Title: ACCESS the Internet Act
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Accelerating Connected Care and Education Support Services on the Internet Act or the ACCESS the Internet Act
This bill provides funding to support distance learning and connected care in response to COVID-19.
Specifically, the bill provides funds for (1) elementary and secondary school emergency relief grants to purchase internet-connected devices and associated services that support distance learning, (2) a pilot program to award grants for the purchase and distribution of internet-connected devices for libraries in rural and low-income areas, (3) the COVID-19 Telehealth Program of the Federal Communications Commission, and (4) the furnishing of internet-connected devices and associated services to veterans for accessing telehealth services.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4515 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4515

   To provide funding for internet-connected devices and associated 
                    internet connectivity services.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 6, 2020

Mr. Manchin (for himself and Mr. Cornyn) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To provide funding for internet-connected devices and associated 
                    internet connectivity services.

    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 ``Accelerating Connected Care and 
Education Support Services on the Internet Act'' or the ``ACCESS the 
Internet Act''.

SEC. 2. EDUCATION.

    (a) Direct Appropriation.--Out of amounts in the Treasury not 
otherwise appropriated, there is appropriated to the Elementary and 
Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund established under section 
18001(b)(2) of the CARES Act (Public Law 116-136), $1,300,000,000 to 
make elementary and secondary school emergency relief grants to State 
educational agencies, in accordance with subsection (b), for the 
purchase of internet-connected devices and associated internet 
connectivity services to support distance learning at elementary 
schools and secondary schools. The Secretary of Education shall make 
such grants not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act.
    (b) Allocation of Funding.--
            (1) Rural schools.--
                    (A) In general.--From the amounts made available 
                for this section, the Secretary shall use $260,000,000 
                to allocate funds to each State that received funds 
                under the Rural and Low-Income School Program under 
                subpart 2 of part B of title V of the Elementary and 
                Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7351 et 
                seq.) in the same proportion as each such State 
                received funds under that subpart for fiscal year 2019.
                    (B) Subgrants.--Not later than 30 days after 
                receipt of funds under this paragraph, a State 
                educational agency shall allocate those funds to rural 
                local educational agencies in the State in the same 
                proportion as each rural local educational agency 
                received funds under the Rural and Low-Income School 
                Program under subpart 2 of part B of title V of the 
                Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 7351 et seq.) for fiscal year 2019 to enable 
                those rural local educational agencies to carry out the 
                activities described in subsection (a).
            (2) State educational agencies.--
                    (A) In general.--From the amounts made available to 
                carry out this section, the Secretary shall use 
                $1,040,000,000 to allocate funds to each State in the 
                same proportion as each State received funds under part 
                A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
                Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.) for fiscal year 
                2019.
                    (B) Subgrants.--Not later than 30 days after 
                receipt of funds under this paragraph, a State 
                educational agency shall allocate those funds to local 
                educational agencies in the State in proportion to the 
                amount of funds such local educational agencies 
                received under part A of title I of the Elementary and 
                Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et 
                seq.) for fiscal year 2019.
    (c) Supplement Not Supplant.--Grant funds provided under this 
section shall be used to supplement, not supplant, other Federal or 
State funds available to carry out activities described in this 
section.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) ESEA.--The terms ``elementary school'', ``local 
        educational agency'', ``secondary school'', ``Secretary'', 
        ``State'', and ``State educational agency'' have the meanings 
        given those terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (2) Rural local educational agency.--The term ``rural local 
        educational agency'' means a local educational agency that is 
        eligible for funds under the Rural and Low-Income School 
        Program under subpart 2 of part B of title V of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7351 et seq.).
    (e) Emergency Designation.--
            (1) In general.--The amounts provided under this section 
        are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
        4(g) of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 
        933(g)).
            (2) Designation in senate.--In the Senate, this section is 
        designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
        4112(a) of H. Con. Res. 71 (115th Congress), the concurrent 
        resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.

