Broadband Internet Connections for Rural America Act
Bill: H.R.4374 | Sponsor: Rep. Scott, David (D-GA)
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Broadband Internet Connections for Rural America Act
This bill reauthorizes through FY2029 and makes other changes to various programs of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) that support broadband internet expansion in rural areas.
Specifically, the bill reauthorizes and modifies a program that provides grants, loans, and loan guarantees for broadband expansion. Modifications include revising the criteria used to prioritize applications and projects and changing the name of the program to the ReConnect Rural Broadband Program. Further, the bill terminates on June 30, 2022, a separate USDA pilot program that supports broadband expansion in rural areas; any program funds that remain available after that date shall be used for the ReConnect Rural Broadband Program.
The bill also reauthorizes programs that support (1) rural broadband access, including for economically challenged communities, distance learning, and telehealth; (2) innovative technologies to decrease broadband deployment costs and increase broadband speeds; and (3) expansion of middle mile broadband infrastructure (i.e., connections between national and regional internet backbones and schools, businesses, residences, and other local connection sites).
Additionally, USDA must establish a system to disseminate information and technical assistance concerning its broadband expansion programs and may award grants to units of governments and other eligible entities to collect data about broadband availability (e.g., location of infrastructure, costs, and speeds).

To bolster certain rural broadband programs of the Department of 
                              Agriculture.


 


    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Broadband Internet Connections for 
Rural America Act''.

SEC. 2. INNOVATIVE BROADBAND ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM.

    Section 603(e) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
950bb-2(e)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            ``(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
        to the Secretary $300,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 
        through 2029, to remain available until expended, to carry out 
        projects in States and territories selected by the Secretary to 
        be diverse on the basis of geography, topography, and 
        demographics.
            ``(2) Limitation.--Not more than $25,000,000 of the amounts 
        made available under paragraph (1) for each fiscal year may be 
        provided for a single project.''.

