1996 
† HR 3684 EAS 
the potential to offer consumers more affordable, high- 
quality options for broadband service. 
(5) The 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic has 
underscored the critical importance of affordable, 
high-speed broadband for individuals, families, and 
communities to be able to work, learn, and connect re-
motely while supporting social distancing. 
SEC. 60102. GRANTS FOR BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.— 
(1) AREAS, LOCATIONS, AND INSTITUTIONS LACK-
ING BROADBAND ACCESS.—In this section: 
(A) 
UNSERVED
LOCATION.—The 
term 
‘‘unserved location’’ means a broadband-service-
able location, as determined in accordance with 
the broadband DATA maps, that— 
(i) has no access to broadband service; 
or 
(ii) lacks access to reliable broadband 
service offered with— 
(I) a speed of not less than— 
(aa) 25 megabits per second 
for downloads; and 
(bb) 3 megabits per second 
for uploads; and
1997 
† HR 3684 EAS 
(II) a latency sufficient to support 
real-time, interactive applications. 
(B) UNSERVED
SERVICE
PROJECT.—The 
term ‘‘unserved service project’’ means a project 
in which not less than 80 percent of broadband- 
serviceable locations served by the project are 
unserved locations. 
(C) UNDERSERVED
LOCATION.—The term 
‘‘underserved location’’ means a location— 
(i) that is not an unserved location; 
and 
(ii) as determined in accordance with 
the broadband DATA maps, lacks access to 
reliable broadband service offered with— 
(I) a speed of not less than— 
(aa) 100 megabits per second 
for downloads; and 
(bb) 20 megabits per second 
for uploads; and 
(II) a latency sufficient to support 
real-time, interactive applications. 
(D) UNDERSERVED
SERVICE
PROJECT.— 
The term ‘‘underserved service project’’ means a 
project in which not less than 80 percent of 
broadband-serviceable locations served by the
1998 
† HR 3684 EAS 
project are unserved locations or underserved lo-
cations. 
(E) ELIGIBLE COMMUNITY ANCHOR INSTI-
TUTION.—The term ‘‘eligible community anchor 
institution’’ means a community anchor institu-
tion that lacks access to gigabit-level broadband 
service. 
(2) OTHER DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(A) ASSISTANT SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘As-
sistant Secretary’’ means the Assistant Secretary 
of Commerce for Communications and Informa-
tion. 
(B) BROADBAND; BROADBAND
SERVICE.— 
The term ‘‘broadband’’ or ‘‘broadband service’’ 
has the meaning given the term ‘‘broadband 
internet access service’’ in section 8.1(b) of title 
47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor 
regulation. 
(C) BROADBAND
DATA
MAPS.—The term 
‘‘broadband DATA maps’’ means the maps cre-
ated under section 802(c)(1) of the Communica-
tions Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 642(c)(1)). 
(D) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Federal Communications Commission.
1999 
† HR 3684 EAS 
(E) COMMUNITY
ANCHOR
INSTITUTION.— 
The term ‘‘community anchor institution’’ 
means an entity such as a school, library, health 
clinic, health center, hospital or other medical 
provider, public safety entity, institution of 
higher education, public housing organization, or 
community support organization that facilitates 
greater use of broadband service by vulnerable 
populations, including low-income individuals, 
unemployed individuals, and aged individuals. 
(F) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible 
entity’’ means a State. 
(G) HIGH-COST AREA.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘high-cost 
area’’ means an unserved area in which the 
cost of building out broadband service is 
higher, as compared with the average cost of 
building out broadband service in unserved 
areas in the United States (as determined 
by the Assistant Secretary, in consultation 
with the Commission), incorporating factors 
that include— 
(I) the remote location of the area; 
(II) the lack of population density 
of the area;
2000 
† HR 3684 EAS 
(III) the unique topography of the 
area; 
(IV) a high rate of poverty in the 
area; or 
(V) any other factor identified by 
the Assistant Secretary, in consultation 
with the Commission, that contributes 
to 
the 
higher 
cost 
of 
deploying 
broadband service in the area. 
