Closing the Homework Gap Through Mobile Hotspots Act

Bill: 116-hr-5243
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]
Introduced: 2019-11-21
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Education of the disadvantaged

Elementary and secondary education

Higher education

Internet and video services

Internet, web applications, social media

Libraries and archives

State and local government operations

Telephone and wireless communication
Latest action: action_date: 2019-11-22
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-11-21
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Closing the Homework Gap Through Mobile Hotspots Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to establish the Mobile Hotspot Grant Program.</p> <p>Under the program, the NTIA may provide grants to eligible institutions (e.g., elementary and secondary schools, universities, Indian Tribes, or libraries) to facilitate a mobile hotspot program that provides students with a portable hotspot device for connecting to the internet. The NTIA shall prioritize institutions that will provide hotspots to the highest number of low-income students and, to the extent practicable, shall disburse at least 5% of grant funds to Indian Tribes and 5% to U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. </p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5243 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 21, 2019 Ms. Meng (for herself, Mrs. Beatty , Ms. Blunt Rochester , Mrs. Bustos , Mr. Butterfield , Ms. Clarke of New York , Mr. Engel , Mr. Espaillat , Ms. Fudge , Mr. Gonzalez of Texas , Mr. Johnson of Georgia , Mr. Khanna , Mrs. Lawrence , Mr. Nadler , Mr. Ryan , Mr. Sablan , Mr. Thompson of Mississippi , Ms. Tlaib , Mr. Tonko , Ms. Velázquez , and Mrs. Watson Coleman ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce , and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor , 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 A BILL To amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to establish a mobile hotspot grant program, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Closing the Homework Gap Through Mobile Hotspots Act . 2. Mobile hotspot grant program The National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C 901 et seq.) is amended by adding after section 158 the following new section: 159 Mobile hotspot grant program (a) Establishment The Assistant Secretary shall establish a program (to be known as the Mobile Hotspot Grant Program ) to provide grants to eligible institutions to facilitate mobile hotspot programs. (b) Grant authority The Assistant Secretary may provide grants to eligible institutions under the program established in subsection (a). (c) Application To be eligible to receive a grant provided under this section, an eligible institution shall submit an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Assistant Secretary may require. (d) Use of grants A grant provided under this section shall be used to facilitate a mobile hotspot program that provides a hotspot device to an enrolled student, or the family or guardian of such enrolled student, and such hotspot device shall— (1) be portable; (2) not contain a data limitation; and (3) comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 ( 15 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.). (e) Priority of grants (1) In general The Assistant Secretary shall prioritize providing a grant to eligible institutions that create a mobile hotspot program that will provide hotspot devices to the highest number of low-income students. (2) Set asides (A) Federally recognized Indian Tribes To the extent practicable, at least 5 percent of the amounts appropriated to carry out this section shall be used to provide grants to federally recognized Indian Tribes. (B) U.S. territories and the District of Columbia To the extent practicable, at least 5 percent of the amounts appropriated to carry out this section shall be used to provide grants to territories of the United States and the District of Columbia. (f) Grant limit An eligible institution may not receive more than 2 percent of the total sum appropriated for a fiscal year to carry out this section. (g) Report The Assistant Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on— (1) the number of eligible institutions that receive a grant provided under this section; (2) the number of enrolled students that receive access to broadband internet access service through a grant provided under this section; (3) the number of enrolled students that are part of the homework gap; (4) how hotspot devices are used; and (5) the amount of data used per hotspot device. (h) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 for each fiscal year 2020 through 2025. (i) Definitions In this section: (1) Broadband internet access service 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). (2) Elementary school; secondary school The terms elementary school and secondary school have the meanings given such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7801 ). (3) Eligible institution The term eligible institution means any of the following: (A) An elementary school. (B) A secondary school. (C) An institution of higher education. (D) A federally recognized Indian Tribe. (E) A library. (F) A library consortium. (G) A State library administrative agency. (4) Enrolled student The term enrolled student means a student who is enrolled in an elementary school, a secondary school, or an institution of higher education. (5) Federally recognized Indian Tribe The term federally recognized Indian Tribe has the meaning given the term Indian tribe in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act ( 25 U.S.C. 5304 ). (6) Homework gap The term homework gap means unequal access to digital devices and broadband internet access service that prevents an enrolled student from completing homework. (7) Hotspot device The term hotspot device means a portable device— (A) that connects to broadband internet access service using a cellular data connection; (B) to which other devices wirelessly connect by means of Wi-Fi; and (C) that enables the devices described in subparagraph (B) to connect to the broadband internet access service described in subparagraph (A). (8) Institution of higher education The term institution of higher education has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1001 ). (9) Library; library consortium; State library administrative agency The terms library , library consortium , and State library administrative agency have the meanings given such terms in section 213 of the Museum and Library Services Act ( 20 U.S.C. 9122 ). (10) Low-income student The term low-income student has the meaning given such term in section 6122 of the America COMPETES Act ( 20 U.S.C. 9832 ). .