SEC. 3. RURAL BROADBAND PROGRAM LOANS AND GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 601 of the Rural Electrification Act of 
1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb) is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``access to 
        broadband telecommunications services in rural areas'' and 
        inserting ``reconnect rural broadband program'';
            (2) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
    ``(a) Establishment; Purpose.--The Secretary shall establish a 
program, which shall be known as the `ReConnect Rural Broadband 
Program', to provide grants, loans, and loan guarantees to finance the 
costs of the construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities 
and equipment for broadband service in rural areas.'';
            (3) in subsection (c)(2), by striking subparagraphs (A) and 
        (B) and inserting the following:
                    ``(A) In general.--In making grants, making loans, 
                and guaranteeing loans under paragraph (1), the 
                Secretary shall give the highest priority to 
                applications for projects to provide broadband service 
                to unserved rural communities that do not have any 
                residential broadband service of at least--
                            ``(i) a 10-Mbps downstream transmission 
                        capacity; and
                            ``(ii) a 1-Mbps upstream transmission 
                        capacity.
                    ``(B) Other.--After giving priority to the 
                applications described in clauses (i) and (ii) of 
                subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall then give 
                priority to applications for projects to provide 
                broadband service to rural communities--
                            ``(i) with a population of less than 10,000 
                        inhabitants; or
                            ``(ii) with a high percentage of low income 
                        families or persons (as defined in section 
                        501(b) of the Housing Act of 1949).
                    ``(C) Ports in rural areas priority.--
                            ``(i) Definition of port.--In this 
                        subparagraph, the term `port' means--
                                    ``(I) any port on the navigable 
                                waters of the United States, including 
                                territories;
                                    ``(II) any harbor, marine terminal, 
                                or other shore side facility used 
                                principally for the movement of goods 
                                on inland waters; and
                                    ``(III) any port formed in 
                                accordance with applicable State or 
                                territory law.
                            ``(ii) Priority.--In addition to the 
                        priority given under subparagraph (B), the 
                        Secretary shall give equal priority to an 
                        application for a project that would increase 
                        the availability of broadband service in a port 
                        in a rural area.
                    ``(D) Additional considerations.--In making grants, 
                making loans, and guaranteeing loans under this 
                subsection, the Secretary shall consider whether an 
                application was developed with the participation of 
                community stakeholders, and will receive a substantial 
                portion of the funding for the project from community 
                stakeholders or other non-Federal sources.'';
            (4) in subsection (c)(3)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (B)--
                            (i) by striking ``and'' at the end of 
                        clause (i);
                            (ii) by striking the period at the end of 
                        clause (ii) and inserting ``; and''; and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(iii) shall be subject to a grant 
                        agreement of not less than ten years.'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (D)(i)--
                            (i) in subclause (I), by striking 
                        ``(2)(A)(i)'' and inserting ``(2)(A)''; and
                            (ii) in subclause (II), by striking ``any 
                        of subclauses (I) through (IV) of paragraph 
                        (2)(B)(i)'' and inserting ``clause (i) or (ii) 
                        of paragraph (2)(B)''; and
                    (C) by striking subparagraph (E) and inserting the 
                following:
                    ``(E) Applications.--
                            ``(i) Grant-only applications.--The 
                        Secretary shall establish an application 
                        process that permits an application for a 
                        grant-only award.
                            ``(ii) Combined applications.--The 
                        Secretary shall establish an application 
                        process that permits--
                                    ``(I) a single application for a 
                                grant and a loan under title I or II, 
                                or this title, that is associated with 
                                the grant; and
                                    ``(II) provides a single decision 
                                to award the grant and the loan.'';
            (5) in subsection (d)(2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A)--
                            (i) by striking ``subparagraphs (B) and 
                        (C)'' and inserting ``subparagraph (B)'';
                            (ii) by striking ``is submitted--'' and all 
                        that follows through ``(i) not less'' and 
                        inserting ``is submitted not less'' ; and
                            (iii) by striking ``(e); and'' and all that 
                        follows and inserting ``(e).'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``Subparagraph 
                (A)(i)'' and inserting ``Subparagraph (A)''; and
                    (C) by striking subparagraph (C);
            (6) in subsection (d), by striking paragraph (5);
            (7) by striking subsection (j) and inserting the following:
    ``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $4,500,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2029, to remain available for 5 
fiscal years after the fiscal year for which appropriated.''; and
            (8) in subsection (k), by striking ``2023'' and inserting 
        ``2029''.
    (b) Regulations.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall promulgate 
rules to carry out the amendments made by subsection (a) of this 
section, and complete the biennial review process required by section 
601(e)(2) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936.
    (c) Sunset.--The authorities provided by section 779 of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141) shall have 
no force or effect after June 30, 2022.
    (d) Transition Rules.--
            (1) Availability of funds for administrative costs.--Not 
        more than 1 percent of the unobligated balances of amounts made 
        available as of June 1, 2021, to carry out the pilot program 
        described in section 779 of the Consolidated Appropriations 
        Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141) may be used for the costs of 
        transitioning from the pilot program to the program under 
        section 601 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, as 
        amended by this Act.
            (2) Consolidation of funds.--
                    (A) In general.--The unobligated balances of all 
                amounts made available on or before June 30, 2022, to 
                carry out the pilot program described in section 779 of 
                the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 
                115-141) that are in excess of the amount described in 
                subparagraph (B) of this paragraph are hereby 
                transferred to and merged with amounts made available 
                to carry out the program authorized under section 601 
                of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936.
                    (B) Unfunded approvals.--The amount described in 
                this subparagraph is the amount required to fully fund 
                each project approved as of June 30, 2022, under the 
                pilot program described in such section 779 for which 
                amounts were not obligated or partially obligated as of 
                such date.

SEC. 4. COMMUNITY CONNECT GRANTS.

    Section 604(g) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
950bb-3(g)) is amended by striking ``$50,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting ``$150,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2022 through 2029, to remain available for 2 fiscal years 
after the fiscal year for which appropriated''.

SEC. 5. DISTANCE LEARNING AND TELEMEDICINE LOANS AND GRANTS.

    Section 2335A of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act 
of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 950aaa-5) is amended by striking ``$82,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting ``$150,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2029, to remain available for 2 
fiscal years after the fiscal year for which appropriated''.

SEC. 6. EXPANSION OF MIDDLE MILE INFRASTRUCTURE INTO RURAL AREAS.

    Section 602(g) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
950bb-1(g)) is amended by striking ``$10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2018 through 2023'' and inserting ``$300,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2022 through 2029, to remain available for 2 fiscal years 
after the fiscal year for which appropriated''.

SEC. 7. BROADBAND CONNECTORS PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a 
system for the dissemination of information and technical assistance on 
the broadband programs of the Department of Agriculture, which shall be 
for the use of entities eligible, such as Indian tribes and tribal 
organizations, to receive funds under title II or VI of the Rural 
Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) or chapter 1 of 
subtitle D of title XXIII of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and 
Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 950aaa et seq.).
    (b) Limitations on Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out 
subsection (a), there are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary of Agriculture not more than $25,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2029, which are authorized to remain available 
through fiscal year 2029.