(ii) UNSERVED AREA.—For purposes of 
clause (i), the term ‘‘unserved area’’ means 
an area in which not less than 80 percent 
of 
broadband-serviceable 
locations 
are 
unserved locations. 
(H) LOCATION; BROADBAND-SERVICEABLE 
LOCATION.—The 
terms 
‘‘location’’ 
and 
‘‘broadband-serviceable location’’ have the mean-
ings given those terms by the Commission under 
rules and guidance that are in effect, as of the 
date of enactment of this Act. 
(I) PRIORITY
BROADBAND
PROJECT.—The 
term ‘‘priority broadband project’’ means a 
project designed to— 
(i) provide broadband service that 
meets speed, latency, reliability, consistency
2001 
† HR 3684 EAS 
in quality of service, and related criteria as 
the Assistant Secretary shall determine; and 
(ii) ensure that the network built by 
the project can easily scale speeds over time 
to— 
(I) meet the evolving connectivity 
needs of households and businesses; and 
(II) support the deployment of 
5G, successor wireless technologies, and 
other advanced services. 
(J) 
PROGRAM.—The 
term 
‘‘Program’’ 
means the Broadband Equity, Access, and De-
ployment Program established under subsection 
(b)(1). 
(K) PROJECT.—The term ‘‘project’’ means 
an undertaking by a subgrantee under this sec-
tion to construct and deploy infrastructure for 
the provision of broadband service. 
(L) RELIABLE BROADBAND SERVICE.—The 
term 
‘‘reliable 
broadband 
service’’ 
means 
broadband service that meets performance cri-
teria for service availability, adaptability to 
changing end-user requirements, length of serv-
iceable life, or other criteria, other than upload 
and download speeds, as determined by the As-
2002 
† HR 3684 EAS 
sistant Secretary in coordination with the Com-
mission. 
(M) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 158 of the Na-
tional Telecommunications and Information Ad-
ministration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 942), 
except that that definition shall be applied by 
striking ‘‘, and any other territory or possession 
of the United States’’. 
(N) SUBGRANTEE.—The term ‘‘subgrantee’’ 
means an entity that receives grant funds from 
an eligible entity to carry out activities under 
subsection (f). 
(b) BROADBAND EQUITY, ACCESS, AND DEPLOYMENT 
PROGRAM.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Assistant 
Secretary shall establish a grant program, to be 
known as the ‘‘Broadband Equity, Access, and De-
ployment Program’’, under which the Assistant Sec-
retary makes grants to eligible entities, in accordance 
with this section, to bridge the digital divide. 
(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Assist-
2003 
† HR 3684 EAS 
ant 
Secretary 
to 
carry 
out 
the 
Program 
$42,450,000,000. 
(3) OBLIGATION TIMELINE.—The Assistant Sec-
retary shall obligate all amounts appropriated pursu-
ant to paragraph (2) in an expedient manner after 
the Assistant Secretary issues the notice of funding 
opportunity under subsection (e)(1). 
(4) TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE.— 
(A) PROGRAM ASSISTANCE.—As part of the 
Program, the Assistant Secretary, in consulta-
tion with the Commission, shall provide tech-
nical support and assistance to eligible entities 
to facilitate their participation in the Program, 
including by assisting eligible entities with— 
(i) the development of grant applica-
tions under the Program; 
(ii) the development of plans and pro-
cedures for distribution of funds under the 
Program; and 
(iii) other technical support as deter-
mined by the Assistant Secretary. 
(B) GENERAL ASSISTANCE.—The Assistant 
Secretary shall provide technical and other as-
sistance to eligible entities—
2004 
† HR 3684 EAS 
(i) 
to 
support 
the 
expansion 
of 
broadband, with priority for— 
(I) expansion in rural areas; and 
(II) eligible entities that consist-
ently rank below most other eligible en-
tities with respect to broadband access 
and deployment; and 
(ii) regarding cybersecurity resources 
and programs available through Federal 
agencies, including the Election Assistance 
Commission, the Cybersecurity and Infra-
structure Security Agency, the Federal 
Trade Commission, and the National Insti-
tute of Standards and Technology. 
