I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5506 
To establish a Rural Telehealth Access Task Force to determine how to 
address barriers to the adoption of telehealth technology and access 
to broadband internet access service in rural areas, and for other pur-
poses. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 8, 2021 
Mr. PENCE (for himself and Ms. CRAIG) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition 
to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a Rural Telehealth Access Task Force to deter-
mine how to address barriers to the adoption of tele-
health technology and access to broadband internet ac-
cess service in rural areas, 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 ‘‘Rural Telehealth Ac-
cess Task Force Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. RURAL TELEHEALTH ACCESS TASK FORCE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this section, the Commission 
shall establish a task force to be known as the ‘‘Rural 
Telehealth Access Task Force’’ (in this section referred 
to as the ‘‘Task Force’’). 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Task Force shall be com-
posed of the following: 
(1) The Assistant Secretary of Commerce for 
Communications and Information. 
(2) The Secretary of Agriculture. 
(3) The Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices. 
(4) The Chairperson of the Federal Commu-
nications Commission. 
(5) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
(c) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the Federal 
Communications Commission shall serve as the Chair-
person of the Task Force. 
(d) DUTIES.—The Task Force shall carry out the fol-
lowing duties: 
(1) Identify barriers and opportunities to tele-
health service in rural areas. 
(2) Identify barriers to, and opportunities for, 
utilization of telehealth services in rural areas. 
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(3) Identify opportunities for coordination 
among covered agencies and across high-cost pro-
grams to prevent duplication of effort or over-
building of exisiting or planned broadband internet 
access service projects. 
(4) Evaluate the adoption and usage rates of 
telehealth services in rural areas. 
(5) Evaluate how expanded access to telehealth 
services can address health disparities in rural pa-
tients. 
(6) Determine how to expand access to 
broadband internet access service for telehealth serv-
ices in rural areas, including— 
(A) rural health systems; and 
(B) internet service providers. 
(7) Develop recommendations on how to use 
current high cost broadband resources to expand ac-
cess to telehealth services in rural areas. 
(e) INFORMATION SHARING.—The covered agencies 
shall share information with the Task Force on existing 
or planned broadband internet access service projects that 
may be useful in carrying out the duties of the Task Force 
in subsection (c). 
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(f) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Commission shall 
submit to Congress a report that— 
(1) details the findings and recommendations of 
the Task Force; and 
(2) includes an identification of other telehealth 
issues or recommendations that the Task Forces de-
termines is appropriate. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS SERVICE.— 
The term ‘‘broadband internet access service’’ has 
the meaning give such term in section 8.1(b) of title 
47, Code of Federal Regulations. 
(2) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Federal Communications Commission. 
(3) COVERED
AGENCY.—The term ‘‘covered 
agency’’ means— 
(A) the Commission; 
(B) the Department of Agriculture; 
(C) the Department of Health and Human 
Services; and 
(D) the National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration. 
(4) HIGH-COST
PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘high- 
cost program’’ includes the following: 
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(A) Subpart D of title 47, Code of Federal 
Regulations (commonly known as ‘‘Universal 
Service Support for High Cost Areas’’). 
(B) Subpart J of title 47, Code of Federal 
Regulations (commonly known as the ‘‘Remote 
Areas Fund’’). 
(C) Subpart K of title 47, Code of Federal 
Regulations (commonly known as the ‘‘Inter-
state Common Line Support Mechanism for 
Rate-of-Return Carriers’’). 
(D) Subpart L of title 47, Code of Federal 
Regulations (commonly known as the ‘‘Mobility 
Fund’’). 
(E) Subpart M of title 47, Code of Federal 
Regulations (commonly known as the ‘‘High 
Cost Loop Support for Rate-of-Return Car-
riers’’). 
(F) The connected care pilot program (85 
Fed. Reg. 19896). 
(G) Section 1734 of title 7, Code of Fed-
eral Regulations (commonly known as the ‘‘Dis-
tance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Pro-
gram’’). 
(H) The COVID–19 telehealth program 
(86 Fed. Reg. 8356). 
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(I) Section 902 of the Consolidated Appro-
priations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–133). 
(J) Section 905(c) of the Consolidated Ap-
propriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–133). 
(5) RURAL; RURAL AREA.—The terms ‘‘rural’’ 
and ‘‘rural area’’ mean any area other than a city 
or town that has a population greater than 50,000 
inhabitants. 
Æ 
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