In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Broadband Opportunity and 
Affordability Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The adoption of broadband service results in enhanced 
        economic development and public safety for communities across 
        the Nation, improved health care and educational opportunities, 
        and a better quality of life for all Americans.
            (2) Continued progress in the adoption of broadband service 
        is vital to ensuring that the United States remains competitive 
        and continues to create business opportunities and job growth.
            (3) The price of broadband service is a barrier to adoption 
        for low-income households and can be an impediment to full 
        participation in the emerging broadband economy.

SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM TO EXPAND LIFELINE PROGRAM TO INCLUDE BROADBAND 
              SERVICE.

    Section 254(j) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254(j)) 
is amended to read as follows:
    ``(j) Lifeline Assistance.--
            ``(1) Impact of section on lifeline assistance program.--
        Except as provided in paragraph (2), nothing in this section 
        shall affect the collection, distribution, or administration of 
        the Lifeline program.
            ``(2) Pilot program to expand lifeline program to include 
        broadband service.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
        enactment of the Broadband Opportunity and Affordability Act, 
        the Commission shall implement a 2-year pilot program to expand 
        the Lifeline program to reduce the cost of broadband service 
        for low-income consumers that will--
                    ``(A) apply to such broadband service as the 
                Commission may determine to be appropriate for purposes 
                of the pilot program;
                    ``(B) provide such levels of support as the 
                Commission may determine to be appropriate for such 
                purposes;
                    ``(C) be available to such consumers as the 
                Commission may determine to be appropriate for such 
                purposes under such eligibility criteria as the 
                Commission may determine to be appropriate for such 
                purposes; and
                    ``(D) reimburse broadband service providers for 
                each customer served, subject to prior authorization 
                from the Commission to participate in the pilot 
                program.
            ``(3) Criteria for pilot program.--In developing the pilot 
        program required by paragraph (2), the Commission shall 
        consider--
                    ``(A) whether State matching funds must be provided 
                as a condition of eligibility for low-income households 
                within a State;
                    ``(B) the prevailing market rate for broadband 
                service and the prevailing speed of broadband service 
                adopted by households, using information that the 
                Commission routinely collects or that is publicly 
                available; and
                    ``(C) how to ensure that the program is neutral as 
                to the types of technology used to provide broadband 
                service in order to promote competition from broadband 
                service providers to qualify for participation in the 
                pilot program.
            ``(4) Status report.--After the pilot program has been 
        operational for 18 months, the Commission shall submit a report 
        to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on 
        Energy and Commerce on the status of the pilot program.
            ``(5) Lifeline program defined.--In this subsection, the 
        term `Lifeline program' means the service described in section 
        54.401(a) of the Commission's regulations (47 C.F.R. 
        54.401(a)).''.

SEC. 4. EXPANSION OF LINK UP PROGRAM REPORT.

    (a) In General.--Within 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall initiate a notice 
of inquiry with public notice and opportunity for comment, to 
determine--
            (1) whether the Link Up program could be expanded to reduce 
        the cost of initiating broadband service through providing 
        support for computer ownership;
            (2) what equipment would be supported by such an expansion;
            (3) how much support would be available with such an 
        expansion; and
            (4) the eligibility criteria for consumers to qualify for 
        such an expansion.
    (b) Report.--The Commission shall submit a report to the Senate 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of 
Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce containing the 
Commission's findings, conclusions, and recommendations from the 
inquiry.
    (c) Link Up Program Defined.--In this section, the term ``Link Up 
program'' means the service described in section 54.411(a) of the 
Commission's regulations (47 U.S.C. 54.411(a)).