(c) ALLOCATION.— 
(1) ALLOCATION FOR HIGH-COST AREAS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—On or after the date on 
which the broadband DATA maps are made pub-
lic, the Assistant Secretary shall allocate to eligi-
ble entities, in accordance with subparagraph 
(B) of this paragraph, 10 percent of the amount 
appropriated pursuant to subsection (b)(2). 
(B) FORMULA.—The Assistant Secretary 
shall calculate the amount allocated to an eligi-
ble entity under subparagraph (A) by—
2005 
† HR 3684 EAS 
(i) dividing the number of unserved lo-
cations in high-cost areas in the eligible en-
tity by the total number of unserved loca-
tions in high-cost areas in the United 
States; and 
(ii) multiplying the quotient obtained 
under clause (i) by the amount made avail-
able under subparagraph (A). 
(2) MINIMUM
INITIAL
ALLOCATION.—Of the 
amount appropriated pursuant to subsection (b)(2)— 
(A) except as provided in subparagraph (B) 
of this paragraph, $100,000,000 shall be allo-
cated to each State; and 
(B) $100,000,000 shall be allocated to, and 
divided equally among, the United States Virgin 
Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Com-
monwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 
(3) ALLOCATION OF REMAINING AMOUNTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—On or after the date on 
which the broadband DATA maps are made pub-
lic, of the amount appropriated pursuant to sub-
section (b)(2), the Assistant Secretary shall allo-
cate to eligible entities, in accordance with sub-
paragraph (B) of this paragraph, the amount re-
2006 
† HR 3684 EAS 
maining after compliance with paragraphs (1) 
and (2) of this subsection. 
(B) ALLOCATION.—The amount allocated to 
an eligible entity under subparagraph (B) shall 
be calculated by— 
(i) dividing the number of unserved lo-
cations in the eligible entity by the total 
number of unserved locations in the United 
States; and 
(ii) multiplying the quotient obtained 
under clause (i) by the amount made avail-
able under subparagraph (A). 
(4) AVAILABILITY CONDITIONED ON APPROVAL OF 
APPLICATIONS.—The availability of amounts allo-
cated under paragraph (1), (2), or (3) to an eligible 
entity shall be subject to approval by the Assistant 
Secretary of the letter of intent, initial proposal, or 
final proposal of the eligible entity, as applicable, 
under subsection (e). 
(5) CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES.— 
(A) DEFINITION.—In this paragraph, the 
term ‘‘covered application’’ means a letter of in-
tent, initial proposal, or final proposal under 
this section.
2007 
† HR 3684 EAS 
(B) POLITICAL
SUBDIVISIONS
AND
CON-
SORTIA.— 
(i) APPLICATION FAILURES.—The As-
sistant Secretary, in carrying out the Pro-
gram, shall provide that if an eligible entity 
fails to submit a covered application by the 
applicable deadline, or a covered applica-
tion submitted by an eligible entity is not 
approved by the applicable deadline, a po-
litical subdivision or consortium of political 
subdivisions of the eligible entity may sub-
mit the applicable type of covered applica-
tion in place of the eligible entity. 
(ii) TREATMENT
OF
POLITICAL
SUB-
DIVISION OR CONSORTIUM AS ELIGIBLE EN-
TITY.—In the case of a political subdivision 
or consortium of political subdivisions that 
submits a covered application under clause 
(i) that is approved by the Assistant Sec-
retary— 
(I) except as provided in sub-
clause (II) of this clause, any reference 
in this section to an eligible entity 
shall be deemed to refer to the political 
subdivision or consortium; and
2008 
† HR 3684 EAS 
(II) any reference in this section 
to an eligible entity in a geographic 
sense shall be deemed to refer to the eli-
gible entity in whose place the political 
subdivision or consortium submitted 
the covered application. 
