
on the date that is 4 years after the date 
on which the entity is awarded the grant 
amounts, may continue to measure and 
evaluate the activities supported with the 
grant amounts, as required under subpara-
graph (B). 
(e) FEDERAL SHARE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the Federal share of any project for 
which the Assistant Secretary awards a grant under 
the Program may not exceed 90 percent. 
(2) EXCEPTION.—The Assistant Secretary may 
grant a waiver with respect to the limitation on the 
Federal share of a project described in paragraph 
(1) if— 
(A) the applicant with respect to the 
project petitions the Assistant Secretary for the 
waiver; and 
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(B) the Assistant Secretary determines 
that the petition described in subparagraph (A) 
demonstrates financial need. 
(f) ASSURANCES.—When applying for a grant under 
this section, an entity shall include in the application for 
that grant assurances that the entity shall— 
(1) use any grant funds that the entity is 
awarded— 
(A) in accordance with any applicable stat-
ute, regulation, and application procedure; and 
(B) to the extent required under applicable 
law; 
(2) adopt and use proper methods of admin-
istering any grant that the entity is awarded, includ-
ing by— 
(A) enforcing any obligation imposed under 
law on any agency, institution, organization, or 
other entity that is responsible for carrying out 
a program to which the grant relates; 
(B) correcting any deficiency in the oper-
ation of a program to which the grant relates, 
as identified through an audit or another moni-
toring or evaluation procedure; and 
(C) adopting written procedures for the re-
ceipt and resolution of complaints alleging a 
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violation of law with respect to a program to 
which the grant relates; 
(3) cooperate with respect to any evaluation— 
(A) of any program that relates to a grant 
awarded to the entity; and 
(B) that is carried out by or for the Assist-
ant Secretary or another Federal official; 
(4) use fiscal control and fund accounting pro-
cedures that ensure the proper disbursement of, and 
accounting for, any Federal funds that the entity is 
awarded under the Program; 
(5) submit to the Assistant Secretary any re-
ports that may be necessary to enable the Assistant 
Secretary to perform the duties of the Assistant Sec-
retary under the Program; and 
(6) maintain any records and provide any infor-
mation to the Assistant Secretary, including those 
records, that the Assistant Secretary determines is 
necessary to enable the Assistant Secretary to per-
form the duties of the Assistant Secretary under the 
Program. 
(g) DEOBLIGATION OR TERMINATION OF GRANT.— 
In addition to other authority under applicable law, the 
Assistant Secretary may— 
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(1) deobligate or terminate a grant awarded to 
an entity under this section if, after notice to the en-
tity and opportunity for a hearing, the Assistant 
Secretary— 
(A) presents to the entity a rationale and 
supporting 
information 
that 
clearly 
dem-
onstrates that— 
(i) the grant funds are not being used 
in a manner that is consistent with the ap-
plication with respect to the grant sub-
mitted by the entity under subsection (c); 
and 
(ii) the entity is not upholding assur-
ances made by the entity to the Assistant 
Secretary under subsection (f); and 
(B) determines that the grant is no longer 
necessary to achieve the original purpose for 
which Assistant Secretary awarded the grant; 
and 
(2) with respect to any grant funds that the As-
sistant Secretary deobligates or terminates under 
paragraph (1), competitively award the grant funds 
to another applicant, consistent with the require-
ments of this section. 
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(h) REPORTING AND INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS; 
INTERNET DISCLOSURE.—The Assistant Secretary— 
(1) shall— 
(A) require any entity to which the Assist-
ant Secretary awards a grant under the Pro-
gram to, for each year during the period de-
scribed in subsection (d)(2)(D) with respect to 
the grant, submit to the Assistant Secretary a 
report, in a format specified by the Assistant 
Secretary, regarding— 
(i) the amount of the grant; 
(ii) the use by the entity of the grant 
amounts; and 
(iii) the progress of the entity towards 
fulfilling the objectives for which the grant 
was awarded; 
(B) establish mechanisms to ensure appro-
priate use of, and compliance with respect to all 
terms regarding, grant funds awarded under 
the Program; 
(C) create and maintain a fully searchable 
database, which shall be accessible on the inter-
net at no cost to the public, that contains, at 
a minimum— 
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(i) a list of each entity that has ap-
plied for a grant under the Program; 
(ii) a description of each application 
described in clause (i), including the pro-
posed purpose of each grant described in 
that clause; 
(iii) the status of each application de-
scribed in clause (i), including whether the 
Assistant Secretary has awarded a grant 
with respect to the application and, if so, 
the amount of the grant; 
(iv) each report submitted by an enti-
ty under subparagraph (A); and 
(v) any other information that is suf-
ficient to allow the public to understand 
and monitor grants awarded under the 
Program; and 
(D) ensure that any entity with respect to 
which an award is deobligated or terminated 
under subsection (g) may, in a timely manner, 
appeal or otherwise challenge that deobligation 
or termination, as applicable; and 
(2) may establish additional reporting and in-
formation requirements for any recipient of a grant 
under the Program. 