SEC. 8. COMMUNITY BROADBAND MAPPING.

    Section 701 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
950cc) is amended by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f) and 
inserting after subsection (d) the following:
    ``(e) Community Broadband Mapping Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may make grants to 
        eligible entities for the purpose of collecting broadband 
        service data to assist the Secretary in--
                    ``(A) establishing the availability of broadband 
                service or middle mile infrastructure in a rural area;
                    ``(B) determining the eligibility of a community 
                for assistance under any broadband program administered 
                by the Secretary; or
                    ``(C) undertaking a service area assessment under 
                this section.
            ``(2) Application.--To apply for a grant under this 
        section, an entity shall submit an application therefor which 
        identifies--
                    ``(A) the data collection area;
                    ``(B) the purpose of the data collection;
                    ``(C) the types of broadband service data to be 
                collected;
                    ``(D) the survey and data collection methods to be 
                utilized; and
                    ``(E) any other information the Secretary 
                determines necessary to promote the integrity of 
                broadband service data collected under this section.
            ``(3) Limitation on grant amount.--The amount of a grant 
        made under this subsection shall not exceed $50,000.
            ``(4) Broadband service data usage.--The Secretary shall 
        ensure that any broadband service data collected under this 
        section is--
                    ``(A) measured or assessed in accordance with such 
                standards as the Secretary may establish;
                    ``(B) accurate and verifiable in accordance with 
                such standards as the Secretary may establish;
                    ``(C) included in any broadband maps or data sets 
                maintained by the Secretary; and
                    ``(D) made available to the Chair of the Federal 
                Communications Commission and the Administrator of the 
                National Telecommunications and Information 
                Administration for inclusion in any broadband maps or 
                data sets either may maintain.
            ``(5) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Broadband service.--The term `broadband 
                service' has the meaning given the term in section 601.
                    ``(B) Broadband service data.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The term `broadband 
                        service data' means information related to--
                                    ``(I) the location and type of 
                                broadband service;
                                    ``(II) the location and type of 
                                broadband infrastructure;
                                    ``(III) the advertised, maximum, 
                                and average speed of broadband service;
                                    ``(IV) the average price of the 
                                most subscribed tier of broadband 
                                service;
                                    ``(V) the speed tiers of broadband 
                                service available in the area; or
                                    ``(VI) any additional metric the 
                                Secretary deems appropriate.
                            ``(ii) Further definition.--The Secretary 
                        shall further define the term `broadband 
                        service data' to ensure that data is measured 
                        and collected in a manner consistent with the 
                        reporting requirements under this section, and 
                        any broadband coordination or data- sharing 
                        obligations.
                    ``(C) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' 
                means--
                            ``(i) a unit of local government in a rural 
                        area;
                            ``(ii) a tribal government or unit of 
                        tribal government;
                            ``(iii) an economic development or other 
                        community organization;
                            ``(iv) an eligible entity under title I or 
                        II that serves persons in rural areas;
                            ``(v) an internet service provider that has 
                        not more than 100,000 subscribers; or
                            ``(vi) any other entity eligible under a 
                        title VI program that is not an internet 
                        service provider.
                    ``(D) Middle mile infrastructure.--The term `middle 
                mile infrastructure' has the meaning given the term in 
                section 602.
                    ``(E) Rural area.--The term `rural area' has the 
                meaning given the term in section 601.
            ``(6) Limitation on amount made available for grants.--The 
        Secretary may not expend more than 1 percent of the amounts 
        made available under subsection (f) for each of fiscal years 
        2022 through 2029 to carry out this subsection.''.

SEC. 9. LIMITATIONS ON RESERVATION OF FUNDS.

    Section 701(f) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
950cc(f)), as so redesignated by section 8 of this Act, is amended to 
read as follows:
    ``(f) Limitations on Reservation of Funds.--Not less than 3 but not 
more than 7 percent of the amounts appropriated to carry out title VI 
shall be set aside to be used--
            ``(1) for administrative costs to carry out programs under 
        title VI;
            ``(2) for technical assistance and pre-development planning 
        activities to support the most rural communities;
            ``(3) to conduct oversight under title VI;
            ``(4) to implement accountability measures and related 
        activities authorized under title VI; and
            ``(5) to carry out this section.''.
                                                       Calendar No. 466

117th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 4374

                      [Report No. 117-113, Part I]

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