to deploy broadband service in a service area in 
which broadband service is deployed by any 
other entity that has received a broadband 
grant or loan from the Rural Utilities Service, 
the National Telecommunications and Informa-
tion Administration, the Department of the 
Treasury, the Federal Communications Com-
mission, or a State broadband grant program, 
unless the service provided by the other entity 
does not provide to at least 75 percent of the 
households in the service area access to 
broadband service of at least— 
‘‘(i) a 100–Mbps downstream trans-
mission capacity; and 
‘‘(ii) a 20–Mbps upstream trans-
mission capacity. 
‘‘(2) EQUITY REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may re-
quire an entity to provide a cost share in an 
amount not to exceed 25 percent of the amount 
of the grant (including the grant in a grant and 
loan combination) under subsection (c) re-
quested in the application of the entity. 
‘‘(B) WAIVER.—The Secretary may waive 
the cost share requirement under subparagraph 
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(A) for entities or projects described in sub-
section (c)(4). 
‘‘(3) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may 
provide to eligible entities described in para-
graph (1) that are applying for assistance 
under this section for a project described in 
subsection (c)(3)(A) technical assistance and 
training— 
‘‘(i) to prepare reports and surveys 
necessary to request grants, loans, and 
grant and loan combinations under this 
section for broadband deployment; 
‘‘(ii) to improve management, includ-
ing financial management, relating to the 
proposed broadband deployment; 
‘‘(iii) to prepare applications for 
grants, loans, and grant and loan combina-
tions under this section; or 
‘‘(iv) to assist with other areas of 
need identified by the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) FUNDING.—Not less than 3 percent 
and not more than 5 percent of amounts appro-
priated under subsection (i) to carry out this 
section for a fiscal year shall be used for tech-
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nical assistance and training under this para-
graph. 
‘‘(e) BROADBAND SERVICE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
for purposes of this section, the minimum acceptable 
level of broadband service for a rural area shall be 
at least— 
‘‘(A) a 100–Mbps downstream trans-
mission capacity; and 
‘‘(B) a 100–Mbps upstream transmission 
capacity. 
‘‘(2) ADJUSTMENTS.—At least once every 2 
years, the Secretary shall review, and may adjust 
through notice published in the Federal Register, 
the minimum acceptable level of broadband service 
established under paragraph (1) and broadband 
buildout requirements under paragraph (3) to en-
sure that high quality, cost-effective broadband serv-
ice is provided to rural areas over time. 
‘‘(3) BROADBAND BUILDOUT REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) DEFINITION OF BROADBAND BUILD-
OUT
REQUIREMENT.—In this paragraph, the 
term ‘broadband buildout requirement’ means 
the level of internet service an applicant receiv-
ing assistance under this section must agree, at 
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the time the application is finalized, to provide 
for the duration of any project-related agree-
ment between the applicant and the Depart-
ment. 
‘‘(B) ESTABLISHMENT
OF
BROADBAND 
BUILDOUT
REQUIREMENTS.—The 
Secretary 
shall establish broadband buildout requirements 
that— 
‘‘(i) utilize the same metrics used to 
define the minimum acceptable level of 
broadband service under paragraph (1); 
and 
‘‘(ii) reasonably ensure— 
‘‘(I) the repayment of all loans; 
and 
‘‘(II) the financed network is 
technically 
capable 
of 
providing 
broadband service for the lifetime of 
any project-related agreement. 
‘‘(C) SUBSTITUTE
SERVICE
STANDARDS 
FOR UNIQUE SERVICE TERRITORIES.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—If an applicant 
shows that it would be cost prohibitive to 
meet the broadband buildout requirements 
established under this paragraph for the 
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entirety of a proposed service territory due 
to the unique characteristics of the pro-
posed service territory, the Secretary and 
the applicant may agree to utilize sub-
stitute standards for any unserved portion 
of the project. 
‘‘(ii) REQUIREMENT.—Any substitute 
service standards described in clause (i) 
should continue to consider the best tech-
nology available to meet the needs of the 
residents in the unserved area.’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsections (g), (h), and 
(i) as subsections (f), (g), and (h), respectively; 
(3) in subsection (f) (as so redesignated)— 
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
‘‘LOANS AND LOAN GUARANTEES.—’’ and in-
serting ‘‘LOANS.—’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in the matter preceding subpara-
graph (A), by striking ‘‘or loan guar-
antee’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (A)— 
(I) by striking clause (ii); 
(II) by striking ‘‘Secretary—’’ in 
the matter preceding clause (i) and all 
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that follows through ‘‘in the case’’ in 
the matter preceding subclause (I) of 
clause (i) and inserting ‘‘Secretary in 
the case’’; and 
(III) by redesignating subclauses 
(I) and (II) as clauses (i) and (ii), re-
spectively, 
and 
indenting 
appro-
priately; 
(4) in subsection (g) (as so redesignated), by 
striking ‘‘or loan guarantee’’ each place it appears; 
(5) in subsection (h) (as so redesignated), in 
paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘1974)’’ and inserting 
‘‘1974 (2 U.S.C. 661a))’’; and 
(6) by striking subsections (j) and (k) and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(i) FUNDING.— 
‘‘(1) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary to carry out subsections (a) through (h) 
$650,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 
2028, to remain available until expended. 
‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATION.—Not more than 5 per-
cent of the amounts made available under para-
graphs (1) and (3) shall be available to the Sec-
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retary for the administration of subsections (a) 
through (h). 
‘‘(3) DIRECT FUNDING.— 
‘‘(A) RESCISSION.—There is rescinded the 
unobligated balance of amounts made available 
to carry out section 779 of division A of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public 
Law 115–141; 132 Stat. 399). 
‘‘(B) DIRECT FUNDING.—On the day after 
the execution of the rescission in subparagraph 
(A), there is appropriated to the Secretary, out 
of amounts in the Treasury not otherwise ap-
propriated, an amount equal to the amount re-
scinded in subparagraph (A), to carry out sub-
sections (a) through (h), to remain available 
until expended. 
‘‘(j) ADDITIONAL RURAL BROADBAND PROGRAM 
LOANS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may provide 
direct loans in accordance with the requirements 
under this section, as in effect on the day before the 
date of enactment of the ReConnecting Rural Amer-
ica Act of 2023. 
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
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retary to carry out this subsection $350,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028, to remain 
available until expended. 
‘‘(k) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—No grant, loan, 
or grant and loan combination may be made under this 
section after September 30, 2028.’’. 
(b) SUNSET.—Beginning on the date that is 120 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, section 779 of 
division A of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 
(Public Law 115–141; 132 Stat. 399), shall have no force 
or effect. 
Æ 
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