[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4477 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4477

 To establish a Digital Bridge Trust Fund to fund programs to improve 
   the skills and career opportunities in information technology and 
     related fields for individuals in underserved rural and urban 
     communities, and for Native Americans, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 17, 2000

 Mr. Towns (for himself, Ms. Waters, Mr. Dingell, Mr. Rush, Mr. Wynn, 
 Mr. Cummings, Ms. Kilpatrick, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Hilliard, 
Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mrs. Meek of Florida, Mr. Ford, Ms. 
    Carson, and Mr. Payne) introduced the following bill; which was 
     referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the 
      Committees on Ways and Means, Education and the Workforce, 
Transportation and Infrastructure, and Banking and Financial Services, 
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 establish a Digital Bridge Trust Fund to fund programs to improve 
   the skills and career opportunities in information technology and 
     related fields for individuals in underserved rural and urban 
     communities, and for Native Americans, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Digital Bridge Trust Fund Act''.

SEC. 2. DIGITAL BRIDGE TRUST FUND AND ASSISTANCE FROM TRUST FUND.

    (a) In General.--The National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration Organization Act is amended--
            (1) by redesignating part C as part D; and
            (2) by inserting after part B (47 U.S.C. 921 et seq.) the 
        following new part:

           ``PART C--ASSISTANCE TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

``SEC. 131. DIGITAL BRIDGE TRUST FUND.

    ``(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of the 
United States a trust fund to be known as the Digital Bridge Trust 
Fund, consisting of such amounts as may be appropriated or credited 
pursuant to subsection (b) or (d).
    ``(b) Transfer of Amounts Equivalent to Certain Taxes.--There are 
hereby appropriated to the Digital Bridge Trust Fund amounts equivalent 
to 100 percent of the taxes received in the Treasury after September 
30, 2000, under section 4251 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
(relating to tax on communications).
    ``(c) Expenditures.--Amounts in the Digital Bridge Trust Fund shall 
be available, to the extent provided in appropriation Acts, solely for 
making expenditures to provide assistance under section 133(a).
    ``(d) Treatment as Trust Fund.--For purposes of subchapter B of 
chapter 98 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the Digital Bridge 
Trust Fund shall be considered to be a trust fund established by 
subchapter A of such chapter.

``SEC. 132. BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

    ``(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department of 
Commerce a board to be known as the Board of Trustees of the Digital 
Bridge Trust Fund (in this part referred to as the `Board').
    ``(b) Duties.--The duties of the Board shall be--
            ``(1) to allocate amounts in the Digital Bridge Trust Fund 
        and make such amounts available in accordance with the 
        requirements of section 133;
            ``(2) to make decisions regarding the allocation of 
        assistance from amounts in the Digital Bridge Trust Fund under 
        subsections (b)(2) and (c) of section 133 and make such amounts 
        available in accordance with such allocation decisions;
            ``(3) in making such decisions, to consult with foundations 
        and other nongovernmental organizations involved in promoting 
        or providing education or training in knowledge or skills 
        regarding information technology; and
            ``(4) to prepare and submit annual reports in accordance 
        with subsection (g).
    ``(c) Membership.--The Board shall consist of 11 members as 
follows:
            ``(1) The Secretary of Commerce (or the Secretary's 
        designee), who shall be the chairperson of the Board.
            ``(2) 2 members appointed by the Secretary of Commerce from 
        among the officers and employees of the Department of Commerce.
            ``(3) 2 members appointed by the Secretary of Education 
        from among the officers and employees of the Department of 
        Education.
            ``(4) 2 members appointed by the Secretary of Labor from 
        among the officers and employees of the Department of Labor.
            ``(5) 2 members appointed by the Secretary of Health and 
        Human Services from among the officers and employees of the 
        Department of Health and Human Services.
            ``(6) 2 members appointed by the Secretary of Housing and 
        Urban Development from among the officers and employees of the 
        Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The initial members of the Board shall be appointed not later than the 
expiration of the 6-month period beginning on the date of the enactment 
of the Digital Bridge Trust Fund Act.
    ``(d) Terms.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
        each member shall be appointed for a term of 3 years.
            ``(2) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill a vacancy 
        occurring before the expiration of the term for which the 
        member's predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for 
        the remainder of that term. A member may serve after the 
        expiration of that member's term until a successor has taken 
        office. A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the 
        manner in which the original appointment was made.
    ``(e) Prohibition of Compensation.--Members of the Board shall not 
receive any pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of their service on 
the Board.
    ``(f) Support Services and Facilities.--Upon the request of the 
Board, the Secretary of Commerce shall provide to the Board any 
facilities and administrative and other support services necessary for 
the Board to carry out its responsibilities.
    ``(g) Annual Reports.--The Board shall submit a report annually to 
the President and the Congress regarding its activities. Each report 
shall describe the assistance provided from the Digital Bridge Trust 
Fund during the year for which the report is made and any effects of 
such assistance in meeting the information technology needs of rural, 
urban, and Native American communities.