(C) REALLOCATION
TO
OTHER
ELIGIBLE 
ENTITIES.— 
(i) APPLICATION FAILURES.—The As-
sistant Secretary, in carrying out the Pro-
gram, shall provide that if an eligible entity 
fails to submit a covered application by the 
applicable deadline, or a covered applica-
tion submitted by an eligible entity is not 
approved by the applicable deadline, as pro-
vided in subparagraph (A)), and no polit-
ical subdivision or consortium of political 
subdivisions of the eligible entity submits a 
covered application by the applicable dead-
line, or no covered application submitted by 
such a political subdivision or consortium 
is approved by the applicable deadline, as 
provided in subparagraph (B), the Assistant 
Secretary—
2009 
† HR 3684 EAS 
(I) shall reallocate the amounts 
that would have been available to the 
eligible entity pursuant to that type of 
covered application to other eligible en-
tities that submitted that type of cov-
ered application by the applicable 
deadline; and 
(II) shall reallocate the amounts 
described in subclause (I) of this clause 
in accordance with the formula under 
paragraph (3). 
(ii) FAILURE TO USE FULL ALLOCA-
TION.—The Assistant Secretary, in carrying 
out the Program, shall provide that if an el-
igible entity fails to use the full amount al-
located to the eligible entity under this sub-
section by the applicable deadline, the As-
sistant Secretary— 
(I) shall reallocate the unused 
amounts to other eligible entities with 
approved final proposals; and 
(II) shall reallocate the amounts 
described in subclause (I) in accord-
ance with the formula under para-
graph (3).
2010 
† HR 3684 EAS 
(d) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.— 
(1) ASSISTANT SECRETARY.—The Assistant Sec-
retary may use not more than 2 percent of amounts 
appropriated pursuant to subsection (b) for adminis-
trative purposes. 
(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.— 
(A) PRE-DEPLOYMENT PLANNING.—An eli-
gible entity may use not more than 5 percent of 
the amount allocated to the eligible entity under 
subsection (c)(2) for the planning and pre-de-
ployment activities under subsection (e)(1)(C). 
(B) ADMINISTRATION.—An eligible entity 
may use not more than 2 percent of the grant 
amounts made available to the eligible entity 
under subsection (e) for expenses relating (di-
rectly or indirectly) to administration of the 
grant. 
(e) IMPLEMENTATION.— 
(1) INITIAL PROGRAM DEPLOYMENT AND PLAN-
NING.— 
(A) NOTICE
OF
FUNDING
OPPORTUNITY; 
PROCESS.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Sec-
retary shall—
2011 
† HR 3684 EAS 
(i) issue a notice of funding oppor-
tunity for the Program that— 
(I) notifies eligible entities of— 
(aa) the establishment of the 
Program; and 
(bb) the amount of the min-
imum initial allocation to each el-
igible 
entity 
under 
subsection 
(c)(2); 
(II) invites eligible entities to sub-
mit letters of intent under subpara-
graph (B) in order to— 
(aa) participate in the Pro-
gram; and 
(bb) receive funding for plan-
ning and pre-deployment activi-
ties under subparagraph (C); 
(III) contains details about the 
Program, including an outline of the 
requirements for— 
(aa) applications for grants 
under the Program, which shall 
consist of letters of intent, initial 
proposals, and final proposals; 
and
2012 
† HR 3684 EAS 
(bb) allowed uses of grant 
amounts awarded under this sec-
tion, as provided in subsection (f); 
and 
(IV) includes any other informa-
tion determined relevant by the Assist-
ant Secretary; 
(ii) establish a process, in accordance 
with subparagraph (C), through which to 
provide funding to eligible entities for plan-
ning and pre-deployment activities; 
(iii) develop and make public a stand-
ard online application form that an eligible 
entity may use to submit an initial pro-
posal and final proposal for the grant 
amounts allocated to the eligible entity 
under subsection (c); 
(iv) publish a template— 
(I) initial proposal that complies 
with paragraph (3)(A); and 
(II) final proposal that complies 
with paragraph (4)(A); and 
(v) in consultation with the Commis-
sion, establish standards for how an eligible 
entity shall assess the capabilities and ca-
2013 
† HR 3684 EAS 
pacities of a prospective subgrantee under 
subsection (g)(2)(A). 
