New Deal Rural Broadband Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-800
Sponsor: Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]
Introduced: 2017-02-01 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Congressional oversight
Department of Agriculture
Executive agency funding and structure
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Indian social and development programs
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Land use and conservation
Minority and disadvantaged businesses
Rural conditions and development
Small business
State and local government operations
Telephone and wireless communication
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2017-02-01
text: 

New Deal Rural Broadband Act of 2017 

 
This bill amends the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to establish a rural broadband office within the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and authorize new grants and loans for developing broadband in rural, underserved, and tribal areas. 
 
The bill establishes the Office of Rural Broadband Initiatives and the position of Under Secretary for Rural Broadband Initiatives to: 
 
 
administer all rural broadband-related grant and loan programs currently administered by the Rural Utilities Service, 
 
conduct specified outreach and coordination activities, and 
 
 conduct and release to the public an inventory of federal and state property on which a broadband facility could be constructed. 
 
 
The bill establishes the Breaking Ground on Rural Broadband Program and the Tribal Broadband Assistance Program to provide grants, loans, or loan guarantees for the development of broadband in rural, underserved, and tribal areas.
 
The bill modifies existing programs to authorize USDA to: (1) provide grants, in addition to loans and loan guarantees permitted under current law, for the construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities and equipment for broadband service in rural areas; and (2) give priority to multijurisdictional projects for the development of broadband or telecommunications services through the collaboration and participation of multiple stakeholders in the service area. 
 
The bill authorizes federal land management agencies to retain and use certain rental fees for communications activities on federal lands. The agencies may use the fees for specified activities related to administering and managing communications sites. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-02-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit.
action_date: 2017-02-15
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
action_date: 2017-02-15
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs.
action_date: 2017-02-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
action_date: 2017-02-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Energy and Commerce, 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: 2017-02-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Energy and Commerce, 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: 2017-02-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Energy and Commerce, 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: 2017-02-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Energy and Commerce, 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: 2017-02-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-02-01
text: Introduced in House