[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1328 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1328
To establish the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 25, 2019
Mr. Tonko (for himself and Mrs. Brooks of Indiana) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth, 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 ``Advancing Critical Connectivity
Expands Service, Small Business Resources, Opportunities, Access, and
Data Based on Assessed Need and Demand Act'' or the ``ACCESS BROADBAND
Act''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OFFICE OF INTERNET CONNECTIVITY AND
GROWTH.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Assistant Secretary shall establish the Office of Internet
Connectivity and Growth within the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration.
SEC. 3. DUTIES.
(a) Outreach.--The Office shall--
(1) connect with communities that need access to high-speed
internet and improved digital inclusion efforts through various
forms of outreach and communication techniques;
(2) hold regional workshops across the country to share
best practices and effective strategies for promoting broadband
access and adoption;
(3) develop targeted broadband training and presentations
for various demographic communities through various media; and
(4) develop and distribute publications (including
toolkits, primers, manuals, and white papers) providing
guidance, strategies, and insights to communities as the
communities develop strategies to expand broadband access and
adoption.
(b) Tracking of Federal Dollars.--
(1) Broadband infrastructure.--The Office shall track the
construction and use of and access to any broadband
infrastructure built using any Federal support in a central
database.
(2) Accounting mechanism.--The Office shall develop a
streamlined accounting mechanism by which any agency offering a
Federal broadband support program and the Commission through
the Universal Service Fund shall provide the information
described in paragraph (1) in a standardized and efficient
fashion.
(3) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and every year thereafter, the Office
shall make public on the website of the Office and submit to
the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate a report on the following:
(A) A description of the work of the Office for the
previous year and the number of residents of the United
States that received broadband as result of Federal
broadband support programs and the Universal Service
Fund program.
(B) A description of how many residents of the
United States were provided broadband by which
universal service mechanism or which Federal broadband
support program.
(C) An estimate of the economic impact of such
broadband deployment efforts on the local economy,
including any effect on small businesses or jobs.
SEC. 4. STREAMLINED APPLICATIONS FOR SUPPORT.
(a) Agency Consultation.--The Office shall consult with any agency
offering a Federal broadband support program to streamline and
standardize the applications process for financial assistance or grants
for such program.
(b) Agency Streamlining.--Any agency offering a Federal broadband
support program shall amend their applications for broadband support,
to the extent practicable and as necessary, to streamline and
standardize applications for Federal broadband support programs across
the Government.
(c) Single Application.--To the greatest extent practicable, the
Office shall seek to create one application that may be submitted to
apply for all, or substantially all, Federal broadband support
programs.
(d) Website Required.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Office shall create a central website
through which potential applicants can learn about and apply for
support through any Federal broadband support program.
SEC. 5. COORDINATION OF SUPPORT.
The Office, any agency that offers a Federal broadband support
program, and the Commission through the Universal Service Fund shall
coordinate with the Office to ensure that support is being distributed
in an efficient, technology-neutral, and financially sustainable
manner, with the goal of serving the largest number of persons in the
United States while avoiding overbuilding and promoting the most job
and economic growth for all residents of the United States.
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning given that
term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code.
(2) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary''
means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications
and Information.
(3) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal
Communications Commission.
(4) Federal broadband support program.--The term ``Federal
broadband support program'' does not include any Universal
Service Fund program and means any of the following programs
(or any other similar Federal program) to the extent the
program offers broadband internet service or programs for
promoting broadband access and adoption for various demographic
communities through various media for residential, commercial,
community providers, or academic establishments:
(A) The Telecommunications and Technology Program
of the Appalachian Regional Commission.
(B) The Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and
Loan Guarantees, the Rural Broadband Access Loans and
Loan Guarantees, the Substantially Underserved Trust
Areas Provisions, the Community Connect Grant Program,
and the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant
Program of the Rural Utilities Service of the
Department of Agriculture.
(C) The Public Works and Economic Adjustment
Assistance Programs and the Planning and Local
Technical Assistance Programs of the Economic
Development Administration of the Department of
Commerce.
(D) The Community Development Block Grants and
Section 108 Loan Guarantees, the Funds for Public
Housing Authorities: Capital Fund and Operating Fund,
the Multifamily Housing, the Indian Community
Development Block Grant Program, the Indian Housing
Block Grant Program, the Title VI Loan Guarantee
Program, Choice Neighborhoods, the HOME Investment
Partnerships Program, the Housing Trust Fund, and the
Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS of the
Department of Housing and Urban Development.
(E) The American Job Centers of the Employment and
Training Administration of the Department of Labor.
(F) The Library Services and Technology Grant
Programs of the Institute of Museum and Library
Services.
(5) Office.--The term ``Office'' means the Office of
Internet Connectivity and Growth established pursuant to
section 2.
(6) Universal service fund program.--The term ``Universal
Service Fund program'' means any program authorized under
section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254)
to help deploy broadband.
(7) Universal service mechanism.--The term ``universal
service mechanism'' means any funding stream provided by a
Universal Service Fund program to support broadband access.
SEC. 7. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this Act is intended to alter or amend any provision of
section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254).
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