SEC. 3. LIBRARY SERVICES.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section, the terms ``library'', 
``State'', and ``State library administrative agency'' have the 
meanings given those terms in section 213 of the Museum and Library 
Services Act (20 U.S.C. 9122).
    (b) Pilot Program.--
            (1) Direct appropriation.--Out of amounts in the Treasury 
        not otherwise appropriated, there is appropriated to the 
        Institute of Museum and Library Services $200,000,000 to carry 
        out the pilot program under this section. Not later than 21 
        days after the date of enactment of this section, the Director 
        of the Institute of Museum and Library Services shall establish 
        a 2-year pilot program, through which the Director shall--
                    (A) reserve 2.5 percent of the amounts appropriated 
                to carry out this section to make grants to Indian 
                Tribes and to organizations that primarily serve and 
                represent Native Hawaiians (as the term is defined in 
                section 6207 of the Native Hawaiian Education Act (20 
                U.S.C. 7517)) to enable such tribes and organizations 
                to carry out the activities described in subsection 
                (c); and
                    (B) allocate grant funds to States in accordance 
                with paragraph (2) to enable States, through the State 
                library administrative agency, as appropriate, to carry 
                out the activities described in subsection (c).
            (2) Allotments to states.--
                    (A) Minimum allotments.--
                            (i) In general.--For purposes of this 
                        subsection, the minimum allotment for each 
                        State shall be $1,600,000, except that the 
                        minimum allotment shall be $160,000 in the case 
                        of the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, 
                        American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the 
                        Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the 
                        Marshall Islands, the Federated States of 
                        Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.
                            (ii) Ratable reduction.--Notwithstanding 
                        clause (i), if the sum appropriated to carry 
                        out this section is insufficient to fully 
                        satisfy the requirement of clause (i), each of 
                        the minimum allotments under such clause shall 
                        be reduced ratably.
                    (B) Remainder.--
                            (i) In general.--From the remainder of any 
                        sums not reserved or allotted under 
                        subparagraph (A), the Director shall award 
                        grants to each State in an amount that bears 
                        the same relation to such remainder as the 
                        population of the State bears to the population 
                        of all States.
                            (ii) Data.--The population of each State 
                        and of all the States shall be determined by 
                        the Director on the basis of the most recent 
                        data available from the Bureau of the Census.
            (3) Grants for indian tribes.--An Indian tribe that is 
        eligible for support under section 261 of the Library Services 
        and Technology Act (20 U.S.C. 9161) may designate a tribal 
        library or tribal library consortium as a library or consortium 
        that is eligible for grant funds under this section, without 
        regard to whether the library or library consortium is eligible 
        for assistance from a State Library Administrative Agency under 
        the Library Services and Technology Act (20 U.S.C. 9121 et 
        seq.), if the library or library consortium is eligible for 
        support from an Indian tribe under such section 261.
    (c) Use of Grant Funds.--Each State, Indian Tribe, or other entity 
receiving a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this 
section shall use funding under this section to--
            (1) expand digital network access by purchasing and 
        distributing internet-connected devices, such as hotspots, to 
        libraries in low-income and rural areas so that those libraries 
        can allow individuals to borrow internet-connected devices for 
        home use and install or upgrade public Wi-Fi access points for 
        use on or near library grounds;
            (2) provide libraries with funds to pay the other expenses 
        associated with such devices and services, such as processing, 
        training, associated connectivity, hardware and support, and 
        other necessary expenses related to the retention of these 
        devices and provision of these services; or
            (3) encourage existing and new partnerships between State 
        and local governments, libraries, nonprofit entities, agencies 
        including the Federal Communications Commission, and 
        telecommunication, broadband, and internet service providers to 
        coordinate the distribution of hotspots and other internet-
        connected devices and services.
    (d) Grants, Contracts, or Cooperative Agreements.--From amounts 
appropriated to carry out this section, $1,000,000 shall be made 
available for the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library 
Services for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements with Federal 
agencies, public and private organizations, and other entities 
determined to be eligible by the Director to enable those agencies, 
organizations, and entities to carry out the activities described in 
subsection (c).
    (e) Emergency Designation.--
            (1) In general.--The amounts provided under this section 
        are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
        4(g) of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 
        933(g)).
            (2) Designation in senate.--In the Senate, this section is 
        designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
        4112(a) of H. Con. Res. 71 (115th Congress), the concurrent 
        resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.

SEC. 4. FCC COVID-19 TELEHEALTH PROGRAM.

    (a) Direct Appropriation.--Out of amounts in the Treasury not 
otherwise appropriated, there is appropriated to the Federal 
Communications Commission $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2020 to carry 
out the COVID-19 Telehealth Program established by the Commission under 
the authority provided under the heading ``salaries and expenses'' 
under the heading ``Federal Communications Commission'' under the 
heading ``INDEPENDENT AGENCIES'' in title V of division B of the CARES 
Act (Public Law 116-136; 134 Stat. 281), to remain available until 
expended.
    (b) Limitation.--
            (1) In general.--Not less than $80,000,000 of the amounts 
        made available under subsection (a) shall be used to assist 
        health care providers that--
                    (A) are located in a rural area (as defined in 
                section 54.600 of title 47, Code of Federal 
                Regulations, or any successor regulation); and
                    (B) have fewer than 500 employees.
            (2) Paperwork reduction act exemption.--A collection of 
        information conducted or sponsored under regulations required 
        to implement paragraph (1)(B) shall not constitute a collection 
        of information for the purposes of subchapter I of chapter 35 
        of title 44, United States Code (commonly referred to as the 
        ``Paperwork Reduction Act'').
    (c) Emergency Designation.--
            (1) In general.--The amounts provided under this section 
        are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
        4(g) of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 
        933(g)).
            (2) Designation in senate.--In the Senate, this section is 
        designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
        4112(a) of H. Con. Res. 71 (115th Congress), the concurrent 
        resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.

SEC. 5. ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO 
              PURCHASE, MAINTAIN, AND REFRESH DEVICES AND SERVICES FOR 
              PROVISION OF TELEHEALTH SERVICES.

    (a) Direct Appropriation.--Out of amounts in the Treasury not 
otherwise appropriated, there is appropriated to the Department of 
Veterans Affairs $100,000,000 for Telehealth and Connected Care, 
Connected Care Program Funding: Sustainment and Expansion, Home and 
Community Based Services, to be used--
            (1) to furnish internet-connected devices (such as tablets) 
        and associated internet access services to veterans for 
        purposes of providing such veterans with access to telehealth 
        services from the Department; and
            (2) to maintain and refresh such devices and services and 
        any such devices and services previously provided to veterans 
        for such purposes.
    (b) Availability of Amounts.--Amounts appropriated under subsection 
(a) shall remain available for obligation until September 30, 2022.
    (c) Priority.--In expending amounts to furnish, maintain, and 
refresh devices and internet access services for veterans as described 
in subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall prioritize--
            (1) veterans who are in unserved and underserved areas;
            (2) veterans who reside in rural and highly rural areas, as 
        defined in the Rural-Urban Commuting Areas coding system of the 
        Department of Agriculture;
            (3) low-income veterans; and
            (4) any other veterans that the Secretary considers to be 
        at a higher risk for suicide and mental health concerns during 
        isolation periods due to a public health emergency.
    (d) Emergency Designation.--
            (1) In general.--The amounts provided under this section 
        are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
        4(g) of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 
        933(g)).
            (2) Designation in senate.--In the Senate, this section is 
        designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
        4112(a) of H. Con. Res. 71 (115th Congress), the concurrent 
        resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.
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