[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2582 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

  2d Session
                                 S. 2582

   To establish a grant program to support broadband-based economic 
                          development efforts.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 24, 2004

 Mrs. Clinton introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To establish a grant program to support broadband-based economic 
                          development efforts.

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

SECTION 1. GRANTS FOR BROADBAND-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) In General.--Title II of the Public Works and Economic 
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3141 et seq.) is amended by adding 
at the end the following:

``SEC. 214. GRANTS FOR BROADBAND-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Eligible applicant.--The term `eligible applicant' 
        means--
                    ``(A) a State or local government;
                    ``(B) an institution of higher education; or
                    ``(C) a nonprofit economic development 
                organization.
            ``(2) Region.--The term `region' means an area--
                    ``(A) that is determined by the Secretary to 
                qualify for grants under this section; and
                    ``(B) that, on the date of submission of an 
                application for a grant under this section, meets 1 or 
                more of the criteria described in section 301(a).
    ``(b) Grants.--On the application of an eligible applicant, the 
Secretary may make grants--
            ``(1) to assess the telecommunications infrastructure of a 
        region;
            ``(2) to assess the telecommunications demand in a region; 
        and
            ``(3) to organize programs to boost the supply of high-
        speed telecommunications to a region, including demand 
        aggregation programs.
    ``(c) Criteria for Grant.--The Secretary may make a grant under 
this section only if the Secretary determines that the project proposed 
to be carried out using funds from the grant will advance high-speed 
telecommunications in an area with a population of not more than 
1,000,000 individuals, as determined by the Office of Management and 
Budget.
    ``(d) Maximum Assistance for Each Region.--Not more than $1,000,000 
of the amounts made available to carry out this section may be expended 
in any 1 region.
    ``(e) Cost Sharing.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Federal share of the cost of a 
        project carried out using funds made available under this 
        section shall be 50 percent.
            ``(2) In-kind contributions.--Not more than 50 percent of 
        the non-Federal share of the cost of a project carried out 
        using funds made available under this section may be provided 
        through in-kind contributions.
            ``(3) Inapplicability of certain section.--Section 204 
        shall not apply to this section.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000, to remain available 
until expended.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents contained in 
section 1(b) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 
(42 U.S.C. 3121 note) is amended by inserting after the item relating 
to section 213 the following:

``Sec. 214. Grants for broadband-based economic development.''.
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