I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5257 
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a program 
through which eligible individuals may obtain vouchers for the purchase 
of connected devices, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 14, 2021 
Mr. MCEACHIN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to estab-
lish a program through which eligible individuals may 
obtain vouchers for the purchase of connected devices, 
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 ‘‘Device Access for 
Every American Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
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(1) approximately 25 percent of adults in the 
United States do not own a computer; 
(2) 4,400,000 households with students still 
lack consistent access to a computer, which prevents 
those students from completing schoolwork; 
(3) there are no reliable estimates about the 
number of students forced to share a computer with 
another member of their household, potentially forc-
ing the household to choose between important on-
line activities such as work and learning; 
(4) for those households without a computer or 
tablet, most cannot afford one; and 
(5) while computer access is nearly ubiquitous 
among high-income households, 40 percent of low-in-
come adults lack a computer. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Federal Communications Commission. 
(2) CONNECTED
DEVICE.—The term ‘‘con-
nected device’’ means any of the following: 
(A) A desktop computer. 
(B) A laptop computer. 
(C) A tablet computer. 
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(D) Any similar device (except for a tele-
phone or smartphone) that the Commission de-
termines should be eligible for the use of a 
voucher under the program. 
(3) ELIGIBLE EXPENSES.—The term ‘‘eligible 
expenses’’ means, with respect to a connected de-
vice— 
(A) the retail price of the connected device; 
(B) any sales taxes collected by the retailer 
with respect to the sale of the connected device; 
(C) any shipping charges assessed by the 
retailer with respect to the connected device; 
and 
(D) any reasonable (as defined by the 
Commission) product warranty and technical 
support services. 
(4) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘‘eligible 
individual’’ means an individual who is a member of 
an eligible household, as defined in section 904(a)(6) 
of division N of the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–260), except that— 
(A) in determining under subparagraph 
(A) of such section 904(a)(6) for purposes of 
this paragraph whether at least 1 member of 
the household meets the qualifications in sub-
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section (a) or (b) of section 54.409 of title 47, 
Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor 
regulation, paragraph (1) of such subsection (a) 
shall be applied by striking ‘‘135 percent’’ and 
inserting ‘‘150 percent’’; and 
(B) subparagraphs (C) and (E) of such 
section 904(a)(6) shall not apply for purposes 
of this paragraph. 
(5) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means 
the program established under section 4. 
SEC. 4. CONNECTED DEVICE VOUCHER PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT; REGULATIONS.—Not later 
than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Commission shall establish, and promulgate regula-
tions to implement in accordance with this section, a pro-
gram through which— 
(1) an eligible individual may obtain a voucher 
that can be applied toward the purchase of a con-
nected device from a retailer; and 
(2) the Commission reimburses the retailer in 
an amount equal to the lesser of— 
(A) the amount of the voucher; or 
(B) the eligible expenses with respect to 
the connected device. 
(b) AMOUNT OF VOUCHER.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The amount of a voucher 
under the program shall be $400, as such amount 
may be adjusted by the Commission under para-
graph (2). 
(2) REEVALUATION; ADJUSTMENT.—Not later 
than 3 years after the date on which the Commis-
sion promulgates regulations under subsection (a), 
and every 3 years thereafter, the Commission 
shall— 
(A) reevaluate the amount of the voucher; 
and 
(B) after conducting such reevaluation, if 
necessary to ensure that the voucher reflects 
the average amount of eligible expenses with re-
spect to a connected device, adjust the amount 
of the voucher. 
(3) PRICE OF CONNECTED DEVICE EXCEEDING 
AMOUNT OF VOUCHER.—If the eligible expenses with 
respect to a connected device exceed the amount of 
the voucher, an eligible individual may— 
(A) apply the voucher to such expenses; 
and 
(B) pay the remainder of such expenses to 
the retailer from other funds available to the in-
dividual. 
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(c) NUMBER AND FREQUENCY OF VOUCHERS.—An 
eligible individual may obtain 1 voucher under the pro-
gram every 4 years, except that not more than 2 eligible 
individuals per household may obtain a voucher under the 
program every 4 years. 
