[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2669 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2669

To improve access to telecommunications and Internet services in rural 
                                 areas.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 27, 2001

Mr. Moran of Kansas (for himself, Mr. Osborne, Mr. Pickering, Mr. Hall 
 of Texas, Mrs. Clayton, Mr. Goode, Mr. Bishop, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. 
 Thune, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Schaffer, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Chambliss, Mr. 
Brady of Texas, Mr. Stenholm, Mr. Boswell, Mr. Thompson of California, 
  Mr. Pomeroy, Mr. Condit, Mrs. Emerson, Mr. Berry, Mr. Gibbons, Mr. 
Etheridge, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Rehberg, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Strickland, Mr. Kind, 
and Mr. John) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To improve access to telecommunications and Internet services in rural 
                                 areas.

    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 ``Rural Telecommunications Enhancement 
Act''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF LOANS AND GRANTS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO 
              TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INTERNET SERVICES IN RURAL AREAS.

    (a) Loans.--
            (1) Authority.--The Secretary of Agriculture (in this 
        section referred to as the ``Secretary'') may make a loan to an 
        eligible entity to finance the improvement, expansion, 
        construction, acquisition, and operation of systems of 
        facilities to furnish or improve broadband transmission service 
        in rural areas.
            (2) Interest rate.--The Secretary shall charge and collect 
        interest on a loan made under this section at a rate equal to 
        the coupon equivalent yield on obligations of the United States 
        with comparable maturity issued at the most recent auction of 
        such obligations by the Department of the Treasury.
            (3) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not make more than 
        $500,000,000 in loans under this subsection per fiscal year 
        during fiscal years 2002 through 2011.
    (b) Grants.--The Secretary of Agriculture may make a grant under 
this section to an eligible entity to finance the improvement, 
expansion, construction, acquisition, and operation of systems of 
facilities to furnish or improve broadband transmission service in 
rural areas.
    (c) Technology Neutrality.--In determining whether or not to make a 
loan or grant to an entity under this section, the type of technology 
proposed to be employed by the entity may not be taken into 
consideration.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
        legally organized non-Federal public or private entity, 
        including an incorporated or a limited liability entity, 
        cooperative, non-profit organization, or limited dividend or 
        mutual association, that provides, or proposes to provide, 
        broadband transmission service in a rural area.
            (2) Rural area.--The term ``rural area'' means a city, 
        town, or unincorporated area that has a population of not more 
        than 25,000 inhabitants.
    (e) Limitations on Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) Loans.--For the cost (as defined in section 502(5) of 
        the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990) of loans under this 
        section, there are authorized to be appropriated to the 
        Secretary of Agriculture a total of not more than $10,000,000 
        for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2011.
            (2) Grants.--For grants under this section, there are 
        authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture 
        not more than $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 
        2011.
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