A: Broadband Opportunity and Affordability Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to implement a two-year pilot program to expand the Lifeline program to reduce the cost of broadband service for low-income consumers.
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Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Mandatory Foreclosure Mediation 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act, the following definitions shall apply:
            (1) Alternative to foreclosure.--The term ``alternative to 
        foreclosure''--
                    (A) means a course of action with respect to a 
                mortgage offered by a servicer to a borrower as an 
                alternative to a covered foreclosure action; and
                    (B) includes a short sale and a deed in lieu of 
                foreclosure.
            (2) Borrower.--The term ``borrower'' means a mortgagor 
        under a mortgage who is in default or at risk of imminent 
        default, as determined by the Secretary through regulations.
            (3) Foreclosure action.--The term ``foreclosure action'' 
        means a judicial or nonjudicial foreclosure.
            (4) Loan modification program.--The term ``loan 
        modification program'' means a program or procedure designed to 
        change the terms of a mortgage in the case of the default, 
        delinquency, or imminent default or delinquency of a mortgagor, 
        including a loan modification program established by a servicer 
        that reduces the principal owed by the mortgagor on the 
        mortgage.
            (5) Mortgage.--The term ``mortgage'' means a federally 
        related mortgage loan, as defined in section 3(1) of the Real 
        Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 (12 U.S.C. 2602(1)), 
        that is secured by a first or subordinate lien on residential 
        real property.
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Housing and Urban Development.
            (7) Servicer.--The term ``servicer''--
                    (A) has the same meaning as in section 6(i) of the 
                Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 (12 
                U.S.C. 2605(i)); and
                    (B) includes a person responsible for servicing a 
                pool of mortgages.

SEC. 3. MEDIATION REQUIRED BEFORE FORECLOSURE.

    (a) Initiation of Foreclosure Actions.--A servicer may not initiate 
a foreclosure action against a borrower unless the servicer has--
            (1) made a reasonable effort to initiate mediation 
        proceedings in accordance with the process established in 
        regulations prescribed pursuant to subsection (c) to determine 
        whether the borrower is eligible for a loan modification or an 
        alternative to foreclosure; and
            (2) offered the borrower a loan modification or an 
        alternative to foreclosure, if the borrower is eligible for the 
        loan modification or alternative to foreclosure.
    (b) Suspension of Foreclosure Actions.--
            (1) In general.--A servicer shall suspend a foreclosure 
        action that was initiated before the date of enactment of this 
        Act until the servicer--
                    (A) completes a mediation proceeding in accordance 
                with the process established in regulations prescribed 
                pursuant to subsection (c) to determine whether the 
                borrower is eligible for a loan modification or an 
                alternative to foreclosure; and
                    (B) offers the borrower a loan modification or an 
                alternative to foreclosure, if the borrower is eligible 
                for a loan modification or an alternative to 
                foreclosure.
            (2) Suspension.--During the period of the suspension under 
        paragraph (1), a servicer may not--
                    (A) send a notice of foreclosure to a borrower;
                    (B) conduct or schedule a sale of the real property 
                securing the mortgage of the borrower; or
                    (C) cause final judgment to be entered against the 
                borrower.
            (3) Reasonable efforts.--A servicer is not required to 
        suspend a foreclosure action under paragraph (1) if the 
        servicer--
                    (A) makes a reasonable effort to schedule a 
                mediation proceeding to determine whether the borrower 
                is eligible for a loan modification or an alternative 
                to foreclosure; and
                    (B) documents that the borrower has not agreed to a 
                mediation proceeding to determine whether the borrower 
                is eligible for a loan modification or an alternative 
                to foreclosure.
            (4) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this section may be 
        construed to require a servicer to delay an unavoidable 
        foreclosure, such as foreclosure that results from a borrower 
        abandoning the residential real property securing a mortgage.
    (c) Establishment of Mediation Process.--The Secretary shall 
establish through regulations a mediation process to determine whether 
the borrower is eligible for a loan modification or an alternative to 
foreclosure under this section.

SEC. 4. BAR TO FORECLOSURE ACTIONS.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), a violation of this Act 
shall be a bar to a foreclosure action.
    (b) Effect of Subsequent Compliance.--If a servicer is in 
compliance with this Act, the servicer may bring or proceed with a 
foreclosure action, without regard to a prior violation of this Act by 
the servicer.