``SEC. 133. PROVISION OF DIGITAL BRIDGE ASSISTANCE.

    ``(a) Allocation of Assistance.--In providing assistance pursuant 
to this section, the Board shall ensure that, notwithstanding any 
provision of law referred to in subsection (b), all such assistance 
is--
            ``(1) made available for the benefit of rural and urban 
        areas, and Native Americans, in a manner that targets such 
        assistance for areas, communities, and populations (including 
        low-income families and individuals) that are underserved with 
        respect to information technology needs, employment, and 
        education; and
            ``(2) to the greatest extent possible, ensure that such 
        assistance is appropriately allocated so that rural and urban 
        areas, and Native Americans, are each fairly served by such 
        amounts.
    ``(b) Required Minimum Assistance.--Except as provided in 
subsections (c) and (d), from the amount made available under section 
135 for each of fiscal years 2001 through 2010, the Board shall make 
assistance available for the following activities in the following 
amounts:
            ``(1) Teacher training.--For each such fiscal year, not 
        less than $300,000,000 for assistance under section 3122 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6832) 
        for training teachers to use technology effectively in the 
        classroom.
            ``(2) Community technology centers.--For each such fiscal 
        year, not less than $200,000,000 for assistance under section 
        3122 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 6832) for establishing community technology centers to 
        provide individuals who cannot afford access to computers, 
        technology training, and technological tools such access 
        appropriate to improve their educational performance and their 
        ability to compete for and hold jobs.
            ``(3) Neighborhood network learning centers.--For each such 
        fiscal year, not less than $200,000,000 for assistance by the 
        Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for public-private 
        partnerships to establish neighborhood learning centers 
        providing computer-based services to help residents of 
        federally assisted housing learn critical computer skills that 
        will improve their educational performance and employment 
        qualifications.
            ``(4) Technology development fund.--For each such fiscal 
        year, not less than $200,000,000 for the Technology Development 
        Fund under section 714 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
        U.S.C. 614) to provide loans and investment capital to small 
        communications businesses to stimulate new technological growth 
        and development, promote universal service, and enhance the 
        delivery of telecommunications services to rural and 
        underserved areas.
            ``(5) Technology opportunity program.--For each such fiscal 
        year, not less than $145,000,000 for grants under the 
        Technology Opportunity Program of the Secretary of Commerce 
        pursuant to subpart A of part IV of the Communications Act of 
        1934 (47 U.S.C. 390 et seq.) to provide matching funds to 
        State, local, and tribal governments and nonprofit entities to 
        extend the benefit of information technology to all Americans, 
        especially those in underserved areas.
            ``(6) Rural, urban, and native american technology 
        training.--For each such fiscal year, not less than 
        $300,000,000 for preparing residents of rural and urban areas, 
        and Native Americans, for careers in programming, database 
        development, network engineering, and other advance information 
        and technical fields.
            ``(7) Broadband network deployment.--For each such fiscal 
        year, not less than $100,000,000 for assistance regarding 
        deployment of broadband networks (including wireless and 
        wireline technologies), except that of such amount in each such 
        fiscal year--
                    ``(A) not less than $2,000,000 shall be available 
                only for research activities of the National 
                Telecommunications and Information Administration 
                regarding improvement of broadband (including wireless 
                and wireline) technology in support of next-generation 
                Internet; and
                    ``(B) not less than $98,000,000 shall be available 
                only for assistance under the Public Works and Economic 
                Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq.) for 
                implementing deployment of such networks.
            ``(8) Home internet access program.--For each such fiscal 
        year, not less than $100,000,000 for grants under a Home 
