Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act

Bill: 117-hr-1783
Sponsor: Rep. Clyburn, James E. [D-SC-6]
Introduced: 2021-03-11 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Adult education and literacy
Aging
Appropriations
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Community life and organization
Computer security and identity theft
Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Department of Commerce
Digital media
Disability and paralysis
Economic development
Educational facilities and institutions
Elementary and secondary education
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Food assistance and relief
Foreign language and bilingual programs
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Health care coverage and access
Health facilities and institutions
Health technology, devices, supplies
Higher education
Indian social and development programs
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Infrastructure development
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Labor standards
Labor-management relations
Law enforcement administration and funding
Libraries and archives
Medicaid
Motor carriers
Motor vehicles
Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers
Performance measurement
Poverty and welfare assistance
Preschool education
Public contracts and procurement
Public housing
Public-private cooperation
Racial and ethnic relations
Right of privacy
Roads and highways
Rural conditions and development
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
State and local government operations
Telecommunication rates and fees
Telephone and wireless communication
Unemployment
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-11
text: 

Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act

 
This bill reauthorizes through FY2026, revises, and establishes grants and activities to promote access to broadband internet and other telecommunication services.
 
The bill addresses digital equity and inclusion through grants and by requiring studies on barriers to adoption of broadband services and related matters.
 
The bill addresses broadband affordability and access. It (1) reauthorizes and expands various programs that subsidize or otherwise support broadband services for eligible households, schools and libraries, and tribal lands and populations; and (2) establishes a program for expanding broadband service for underserved areas and community support organizations (e.g., schools and religious organizations). Additionally, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must award grants and take other actions to expand programs that verify an individual's eligibility for subsidized services.
 
The bill addresses broadband data collection, disclosure, and sharing. The FCC must (1) issue rules regarding the collection of pricing data and labels that disclose information about broadband plans to consumers, and (2) collaborate and share data with federal agencies and other stakeholders.
 
The bill makes financing (e.g., low-interest loans) available to communities and public-private partnerships for broadband infrastructure investments. Additionally, the Department of Transportation must require states to install conduits for broadband cables as part of certain highway projects. The bill also sets up a task force on nationwide dig once requirements (i.e., policies or practices to minimize excavations of highway rights-of-way when installing telecommunications infrastructure).
 
Further, the bill preempts state laws that prohibit certain telecommunications service providers (e.g., public providers) from providing high-speed broadband services. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-04-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit.
action_date: 2021-03-12
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
action_date: 2021-03-12
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
action_date: 2021-03-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and 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: 2021-03-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and 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: 2021-03-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and 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: 2021-03-11
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2021-03-11
text: Introduced in House