SEC. 5. REGULATIONS.

    Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall issue regulations to carry out this Act.

SEC. 6. REPORT.

    Each servicer that initiates mediation proceedings under section 3 
shall submit to the Secretary a quarterly report at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information, with respect to such 
proceedings, as the Secretary may require.

A: Mandatory Foreclosure Mediation Act - Prohibits a servicer from initiating a foreclosure action against a borrower unless the servicer has: (1) made a reasonable effort to initiate mediation proceedings to determine if the borrower is eligible for a loan modification or an alternative to foreclosure; and (2) offered the borrower, if eligible, such a modification or alternative.

Requires a servicer to suspend a foreclosure action initiated before the enactment of this Act until the servicer: (1) completes such a mediation proceeding; and (2) offers the borrower, if eligible, a modification or alternative.

Prohibits a servicer, during the suspension period, from: (1) sending the borrower a notice of foreclosure, (2) conducting or scheduling a sale of the real property securing the mortgage, or (3) causing final judgment to be entered against the borrower.

Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to establish such a mediation process.

Declares that a servicer is not required to suspend a foreclosure action if the servicer makes a reasonable effort to schedule a mediation proceeding and documents that the borrower has not agreed to one.

Makes a violation of this Act a bar to a foreclosure action. Allows a servicer in compliance with this Act, however, to bring or proceed with a foreclosure action, regardless of any prior violation.
****
Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