(d) MINIMUM STANDARDS
FOR CONNECTED DE-
VICES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A voucher under the pro-
gram may not be applied toward the purchase of a 
connected device unless the connected device meets 
minimum standards to ensure that connected devices 
meet the needs of the average user, which the Com-
mission shall establish in the regulations promul-
gated under subsection (a). 
(2) REEVALUATION; REVISION.—Not later than 
3 years after the date on which the Commission pro-
mulgates regulations under subsection (a), and every 
3 years thereafter, the Commission shall— 
(A) reevaluate the minimum standards es-
tablished under paragraph (1); and 
(B) after conducting such reevaluation, if 
necessary to ensure that connected devices con-
tinue to meet the needs of the average user, re-
vise such minimum standards. 
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(3) STANDARDS FOR NEW AND REFURBISHED 
DEVICES.—The Commission may establish separate 
minimum standards under paragraph (1) for new 
connected devices and for refurbished connected de-
vices. 
(e) COLLABORATION WITH RETAILERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall col-
laborate with retailers to ensure the wide acceptance 
of vouchers and the wide availability of covered de-
vices that will be free of charge to consumers after 
applying a voucher. 
(2) WEBSITE.—The Commission shall establish 
a website, which shall— 
(A) link to offerings by retailers of con-
nected devices eligible for the use of a voucher 
under the program so that a consumer may ini-
tiate the purchase of such a device using the 
voucher through the website; and 
(B) if the number of vouchers available 
over a particular time period is limited, indicate 
the number of vouchers remaining. 
(3) CATALOG.—The Commission shall establish 
a catalog, which shall— 
(A) be accessible to consumers without 
internet access and include offerings by retail-
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ers of connected devices eligible for the use of 
a voucher under the program; and 
(B) if the number of vouchers available 
over a particular time period is limited, indicate 
the number of vouchers remaining. 
(f) ADVERTISEMENT OF PROGRAM.—The Commis-
sion shall advertise the availability of the program, includ-
ing by carrying out advertising campaigns in collaboration 
with retailers of connected devices. 
(g) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Commission shall 
provide technical assistance to retailers, eligible individ-
uals, and community-based organizations regarding par-
ticipation in the program. 
(h) ENFORCEMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A violation of this section or 
a regulation promulgated under this section shall be 
treated as a violation of the Communications Act of 
1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) or a regulation pro-
mulgated under that Act. 
(2) MANNER
OF
ENFORCEMENT.—The Com-
mission shall enforce this section and the regulations 
promulgated under this section in the same manner, 
by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, 
powers, and duties as though all applicable terms 
and provisions of the Communications Act of 1934 
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(47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) were incorporated into and 
made a part of this section. 
(i) USE OF UNIVERSAL SERVICE ADMINISTRATIVE 
COMPANY PERMITTED.—The Commission shall have the 
authority to avail itself of the services of the Universal 
Service Administrative Company to implement the pro-
gram, including developing and processing reimburse-
ments and distributing funds. 
(j) PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT REQUIREMENTS.— 
A collection of information conducted or sponsored under 
the regulations required under subsection (a) shall not 
constitute a collection of information for the purposes of 
subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code 
(commonly known as the ‘‘Paperwork Reduction Act’’). 
(k) PRIVACY ACT OF 1974 REQUIREMENTS.—The re-
quirements to publish notices related to system of records 
notices or computer matching agreements of the agency 
before implementation required under paragraphs (4), 
(11), and (12) of section 552a(e) and to provide adequate 
advanced notice under section 552a(r) of title 5, United 
States Code (commonly known as the ‘‘Privacy Act of 
1974’’), shall not apply when the matching program is 
necessary to determine eligibility under the program, ex-
cept that the notices shall be— 
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(1) sent to the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the 
Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House 
of Representatives, and the Office of Management 
and Budget; and 
(2) simultaneously submitted for publication in 
the Federal Register. 
(l) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Commission for fiscal 
year 2022, to remain available until September 30, 2026, 
$5,000,000,000 to carry out this section, of which not 
more than 3 percent may be used to administer and pro-
mote the program. 
Æ 
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