(B) LETTER OF INTENT.— 
(i) IN
GENERAL.—An eligible entity 
that wishes to participate in the Program 
shall file a letter of intent to participate in 
the Program consistent with this subpara-
graph. 
(ii) FORM
AND
CONTENTS.—The As-
sistant Secretary may establish the form 
and contents required for a letter of intent 
under this subparagraph, which contents 
may include— 
(I) details of— 
(aa) the existing broadband 
program or office of the eligible 
entity, including— 
(AA) activities that the 
program or office currently 
conducts; 
(BB) the number of 
rounds of broadband deploy-
ment grants that the eligible 
entity has awarded, if appli-
cable;
2014 
† HR 3684 EAS 
(CC) whether the eligible 
entity has an eligible entity- 
wide plan and goal for avail-
ability of broadband, and 
any relevant deadlines, as 
applicable; and 
(DD) the amount of 
funding that the eligible enti-
ty 
has 
available 
for 
broadband 
deployment 
or 
other broadband-related ac-
tivities, including data col-
lection and local planning, 
and the sources of that fund-
ing, including whether the 
funds are from the eligible 
entity or from the Federal 
Government under the Amer-
ican Rescue Plan Act of 2021 
(Public Law 117–2); 
(bb) the number of full-time 
employees and part-time employ-
ees of the eligible entity who will 
assist in administering amounts 
received under the Program and
2015 
† HR 3684 EAS 
the duties assigned to those em-
ployees; 
(cc) relevant contracted sup-
port; and 
(dd) the goals of the eligible 
entity for the use of amounts re-
ceived under the Program, the 
process that the eligible entity will 
use to distribute those amounts to 
subgrantees, 
the 
timeline 
for 
awarding subgrants, and over-
sight and reporting requirements 
that the eligible entity will impose 
on subgrantees; 
(II) the identification of known 
barriers or challenges to developing 
and administering a program to ad-
minister grants received under the Pro-
gram, if applicable; 
(III) the identification of the ad-
ditional capacity needed by the eligible 
entity to implement the requirements 
under this section, such as— 
(aa) enhancing the capacity 
of the broadband program or of-
2016 
† HR 3684 EAS 
fice of the eligible entity by receiv-
ing technical assistance from Fed-
eral entities or other partners, 
hiring additional employees, or 
obtaining support from contracted 
entities; or 
(bb) 
acquiring 
additional 
programmatic 
information 
or 
data, such as through surveys or 
asset inventories; 
(IV) an explanation of how the 
needs described in subclause (III) were 
identified and how funds may be used 
to address those needs, including target 
areas; 
(V) details of any relevant part-
ners, such as organizations that may 
inform broadband deployment and 
adoption planning; and 
(VI) any other information deter-
mined relevant by the Assistant Sec-
retary. 
(C) PLANNING FUNDS.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Sec-
retary shall establish a process through
2017 
† HR 3684 EAS 
which an eligible entity, in submitting a 
letter of intent under subparagraph (B), 
may request access to not more than 5 per-
cent of the amount allocated to the eligible 
entity under subsection (c)(2) for use con-
sistent with this subparagraph. 
(ii) FUNDING
AVAILABILITY.—If the 
Assistant Secretary approves a request from 
an eligible entity under clause (i), the As-
sistant Secretary shall make available to the 
eligible entity an amount, as determined 
appropriate by the Assistant Secretary, that 
is not more than 5 percent of the amount 
allocated to the eligible entity under sub-
section (c)(2). 
(iii) ELIGIBLE
USE.—The Assistant 
Secretary shall determine the allowable uses 
of amounts made available under clause 
(ii), which may include— 
(I) research and data collection, 
including 
initial 
identification 
of 
unserved locations and underserved lo-
cations;
2018 
† HR 3684 EAS 
(II) the development of a prelimi-
nary budget for pre-planning activi-
ties; 
(III) publications, outreach, and 
communications support; 
(IV) providing technical assist-
ance, including through workshops and 
events; 
(V) training for employees of the 
broadband program or office of the eli-
gible entity or employees of political 
subdivisions of the eligible entity, and 
related staffing capacity or consulting 
or contracted support; and 
(VI) with respect to an office that 
oversees 
broadband 
programs 
and 
broadband deployment in an eligible 
entity, establishing, operating, or in-
creasing the capacity of such a 
broadband office. 
