I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2524 
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a program 
to make grants to States to inform Medicaid enrollees, SNAP partici-
pants, and low-income residents of potential eligibility for the Lifeline 
program of the Commission. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 14, 2021 
Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York 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 to make grants to States to inform Med-
icaid enrollees, SNAP participants, and low-income resi-
dents of potential eligibility for the Lifeline program 
of the Commission. 
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 ‘‘Promoting Access to 
Broadband Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. LIFELINE ENROLLMENT OUTREACH GRANTS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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(1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Federal Communications Commission. 
(2) COVERED
INDIVIDUALS.—The term ‘‘cov-
ered individuals’’ means— 
(A) Medicaid enrollees; 
(B) SNAP participants; and 
(C) low-income residents. 
(3) ELIGIBLE-BUT-NOT-ENROLLED.—The term 
‘‘eligible-but-not-enrolled’’ means, with respect to an 
individual, that the individual is eligible for the Life-
line program but is not enrolled in the Lifeline pro-
gram. 
(4) LIFELINE PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘Lifeline 
program’’ means the Lifeline program of the Com-
mission. 
(5) LOW-INCOME.—The term ‘‘low-income’’ 
means a gross annual income at or below 135 per-
cent of the Federal poverty level. 
(6) MEDICAID
ENROLLEE.—The term ‘‘Med-
icaid enrollee’’ means, with respect to a State, an in-
dividual enrolled in the State plan under title XIX 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) 
or a waiver of that plan. 
(7) REACH.—The term ‘‘reach’’ means, with re-
spect to an individual, to inform the individual of po-
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tential eligibility for the Lifeline program and to 
provide the individual with information about the 
Lifeline program, as described in subsection (e). 
(8) SNAP PARTICIPANT.—The term ‘‘SNAP 
participant’’ means an individual who is a member 
of a household that participates in the supplemental 
nutrition assistance program under the Food and 
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.). 
(9) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each 
State of the United States, the District of Columbia, 
each commonwealth, territory, or possession of the 
United States, and each federally recognized Indian 
Tribe. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Commission shall estab-
lish a competitive program to make grants to States to 
inform covered individuals of potential eligibility for the 
Lifeline program. 
(c) APPLICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may only 
award a grant under this section to a State that 
submits an application at such time, in such form, 
and with such information and assurances as the 
Commission may require. 
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(2) MATTERS REQUIRED TO BE INCLUDED.— 
An application submitted by a State under para-
graph (1) shall include— 
(A) the number of covered individuals in 
the State; 
(B) a plan for the activities that the State 
will conduct using grant funds, including a list 
of each agency within the State that will assist 
in carrying out those activities; and 
(C) an estimate of the percentage of eligi-
ble-but-not-enrolled individuals in the State who 
will be reached by those activities. 
(d) SELECTION.— 
(1) MINIMUM OF 5 STATES.—The Commission 
shall award grants under this section to not fewer 
than 5 States. 
(2) FACTORS FOR CONSIDERATION.—In award-
ing grants under this section, the Commission shall 
give favorable consideration— 
(A) to States that have higher numbers of 
covered individuals; and 
(B) to States proposing, in the plans sub-
mitted under subsection (c)(2)(B), to conduct 
activities that have the potential to reach higher 
percentages of eligible-but-not-enrolled individ-
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