Title: ACCESS BROADBAND Act
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Advancing Critical Connectivity Expands Service, Small Business Resources, Opportunities, Access, and Data Based on Assessed Need and Demand Act or the ACCESS BROADBAND Act
This bill requires the Department of Commerce to establish the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The office shall connect with communities that need access to high-speed internet and hold regional workshops to share best practices and effective strategies for promoting broadband access and adoption. The bill also requires the office to (1) develop targeted broadband training and presentations for various demographic communities through media, (2) develop and distribute publications providing guidance to communities for expanding broadband access and adoption, and (3) track construction and use of and access to any broadband infrastructure built using federal support.
Under the bill, the office shall consult with any agency offering a federal broadband support program in order to streamline the application process for financial assistance or grants.
The office, any agency that offers a federal broadband support program, and the Federal Communications Commission through the Universal Service Fund shall coordinate to ensure that broadband support is being distributed in an efficient, technology-neutral, and financially sustainable manner.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1046 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1046

 To establish the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 4, 2019

Ms. Cortez Masto (for herself, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Jones, Mr. Johnson, Ms. 
 Baldwin, and Mrs. Blackburn) introduced the following bill; which was 
  read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                             Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth, 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 ``Advancing Critical Connectivity 
Expands Service, Small Business Resources, Opportunities, Access, and 
Data Based on Assessed Need and Demand Act'' or the ``ACCESS BROADBAND 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code.
            (2) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary'' 
        means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications 
        and Information.
            (3) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
        Communications Commission.
            (4) Federal broadband support program.--The term ``Federal 
        broadband support program'' does not include any Universal 
        Service Fund program and means any of the following programs 
        (or any other similar Federal program) to the extent the 
        program offers broadband internet service or programs for 
        promoting broadband access and adoption for various demographic 
        communities through various media for residential, commercial, 
        or community providers, or academic establishments:
                    (A) The Telecommunications and Technology Program 
                of the Appalachian Regional Commission.
                    (B) The following programs of the Rural Utilities 
                Service of the Department of Agriculture:
                            (i) The Telecommunications Infrastructure 
                        Loan and Loan Guarantee Program.
                            (ii) The Rural Broadband Access Loan and 
                        Loan Guarantee Program authorized under section 
                        601 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 
                        U.S.C. 950bb).
                            (iii) The Substantially Underserved Trust 
                        Area Initiative.
                            (iv) The Community Connect Grant Program 
                        established under title III of the Agriculture, 
                        Rural Development, Food and Drug 
                        Administration, and Related Agencies 
                        Appropriations, 2004 (division A of Public Law 
                        108-199; 118 Stat. 19).
                            (v) The Distance Learning and Telemedicine 
                        Grant Program under section 2333 of the Food, 
                        Agriculture, Conservation, and Free Trade Act 
                        of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 950aaa-2).
                    (C) The following programs of the Economic 
                Development Administration of the Department of 
                Commerce:
                            (i) The Public Works and Economic 
                        Adjustment Assistance Programs.
                            (ii) The Planning and Local Technical 
                        Assistance Programs.
                    (D) The following programs of the Department of 
                Housing and Urban Development:
                            (i) The Community Development Block Grant 
                        Program under title I of the Housing and 
                        Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 
                        5301 et seq.).
                            (ii) The loan guarantee program under 
                        section 108 of the Housing and Community 
                        Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5308) 
                        (commonly known as the ``Section 108 Loan 
                        Guarantee Program'').
                            (iii) Assistance from the Public Housing 
                        Capital Fund established under section 9(d) of 
                        the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
                        U.S.C. 1437g(d)).
                            (iv) Assistance from the Public Housing 
                        Operating Fund established under section 9(e) 
                        of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
                        U.S.C. 1437g(e)).
                            (v) The Multifamily Housing Programs.
                            (vi) The Indian Community Development Block 
                        Grant Program.
                            (vii) The Indian Housing Block Grant 
                        Program under section 101 of the Native 
                        American Housing Assistance and Self-
                        Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4111).
                            (viii) Loan guarantees under title VI of 
                        the Native American Housing Assistance and 
                        Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4191 
                        et seq.) (commonly known as the ``Title VI Loan 
                        Guarantee Program'').
                            (ix) The Choice Neighborhoods Initiative.
                            (x) The HOME Investment Partnerships 
                        Program authorized under title II of the 
                        Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing 
                        Act (42 U.S.C. 12721 et seq.).
                            (xi) The Housing Trust Fund established 
                        under section 1338 of the Federal Housing 
                        Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act 
                        of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 4568).
                            (xii) The Housing Opportunities for Persons 
                        With AIDS Program authorized under the AIDS 
                        Housing Opportunity Act (42 U.S.C. 12901 et 
                        seq.).
                    (E) The American Job Centers of the Employment and 
                Training Administration of the Department of Labor.
                    (F) The Library Services and Technology Grant 
                Programs of the Institute of Museum and Library 
                Services.
            (5) Office.--The term ``Office'' means the Office of 
        Internet Connectivity and Growth established under section 3.
            (6) Universal service fund program.--The term ``Universal 
        Service Fund program'' means any program authorized under 
        section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254) 
        to help deploy broadband.
            (7) Universal service mechanism.--The term ``universal 
        service mechanism'' means any funding stream provided by a 
        Universal Service Fund program to support broadband access.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE OF INTERNET CONNECTIVITY AND GROWTH.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Assistant Secretary shall establish the Office of Internet 
Connectivity and Growth within the National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration.