(D) ACTION PLAN.— 
(i) IN
GENERAL.—An eligible entity 
that receives funding from the Assistant 
Secretary under subparagraph (C) shall
2019 
† HR 3684 EAS 
submit to the Assistant Secretary a 5-year 
action plan, which shall— 
(I) be informed by collaboration 
with local and regional entities; and 
(II) detail— 
(aa) 
investment 
priorities 
and associated costs; 
(bb) alignment of planned 
spending with economic develop-
ment, 
telehealth, 
and 
related 
connectivity efforts. 
(ii) 
REQUIREMENTS
OF
ACTION 
PLANS.—The Assistant Secretary shall es-
tablish requirements for the 5-year action 
plan submitted by an eligible entity under 
clause (i), which may include requirements 
to— 
(I) address local and regional 
needs in the eligible entity with respect 
to broadband service; 
(II) propose solutions for the de-
ployment of affordable broadband serv-
ice in the eligible entity; 
(III) include localized data with 
respect to the deployment of broadband
2020 
† HR 3684 EAS 
service in the eligible entity, including 
by identifying locations that should be 
prioritized for Federal support with re-
spect to that deployment; 
(IV) ascertain how best to serve 
unserved locations in the eligible enti-
ty, whether through the establishment 
of cooperatives or public-private part-
nerships; 
(V) identify the technical assist-
ance that would be necessary to carry 
out the plan; and 
(VI) assess the amount of time it 
would take to build out universal 
broadband service in the eligible entity. 
(2) NOTICE OF AVAILABLE AMOUNTS; INVITATION 
TO SUBMIT INITIAL AND FINAL PROPOSALS.—On or 
after the date on which the broadband DATA maps 
are made public, the Assistant Secretary, in coordina-
tion with the Commission, shall issue a notice to each 
eligible entity that— 
(A) contains the estimated amount available 
to the eligible entity under subsection (c); and 
(B) invites the eligible entity to submit an 
initial proposal and final proposal for a grant
2022 
† HR 3684 EAS 
(II)(aa) identifies, and outlines 
steps to support, local and regional 
broadband planning processes or ongo-
ing efforts to deploy broadband or close 
the digital divide; and 
(bb) describes coordination with 
local governments, along with local 
and 
regional 
broadband 
planning 
processes; 
(III) identifies existing efforts 
funded by the Federal Government or a 
State within the jurisdiction of the eli-
gible entity to deploy broadband and 
close the digital divide; 
(IV) includes a plan to competi-
tively award subgrants to ensure time-
ly deployment of broadband; 
(V) identifies— 
(aa) each unserved location 
or underserved location under the 
jurisdiction of the eligible entity; 
and 
(bb) each community anchor 
institution under the jurisdiction 
of the eligible entity that is an eli-
2023 
† HR 3684 EAS 
gible community anchor institu-
tion; and 
(VI) certifies the intent of the eli-
gible entity to comply with all applica-
ble requirements under this section, in-
cluding the reporting requirements 
under subsection (j)(1). 
(ii) LOCAL COORDINATION.— 
(I) IN
GENERAL.—The Assistant 
Secretary shall establish local coordi-
nation requirements for eligible entities 
to follow, to the greatest extent prac-
ticable. 
(II) REQUIREMENTS.— The local 
coordination requirements established 
under subclause (I) shall include, at 
minimum, an opportunity for political 
subdivisions of an eligible entity to— 
(aa) submit plans for consid-
eration by the eligible entity; and 
(bb) comment on the initial 
proposal of the eligible entity be-
fore the initial proposal is sub-
mitted to the Assistant Secretary.
2024 
† HR 3684 EAS 
(B) SINGLE INITIAL PROPOSAL.—An eligible 
entity may submit only 1 initial proposal under 
this paragraph. 
