[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3517 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3517

 To establish a program to assist States and local governments for the 
    conduct of electronic governance transactions at libraries and 
       elementary and secondary schools, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 28, 2005

 Mr. Andrews introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a program to assist States and local governments for the 
    conduct of electronic governance transactions at libraries and 
       elementary and secondary schools, 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 ``Greater Access to E-Governance Act'' 
or the ``GATE Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

     It is the purpose of this Act to establish a grant program to 
provide funds to State and local governments to enable them to deploy 
broadband computer networks for the conduct of electronic governance 
transactions by citizens in local schools and libraries.

SEC. 3. GRANT AUTHORIZATION.

    (a) Terms for Authorization.--From the funds appropriated under 
section 6, the Secretary shall make grants to State governments and 
units of local government to carry out activities consistent with 
subsection (b). Such grants shall--
            (1) be awarded to urban and rural governments that are 
        deploying or plan to deploy community-based schools or 
        communities of learning which will utilize electronic 
        governance transactions processing systems; and
            (2) contain such other provision as the Secretary considers 
        necessary pursuant to this Act.
    (b) Use of Grant Proceeds.--Grants made available to a State 
government or unit of local government under this Act may be used--
            (1) to hire contractors or non-profit organizations to 
        deploy and manage the broadband computer networks needed to 
        permit citizens to conduct governance transactions 
        electronically rather than on paper;
            (2) to acquire broadband infrastructure, computers, and 
        other equipment for such networks; and
            (3) to acquire related software and services to support 
        such networks.

SEC. 4. ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.

    (a) Grant Allocation Criteria.--Under the criteria set forth under 
this section, the Secretary shall decide which State governments and 
units of local governments will be awarded grants to carry out activity 
consistent with section 3(b).
    (b) Allocation Criteria.--Such criteria shall--
            (1) require cost-benefit analysis for deployment of 
        broadband infrastructure, network and equipment;
            (2) require that the Federal share of the cost of any such 
        activity not exceed 60 percent;
            (3) require documentation that clearly defines preexisting 
        user fee-driven government transactions and service delivery 
        processing systems, paper or electronic, that can be readily 
        deployed to the World Wide Web;
            (4) require documented expertise in information technology 
        deployment by the deployment entity;
            (5) require deployment partnership contracts;
            (6) designate grant allocation to State agencies, such as 
        departments of education or departments of community affairs, 
        that statutorily distribute governmental resources to city, 
        regional, and local units of government, financing authorities, 
        and school districts; and
            (7) require that any State government that receives a grant 
        under this Act will ensure that at least 50 percent of such 
        grant will be used for the benefit of rural areas in such 
        State.

SEC. 5. REGULATIONS.

     The Secretary may issue such regulations as may be necessary and 
appropriate to carry out this Act.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

     There are authorized to be appropriated to make grants under this 
Act such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003 and each of the 
4 succeeding fiscal years.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

     For the purposes of this Act:
            (1) Broadband infrastructure.--The term ``broadband 
        infrastructure'' means fiber optic, digital subscriber lines 
        (DSL), cable transmission, broadband wireless, and broadband 
        satellite mediums.
            (2) Electronic governance transaction.--The term 
        ``electronic governance transaction'' means any electronic 
        transaction between a citizen and an agency of State or local 
        government, exercised both by the public through the democratic 
        process, and by the executive, legislative, and judicial 
        branches of government in their management and oversight of 
        operations, and includes issuing of marriage licenses, building 
        permits, professional licenses, or other licenses, 
        registrations, permits, deeds, titles, certificates, or 
        records, and providing of government services, including 
        electronic benefits transfer, technology skills training, 
        distance or lifelong learning, business and industry 
        educational needs, and other relevant government services.
            (3) Deployment partnership contract.--The term ``deployment 
        partnership contract'' means a legally binding contract entered 
        into by all relevant entities participating in the repayment 
        process.
            (4) Deployment entity.--The term ``deployment entity'' 
        means the State agency, local government unit, private sector 
        company, or nonprofit organization contracted to deploy and 
        manage the broadband networked computer system.
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Commerce.
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