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(i) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.—A grant awarded 
to an entity under the Program shall supplement, not sup-
plant, other Federal or State funds that have been made 
available to the entity to carry out activities described in 
this section. 
(j) SET ASIDES.—From amounts made available in 
a fiscal year to carry out the Program, the Assistant Sec-
retary shall reserve— 
(1) 5 percent for the implementation and ad-
ministration of the Program, which shall include— 
(A) providing technical support and assist-
ance, including ensuring consistency in data re-
porting; 
(B) providing assistance to entities to pre-
pare the applications of those entities with re-
spect to grants awarded under this section; 
(C) developing the report required under 
section 6(a); and 
(D) conducting outreach to entities that 
may be eligible to be awarded a grant under the 
Program regarding opportunities to apply for 
such a grant; 
(2) 5 percent to award grants to, or enter into 
contracts or cooperative agreements with, Indian 
tribes, Alaska Native entities, and Native Hawaiian 
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organizations to allow those tribes, entities, and or-
ganizations to carry out the activities described in 
this section; and 
(3) 1 percent to award grants to, or enter into 
contracts or cooperative agreements with, the United 
States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 
and any other territory or possession of the United 
States that is not a State to enable those entities to 
carry out the activities described in this section. 
(k) RULES.—The Assistant Secretary may prescribe 
such rules as may be necessary to carry out this section. 
(l) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this sec-
tion— 
(1) $125,000,000 for each of the first 5 fiscal 
years in which funds are made available to carry out 
this section; and 
(2) such sums as may be necessary for each fis-
cal year after the end of the 5-fiscal year period de-
scribed in paragraph (1). 
SEC. 6. POLICY RESEARCH, DATA COLLECTION, ANALYSIS 
AND MODELING, EVALUATION, AND DISSEMI-
NATION. 
(a) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date on which the Assistant Secretary begins 
awarding grants under section 4(d)(1), and annually 
thereafter, the Assistant Secretary shall— 
(A) submit to the appropriate committees 
of Congress a report that documents, for the 
year covered by the report— 
(i) the findings of each evaluation 
conducted under subparagraph (B); 
(ii) a list of each grant awarded under 
each covered program, which shall in-
clude— 
(I) the amount of each such 
grant; 
(II) the recipient of each such 
grant; and 
(III) the purpose for which each 
such grant was awarded; 
(iii) any deobligation, termination, or 
modification of a grant awarded under the 
covered programs, which shall include a 
description of the subsequent usage of any 
funds to which such an action applies; and 
(iv) each challenge made by an appli-
cant for, or a recipient of, a grant under 
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the covered programs and the outcome of 
each such challenge; and 
(B) conduct evaluations of the activities 
carried out under the covered programs, which 
shall include an evaluation of— 
(i) whether eligible States to which 
grants are awarded under the program es-
tablished under section 4 are— 
(I) abiding by the assurances 
made by those States under sub-
section (e) of that section; 
(II) meeting, or have met, the 
stated goals of the Digital Equity 
Plans developed by the States under 
subsection (c) of that section; 
(III) satisfying the requirements 
imposed by the Assistant Secretary on 
those States under subsection (g) of 
that section; and 
(IV) in compliance with any 
other rules, requirements, or regula-
tions promulgated by the Assistant 
Secretary in implementing that pro-
gram; and 
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(ii) whether entities to which grants 
are awarded under the program established 
under section 5 are— 
(I) abiding by the assurances 
made by those entities under sub-
section (f) of that section; 
(II) meeting, or have met, the 
stated goals of those entities with re-
spect to the use of the grant amounts; 
(III) satisfying the requirements 
imposed by the Assistant Secretary on 
those States under subsection (h) of 
that section; and 
(IV) in compliance with any 
other rules, requirements, or regula-
tions promulgated by the Assistant 
Secretary in implementing that pro-
gram. 