(C) CORRECTIONS TO INITIAL PROPOSAL.— 
The Assistant Secretary may accept corrections 
to the initial proposal of an eligible entity after 
the initial proposal has been submitted. 
(D) 
CONSIDERATION
OF
INITIAL
PRO-
POSAL.—After receipt of an initial proposal for 
a grant under this paragraph, the Assistant Sec-
retary— 
(i) shall acknowledge receipt; 
(ii) if the initial proposal is com-
plete— 
(I) shall determine whether the 
use of funds proposed in the initial 
proposal— 
(aa) complies with subsection 
(f); 
(bb) is in the public interest; 
and 
(cc) effectuates the purposes 
of this Act;
2025 
† HR 3684 EAS 
(II) shall approve or disapprove 
the initial proposal based on the deter-
minations under subclause (I); and 
(III) if the Assistant Secretary 
approves the initial proposal under 
clause (ii)(II), shall make available to 
the eligible entity— 
(aa) 20 percent of the grant 
funds that were allocated to the el-
igible entity under subsection (c); 
or 
(bb) a higher percentage of 
the grant funds that were allo-
cated to the eligible entity under 
subsection (c), at the discretion of 
the Assistant Secretary; and 
(iii) if the initial proposal is incom-
plete, or is disapproved under clause 
(ii)(II), shall notify the eligible entity and 
provide the eligible entity with an oppor-
tunity to resubmit the initial proposal. 
(E) CONSIDERATION OF RESUBMITTED INI-
TIAL PROPOSAL.—After receipt of a resubmitted 
initial proposal for a grant under this para-
graph, the Assistant Secretary—
2026 
† HR 3684 EAS 
(i) shall acknowledge receipt; 
(ii) if the initial proposal is com-
plete— 
(I) shall determine whether the 
use of funds proposed in the initial 
proposal— 
(aa) complies with subsection 
(f); 
(bb) is in the public interest; 
and 
(cc) effectuates the purposes 
of this Act; 
(II) shall approve or disapprove 
the initial proposal based on the deter-
minations under subclause (I); and 
(III) if the Assistant Secretary 
approves the initial proposal under 
clause (ii)(II), shall make available to 
the eligible entity— 
(aa) 20 percent of the grant 
funds that were allocated to the el-
igible entity under subsection (c); 
or 
(bb) a higher percentage of 
the grant funds that were allo-
2027 
† HR 3684 EAS 
cated to the eligible entity under 
subsection (c), at the discretion of 
the Assistant Secretary; and 
(iii) if the initial proposal is incom-
plete, or is disapproved under clause 
(ii)(II), shall notify the eligible entity and 
provide the eligible entity with an oppor-
tunity to resubmit the initial proposal. 
(4) FINAL PROPOSAL.— 
(A) SUBMISSION.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—After the Assistant 
Secretary approvals the initial proposal of 
an eligible entity under paragraph (3), the 
eligible entity may submit a final proposal 
for the remainder of the amount allocated to 
the eligible entity under subsection (c), 
using the online application form developed 
by the Assistant Secretary under paragraph 
(1)(A)(iii), that includes— 
(I) a detailed plan that specifies 
how the eligible entity will— 
(aa) allocate grant funds for 
the deployment of broadband net-
works to unserved locations and 
underserved locations, in accord-
2147 
† HR 3684 EAS 
ceive information under sub-
clause (II) unless the covered 
recipient agrees in writing to 
assert all available legal de-
fenses to the disclosure of the 
information if a person or 
entity seeks disclosure from 
the covered recipient under 
any Federal, State, or local 
public disclosure law. 
(BB) RULE
OF
CON-
STRUCTION.—Nothing 
in 
subitem (AA) is intended to 
be or shall be construed as a 
waiver of Tribal sovereign 
immunity. 
(C) CONNECTION
TO
ANCHOR
INSTITU-
TIONS.—To the extent feasible, an eligible entity 
that receives a middle mile grant to build middle 
mile infrastructure using fiber optic technology 
shall— 
(i) ensure that the proposed middle 
mile broadband network will be capable of 
providing broadband to an anchor institu-
tion at a speed of not less than—