     This Act may be cited as the ``Voter Freedom Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The rights of eligible citizens to seek election to 
        Congress, vote for candidates of their choice and associate for 
        the purpose of taking part in elections, including the right to 
        create and develop new political parties, are fundamental to a 
        democracy. The rights of citizens to participate in the 
        election process for members of Congress are set forth in 
        article I. The United States Supreme Court has held that the 
        states are powerless to discriminate against a class of 
        candidates for Congress. Cook v. Gralike, ____ US ____ 
        (decision of February 28, 2001). The United States Supreme 
        Court has also held that all voters must be treated equally. 
        Bush v. Gore, ____ US ____ (decision of December 12, 2000).
            (2) The voters of the various states sometimes elect 
        candidates to Congress who are neither nominees, nor members, 
        of the two major political parties. According to the Clerk of 
        the U.S. House of Representatives, voters have on at least 125 
        occasions elected someone to the U.S. House of Representatives 
        who was neither a Republican nor a Democrat. According to a 
        recent compilation, throughout the twentieth century, the 
        percentage of voters who have voted for minor party and 
        independent candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives 
        has averaged 3.7 percent. On November 7, 2000, it was 4.2 
        percent. Clearly, a substantial number of voters desire to vote 
        for candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives who are 
        minor party nominees and/or independent candidates. Such voters 
        have existed in fairly substantial numbers in every decade of 
        the twentieth century, and may be expected to exist in the 
        twenty-first century.
            (3) Some states have enacted election laws which require 
        minor party nominees, or independent candidates, for the U.S. 
        House of Representatives, to submit petitions signed by more 
        than 10,000 registered voters within a district. For example, 
        Georgia requires such candidates to not only pay a filing fee, 
        but to submit a petition signed by 5 percent of the number of 
        registered voters in the district. The signatures must be 
        notarized. By contrast, members of political parties which have 
        polled 20 percent for President of the United States throughout 
        the entire nation, or which have polled 20 percent for Governor 
        of Georgia, need not submit any petition signatures. No 
        candidate for U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia has 
        managed to comply with the 5 percent petition requirement since 
        1964. North Carolina requires an independent candidate for the 
        U.S. House of Representatives to submit a petition signed by 4 
        percent of the number of registered voters in the district. By 
        contrast, members of qualified political parties need not 
        submit any petitions in North Carolina to run for Congress. No 
        independent candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives has 
        ever qualified for the North Carolina ballot. South Carolina 
        requires an independent candidate for the U.S. House of 
        Representatives to submit a petition signed by 10,000 
        signatures. By contrast, members of qualified political parties 
        need not submit any petition signatures in order to run for 
        Congress. No independent candidate for the U.S. House of 
        Representatives has ever qualified for the South Carolina 
        ballot. California requires an independent candidate for the 
        U.S. House of Representatives to submit a petition signed by 3 
        percent of the number of registered voters in the district. By 
        contrast, members of qualified political parties only need to 
        submit 40 signatures in order to run for U.S. House of 
        Representatives.
            (4) Throughout all U.S. history, there are only four 
        individuals who have ever successfully overcome a signature 
        requirement greater than 10,000 signatures in order to gain a 
        place on a ballot for U.S. House of Representatives. They are 
        Frazier Reems, an independent member of the U.S. House of 
        Representatives from Ohio who had to collect 12,920 valid 
        signatures in the 9th district in 1954 in order to run for re-
        election; Jack Gargan, the Reform Party nominee for Florida's 
        5th district in 1998, who had to collect 12,141 valid 
        signatures; Steven Wheeler, an independent candidate in 
        California's 22nd district in 1996, who had to collect 10,191 
        valid signatures; and Steve Kelly, independent candidate for 
        Montana's At-Large seat in 1994, who had to collect 10,186 
        valid signatures.
            (5) Other states do not require independent candidates, or 
        the candidates of unqualified parties, to submit large numbers 
        of signatures in order to run for the U.S. House of 
        Representatives, and yet they do not suffer from a crowded 
        ballot. Florida no longer requires any signatures on a petition 
        for anyone to run for Congress, yet in 2000 there was no U.S. 
        House race in Florida with more than 4 candidates on the 
        ballot. Florida requires a filing fee instead of a petition for 
        ballot access for everyone. Hawaii and Tennessee only require 
        25 signatures for anyone to run for Congress. Washington does 
        not require any signatures for members of qualified parties to 
        run for public office, and only requires 25 signatures from 
        other individuals to run for the United States House of 
        Representatives. New Jersey only requires 100 signatures for 
        any individual to run for United States House of 
        Representatives as an independent, or 200 signatures to run in 
        a party primary. It is clear from the experience of such states 
        that no state needs to require as many as 10,000 or 15,000 
        signatures for candidates to run for the House in order to keep 
        the ballot uncluttered.
            (6) Some states have enacted laws which require new 
        political parties, or independent candidates, to file a 
        substantial number of petitions as much as ten months or more 
        before a general election. Illinois requires independent 
        candidates for Congress to file a petition in December of the 
        year before the general election. Such petitions must be signed 
        by 5 percent of the last vote cast for the seat they are 
        seeking. Although members of qualified parties must also submit 
        petitions by the same early date, members of qualified parties 
        only need one-tenth as many signatures. For mid-term election 
        years, Ohio requires new political parties to submit a petition 
        equal to 1 percent of the last vote cast, by January. In 
        presidential election years, Ohio requires such a petition by 
        November of the year before the election. California requires a 
        new political party to have registered members equal to 1 
        percent of the last vote cast by October of the year before an 
        election. Mississippi requires independent candidates for 
        Congress to file a petition by January of an election year.
            (7) Some states print partisan ballot labels on the general 
        election ballot for some candidates for Congress, yet refuse to 
        print such labels for other candidates for Congress. Virginia 
        prints party labels on the ballot if the candidate is the 
        nominee of a party which polled 10 percent of the statewide 
        vote at a previous election. Other candidates must be labelled 
        ``independent'', whether they are the nominees of a minor or 
        new party or whether they really are independents. Louisiana 
        prints party labels for candidates who are members of a party 
        that has registration membership of 5 percent, or which polled 
        5 percent for president at the last election. Other candidates 
        may not have any partisan label printed on the ballot next to 
        their names, not even the term ``independent''.
            (8) The establishment of fair and uniform national 
        standards for access to the ballot in elections for the U.S. 
        House of Representatives would remove barriers to the 
        participation of citizens in the electoral process and thereby 
        facilitate such participation and maximize the rights 
        identified in this subsection.
            (9) The Congress has authority, under the provisions of the 
        Constitution of the United States in sections 4 and 8 of 
        article I, to protect and promote the exercise of the rights 
        identified in this subsection.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to establish fair and uniform standards regulating 
        access to the ballot by eligible citizens who desire to seek 
        election to the U.S. House of Representatives and political 
        parties, bodies and groups which desire to take part in 
        elections to the U.S. House of Representatives; and
            (2) to maximize the participation of eligible citizens in 
        elections for Federal office.