        Internet Access Program of the National Telecommunications and 
        Information Administration pursuant to subpart A of part IV of 
        the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 390 et seq.) to 
        assist public-private partnerships to address the needs of low-
        income individuals and families in gaining access to technology 
        and online resources at home, except that notwithstanding 
        subsections (a) and (c) of section 392 of such Act, such 
        amounts may be used to support activities to provide low-income 
        individuals and families with access to the Internet in their 
        homes.
            ``(9) Falling through the net survey.--Only for fiscal 
        years 2004 and 2007, not less than $500,000 for each such 
        fiscal year for the National Telecommunications and Information 
        Administration for conducting the Falling Through the Net 
        survey, pursuant to sections 901 and 902 of the National 
        Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization 
        Act (47 U.S.C. 901, 902) to determine the extent to which 
        Americans have access to telephones, computers, and the 
        Internet.
    ``(c) Assistance Allocated at Discretion of Board.--The Board shall 
use any amounts made available under section 135 for any fiscal year 
that are in excess of the amounts required to be used for assistance 
under subsection (b) to provide--
            ``(1) assistance under the programs referred to in such 
        paragraph in addition to the amounts required under such 
        paragraph; or
            ``(2) other assistance, as the Board determines 
        appropriate, to serve the information technology needs of, or 
        improve the information technology educational or employment 
        opportunities for, residents of rural and urban areas, and 
        Native Americans, that are underserved with respect to 
        information technology needs, jobs, and education.
The Board shall have complete discretion to make amounts available 
under this paragraph for any of the purposes referred to in this 
paragraph in such amounts as the Board determines appropriate.
    ``(d) Authority To Reduce Required Assistance in Second 5 Years.--
In any of fiscal years 2006 through 2010, the Board may, by a vote of 
not less than 8 members of the Board held not more than 3 months before 
the beginning of such fiscal year, waive the applicability of any one 
or more of the paragraphs of subsection (b) for such fiscal year and 
provide assistance for such fiscal year for the purpose referred to in 
such paragraph in any reduced amount determined appropriate by the 
Board. Any amounts otherwise required to be used under any such 
paragraph of subsection (b) that are available by reason of action by 
the Board pursuant to this subsection shall be treated as excess 
amounts to be to allocated and made available by the Board under 
subsection (c).
    ``(e) Prohibited Activities.--Notwithstanding any provision of 
subsection (b) or (c), amounts made available under section 135 may not 
be used for the construction, rehabilitation, or acquisition of any 
structure in which to provide training or other information technology 
services assisted pursuant to subsection (a).

``SEC. 134. REGULATIONS.

    The Secretary of Commerce may prescribe such regulations as may be 
necessary to carry out this part.

``SEC. 135. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    For each of fiscal years 2001 through 2010 there are authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out this part an amount equal to the amount 
deposited to the Digital Bridge Trust Fund for such fiscal year 
pursuant to section 131.''.
    (b) Repeal.--Effective October 1, 2010, part C of the National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act is 
repealed.

SEC. 3. REDUCTION OF EXCISE TAX ON TELEPHONE AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS 
              SERVICES.

    (a) Reduction.--Section 4251(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 is amended to read as follows:
            ``(2) Applicable percentage.--The term `applicable 
        percentage' means 1.5 percent.''
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply to amounts paid pursuant to bills first rendered after September 
30, 2000.
    (b) Repeal.--Subchapter B of chapter 33 of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986 is repealed effective with respect to bills rendered on or 
after October 1, 2010.
    (c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that 
providers of communications services (as such term is defined in 
section 4251(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) should not 
increase rates for such services based upon any reduction in the excise 
tax on such services pursuant to the amendments made by this section.
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