To return unused or reclaimed funds made available for broadband awards in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to the Treasury of the United States.

Bill: 112-hr-1343
Sponsor: Rep. Bass, Charles F. [R-NH-2]
Introduced: 2011-04-04 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Appropriations
Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies
Congressional oversight
Government lending and loan guarantees
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media

Summary:
action_date: 2011-04-04
text: 
Requires the Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service or the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to terminate for cause any award (including grants and loans) made under the Broadband Initiatives Program or the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, respectively, established pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, if the Administrator or Assistant Secretary determines that cause exists (including insufficient level of performance, wasteful spending, or fraudulent spending) to terminate the award. 
 
Directs the Administrator or the Assistant Secretary to: (1) deobligate, upon terminating such an award, an amount equivalent to such award, as recoverable, less allowable costs; and (2) return to the Treasury's general fund such deobligated amounts and any award returned or disclaimed by a recipient after enactment of this Act.

action_date: 2011-09-29
text: 
(Sec. 1) Requires the Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service or the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to terminate for cause any award (including grants and loans) made under the Broadband Initiatives Program or the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, respectively, established pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, if the Administrator or Assistant Secretary determines that cause exists (including insufficient level of performance, wasteful spending, or fraudulent spending) to terminate the award. 
 
Directs the Administrator or the Assistant Secretary to: (1) deobligate, upon terminating such an award, an amount equivalent to such award, less allowable costs, to the extent funds with respect to such award are available in the account relating to the respective programs (requires that any additional amount subsequently recovered be deobligated immediately upon receipt); and (2) return to the Treasury's general fund such deobligated amounts and any award returned or disclaimed by a recipient after enactment of this Act.
 
(Sec. 3) Requires the Administrator or the Assistant Secretary, upon receiving information from the Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture (USDA), Inspector General of the Department of Commerce, or the Comptroller General pertaining to material noncompliance with award terms or improper usage of award funds, to: (1) review such information immediately, (2) determine whether cause exists to terminate such award (unless the relevant official recommends that such a determination not be made), and (3) notify Congress of any such determination.

action_date: 2011-10-05
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on September 29, 2011. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
 
 
(Sec. 1) Requires the Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service or the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to terminate for cause any award (including grants and loans) made under the Broadband Initiatives Program or the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, respectively, established pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, if the Administrator or Assistant Secretary determines that cause exists (including insufficient level of performance, wasteful spending, or fraudulent spending) to terminate the award. 
 
Directs the Administrator or the Assistant Secretary to: (1) deobligate, upon terminating such an award, an amount equivalent to such award, less allowable costs, to the extent funds with respect to such award are available in the account relating to the respective programs (requires that any additional amount subsequently recovered be deobligated immediately upon receipt); and (2) return to the Treasury's general fund such deobligated amounts and any award returned or disclaimed by a recipient after enactment of this Act.
 
(Sec. 3) Requires the Administrator or the Assistant Secretary, upon receiving information from the Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture (USDA), Inspector General of the Department of Commerce, or the Comptroller General pertaining to material noncompliance with award terms or improper usage of award funds, to: (1) review such information immediately, (2) determine whether cause exists to terminate such award (unless the relevant official recommends that such a determination not be made), and (3) notify Congress of any such determination.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6570)
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H6570)
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1343.
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6570-6573)
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: Mr. Walden moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2011-09-29
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 149.
action_date: 2011-09-29
text: Committee on Agriculture discharged.
action_date: 2011-09-29
text: Committee on Agriculture discharged.
action_date: 2011-09-29
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 112-228, Part I.
action_date: 2011-09-29
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 112-228, Part I.
action_date: 2011-04-08
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Rural Development, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture.
action_date: 2011-04-05
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2011-04-05
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2011-04-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2011-04-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2011-04-04
text: Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Discharged.
action_date: 2011-04-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
action_date: 2011-04-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2011-04-04
text: Introduced in House