SEC. 3. BALLOT ACCESS RIGHTS.

    (a) In General.--An individual shall have the right to be placed as 
a candidate on, and to have such individual's political party, body, or 
group affiliation in connection with such candidacy placed on, a ballot 
or similar voting materials to be used in a Congressional election, 
if--
            (1) such individual presents a petition stating in 
        substance that its signers desire such individual's name and 
        political party, body or group affiliation, if any, to be 
        placed on the ballot or other similar voting materials to be 
        used in the election with respect to which such rights are to 
        be exercised;
            (2) such petition has at least 1,000 signatures of persons 
        who are registered to vote in the district, or, if the State in 
        which the district is located does not provide for voter 
        registration, such petition must bear the signatures of at 
        least 1,000 persons who are eligible to vote in that State and 
        that district;
            (3) with respect to an election the date of which was fixed 
        345 or more days in advance, such petition was circulated 
        during a period beginning on the 345th day and ending on the 
        75th day before the date of the election; and
            (4) with respect to an election the date of which was fixed 
        less than 345 days in advance, such petition was circulated 
        during a period established by the State holding the election, 
        or, if no such period was established, during a period 
        beginning on the day after the date the election was scheduled 
        and ending on the thirtieth day before the date of the 
        election.
    (b) Savings Provision.--Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect 
to any State that provides by law for greater ballot access rights than 
the ballot access rights provided for under such subsection.

SEC. 4. RULEMAKING.

     The Attorney General shall make rules to carry out this Act.

SEC. 5. GENERAL DEFINITIONS.

     As used in this Act--
            (1) the term ``Congressional election'' means a general or 
        special election for the office of Representative in, or 
        Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress;
            (2) the term ``State'' means a State of the United States, 
        the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and 
        any other territory or possession of the United States;
            (3) the term ``individual'' means an individual who has the 
        qualifications required by law of a person who holds the office 
        for which such individual seeks to be a candidate;
            (4) the term ``petition'' includes a petition which 
        conforms to section 3(a)(1) and upon which signers' addresses 
        and/or printed names are required to be placed;
            (5) the term ``signer'' means a person whose signature 
        appears on a petition and who can be identified as a person 
        qualified to vote for an individual for whom the petition is 
        circulated, and includes a person who requests another to sign 
        a petition on his or her behalf at the time when, and at the 
        place where, the request is made;
            (6) the term ``signature'' includes the incomplete name of 
        a signer, the name of a signer containing abbreviations such as 
        first or middle initial, and the name of a signer preceded or 
        followed by titles such as ``Mr.'', ``Ms.'', ``Dr.'', ``Jr.'', 
        or ``III''; and
            (7) the term ``address'' means the address which a signer 
        uses for purposes of registration and voting.

A:
Voter Freedom Act of 2003 - Declares that an individual shall have the right to be placed as a candidate on, and to have his or her political party, body, or group affiliation in connection with such candidacy placed on, a ballot or similar voting materials to be used in a congressional election, if certain conditions are met.Requires the individual to present a petition stating that its signers desire the individual's name and political party, body, or group affiliation, if any, to be placed on the ballot or other similar voting materials to be used in the election with respect to which such rights are to be exercised. Requires such petition to have at least 1,000 signatures of registered voters in the district, or, if the State in which the district is located does not provide for voter registration, to bear the signatures of at least 1,000 eligible voters in that State and district.Specifies the period during which a petition must be circulated.
****