SEC. 4. DUTIES.

    (a) Outreach.--The Office shall--
            (1) connect with communities that need access to high-speed 
        internet and improved digital inclusion efforts through various 
        forms of outreach and communication techniques;
            (2) hold regional workshops across the United States to 
        share best practices and effective strategies for promoting 
        broadband access and adoption;
            (3) develop targeted broadband training and presentations 
        for various demographic communities through various media; and
            (4) develop and distribute publications (including 
        toolkits, primers, manuals, and white papers) providing 
        guidance, strategies, and insights to communities as the 
        communities develop strategies to expand broadband access and 
        adoption.
    (b) Tracking of Federal Dollars.--
            (1) Broadband infrastructure.--The Office shall track the 
        construction and use of and access to any broadband 
        infrastructure built using any Federal support in a central 
        database.
            (2) Accounting mechanism.--The Office shall develop a 
        streamlined accounting mechanism by which any agency offering a 
        Federal broadband support program, and the Commission through 
        the Universal Service Fund, shall provide the information 
        described in paragraph (1) in a standardized and efficient 
        fashion.
            (3) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, and every year thereafter, the Office 
        shall make public on the website of the Office and submit to 
        the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
        Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
        Representatives a report on the following:
                    (A) A description of the work of the Office for the 
                previous year and the number of residents of the United 
                States who received broadband access as a result of a 
                Federal broadband support program or a Universal 
                Service Fund program.
                    (B) The number of residents of the United States 
                described in subparagraph (A), broken down by the 
                Federal broadband support program or universal service 
                mechanism to which the broadband access was 
                attributable.
                    (C) An estimate of the economic impact of the 
                broadband deployment efforts described in subparagraphs 
                (A) and (B) on the local economy in areas receiving 
                assistance through those efforts, including any effect 
                on small businesses or jobs.

SEC. 5. STREAMLINED APPLICATIONS FOR SUPPORT.

    (a) Agency Consultation.--The Office shall consult with any agency 
offering a Federal broadband support program to streamline and 
standardize the application process for grants or other financial 
assistance from the program.
    (b) Agency Streamlining.--Any agency offering a Federal broadband 
support program shall amend the application for broadband support from 
that program, to the extent practicable and as necessary, to streamline 
and standardize applications for Federal broadband support programs 
across the Federal Government.
    (c) Single Application.--To the greatest extent practicable, the 
Office shall seek to create 1 application that may be submitted to 
apply for all, or substantially all, Federal broadband support 
programs.
    (d) Website Required.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Office shall create a central website 
through which a potential applicant can learn about and apply for 
support through any Federal broadband support program.

SEC. 6. COORDINATION OF SUPPORT.

    The Office, any agency that offers a Federal broadband support 
program, and the Commission, through the Universal Service Fund, shall 
coordinate with each other to ensure that Federal support for broadband 
is being distributed in an efficient, technology-neutral, and 
financially sustainable manner, with the goal of serving the largest 
number of persons in the United States while avoiding overbuilding and 
promoting the most job and economic growth for all residents of the 
United States.

SEC. 7. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

    Nothing in this Act is intended to alter or amend any provision of 
section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254).

SEC. 8. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.

    No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act. This Act shall be carried out using amounts otherwise 
authorized.
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