Title: DEPLOY Broadband Act
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Developing Economic Prosperity and Linking Our Youth through Broadband Act or the DEPLOY Broadband Act
This bill provides $6.5 billion to the Federal Communications Commission for the deployment of broadband-capable infrastructure in unserved areas, and it establishes a minimum set-aside of 10% from the proceeds of certain spectrum auctions for broadband build-out in unserved or underserved areas.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4291 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4291

 To provide appropriations for the deployment of rural broadband, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 23, 2020

  Mr. Gardner introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide appropriations for the deployment of rural broadband, and 
                          for other purposes.

    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 ``Developing Economic Prosperity and 
Linking Our Youth through Broadband Act'' or the ``DEPLOY Broadband 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act--
            (1) the term ``broadband internet access service'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 8.1(b) of title 47, Code of 
        Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation; and
            (2) the term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
        Communications Commission.

SEC. 3. APPROPRIATIONS FOR DEPLOYMENT OF RURAL BROADBAND.

    (a) In General.--There is appropriated, out of amounts in the 
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $6,500,000,000 to the Commission, 
to remain available until expended, for the deployment of broadband-
capable infrastructure in areas that the Commission determines are 
unserved with respect to broadband internet access service.
    (b) Emergency Designation.--The amount made available by paragraph 
(1) is designated by Congress as being for an emergency requirement 
pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and 
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)(A)(i)).

SEC. 4. RURAL SET-ASIDE.

    (a) In General.--Section 309(j)(8) of the Communications Act of 
1934 (47 U.S.C. 309(j)(8)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and (G)'' and 
        inserting ``(G), and (H)'';
            (2) in subparagraph (G)(iii)(II), in the matter preceding 
        item (aa), by striking ``All'' and inserting ``Except as 
        provided in subparagraph (H), all''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(H) Rural dividend.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Notwithstanding 
                        subparagraph (A) and except as provided in 
                        subparagraphs (B), (D), (E), and (F)--
                                    ``(I) the Commission shall allocate 
                                not less than 10 percent of the net 
                                proceeds attributable to each system of 
                                competitive bidding conducted under 
                                this subsection for the deployment of 
                                broadband-capable infrastructure in 
                                areas that the Commission has 
                                determined are underserved or unserved 
                                with respect to broadband internet 
                                access service; and
                                    ``(II) subject to this subsection, 
                                not less than 50 percent of the net 
                                proceeds from each use of a system of 
                                competitive bidding under this 
                                paragraph on and after the date of 
                                enactment of this subparagraph shall be 
                                deposited in the general fund of the 
                                Treasury until the date on which the 
                                aggregate amount of those deposits 
                                equals $6,500,000,000.
                            ``(ii) Limitation.--No amounts allocated 
                        under clause (i)(I) may be combined with 
                        amounts that are used to fund any other program 
                        that is in existence on the date on which the 
                        allocation is made, including any program 
                        established under section 254.
                            ``(iii) Rule of construction.--Nothing 
                        under this subparagraph shall be construed to 
                        automatically prohibit or disqualify a provider 
                        of broadband internet access service from 
                        receiving funds under any other program related 
                        to broadband internet access service, including 
                        any program established under section 254.
                            ``(iv) Definition.--In this subparagraph, 
                        the term `broadband internet access service' 
                        has the meaning given such term in section 
                        8.1(b) of title 47, Code of Federal 
                        Regulations, or any successor regulation.''.
    (b) Public Safety Trust Fund.--Section 6413(b)(8) of the Middle 
Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1457(b)(8)) is 
amended by striking ``Any'' and inserting ``Except as provided in 
subparagraph (H) of section 309(j)(8) of the Communications Act of 1934 
(47 U.S.C. 309(j)(8)), any''.

SEC. 5. COORDINATION.

    The Commission shall coordinate with the National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Rural 
Utilities Service to avoid overbuilding of broadband internet access 
service in areas assisted under this Act and the amendments made by 
this Act.
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