(2) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The Assistant Sec-
retary shall make each report submitted under para-
graph (1)(A) publicly available in an online format 
that— 
(A) facilitates access and ease of use; 
(B) is searchable; and 
(C) is accessible— 
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(i) to individuals with disabilities; and 
(ii) in languages other than English. 
(b) AUTHORITY TO CONTRACT AND ENTER INTO 
OTHER ARRANGEMENTS.—The Assistant Secretary may 
award grants and enter into contracts, cooperative agree-
ments, and other arrangements with Federal agencies, 
public and private organizations, and other entities with 
expertise that the Assistant Secretary determines appro-
priate in order to— 
(1) evaluate the impact and efficacy of activities 
supported by grants awarded under the covered pro-
grams; and 
(2) develop, catalog, disseminate, and promote 
the exchange of best practices, both with respect to 
and independent of the covered programs, in order 
to achieve digital equity. 
(c) CONSULTATION AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.—In 
carrying out subsection (a), and to further the objectives 
described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b), the 
Assistant Secretary shall conduct ongoing collaboration 
and consult with— 
(1) the Secretary of Agriculture; 
(2) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Devel-
opment; 
(3) the Secretary of Education; 
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(4) the Secretary of Labor; 
(5) the Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices; 
(6) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; 
(7) the Secretary of the Interior; 
(8) the Federal Communications Commission; 
(9) the Federal Trade Commission; 
(10) the Director of the Institute of Museum 
and Library Services; 
(11) the Administrator of the Small Business 
Administration; 
(12) the Federal Cochairman of the Appa-
lachian Regional Commission; 
(13) State agencies and governors of States (or 
equivalent officials); 
(14) entities serving as administering entities 
for States under section 4(b); 
(15) national, State, tribal, and local organiza-
tions that provide digital inclusion, digital equity, or 
digital literacy services; 
(16) researchers, academics, and philanthropic 
organizations; and 
(17) other agencies, organizations (including 
international organizations), entities (including enti-
ties with expertise in the fields of data collection, 
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analysis and modeling, and evaluation), and commu-
nity stakeholders, as determined appropriate by the 
Assistant Secretary. 
(d) TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE.—The 
Assistant Secretary shall provide technical support and as-
sistance, assistance to entities to prepare the applications 
of those entities with respect to grants awarded under the 
covered programs, and other resources, to the extent prac-
ticable, to ensure consistency in data reporting and to 
meet the objectives of this section. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this section, which shall remain 
available until expended. 
SEC. 7. GENERAL PROVISIONS. 
(a) NONDISCRIMINATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—No individual in the United 
States may, on the basis of actual or perceived race, 
color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, 
sexual orientation, age, or disability, be excluded 
from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or 
be subjected to discrimination under any program or 
activity that is funded in whole or in part with funds 
made available under this Act. 
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(2) ENFORCEMENT.—The Assistant Secretary 
shall effectuate paragraph (1) with respect to any 
program or activity described in that paragraph by 
issuing regulations and taking actions consistent 
with section 602 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 
U.S.C. 2000d–1). 
(3) JUDICIAL REVIEW.—Judicial review of an 
action taken by the Assistant Secretary under para-
graph (2) shall be available to the extent provided in 
section 603 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 
U.S.C. 2000d–2). 
(b) TECHNOLOGICAL NEUTRALITY.—The Assistant 
Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, carry out this 
Act in a technologically neutral manner. 
(c) AUDIT AND OVERSIGHT.—Beginning in the first 
fiscal year in which amounts are made available to carry 
out an activity authorized under this Act, and in each of 
the 4 fiscal years thereafter, there is authorized to be ap-
propriated to the Office of Inspector General for the De-
partment of Commerce $1,000,000 for audits and over-
sight of funds made available to carry out this Act, which 
shall remain available until expended. 
Æ 
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