[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3024 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 3024

To direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a program 
 to make grants available to States to inform Medicaid enrollees, SNAP 
participants, and low-income residents of potential eligibility for the 
 Affordable Connectivity and Lifeline programs of the Commission, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 4, 2023

  Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Markey, Mr. Welch, Mr. 
  Padilla, Ms. Duckworth, and Ms. Klobuchar) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a program 
 to make grants available to States to inform Medicaid enrollees, SNAP 
participants, and low-income residents of potential eligibility for the 
 Affordable Connectivity and Lifeline programs of the Commission, 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 ``Promoting Access to Broadband Act of 
2023''.

SEC. 2. AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY AND LIFELINE ENROLLMENT OUTREACH 
              GRANTS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
        Communications Commission.
            (2) Covered individuals.--The term ``covered individuals'' 
        means--
                    (A) Medicaid enrollees;
                    (B) SNAP participants; and
                    (C) low-income residents.
            (3) Covered program.--The term ``covered program'' means--
                    (A) the Affordable Connectivity Program established 
                under section 904(b) of division N of the Consolidated 
                Appropriations Act, 2021 (47 U.S.C. 1752(b)), or any 
                successor program; and
                    (B) the Lifeline program established under subpart 
                E of part 54 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, 
                or any successor regulation.
            (4) Eligible-but-not-enrolled.--The term ``eligible-but-
        not-enrolled'' means, with respect to an individual, that the 
        individual is eligible for, but is not enrolled in, a covered 
        program.
            (5) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
        meaning given the term ``Indian tribe'' in section 4 of the 
        Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act 
        of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103).
            (6) Low-income.--The term ``low-income'' means a gross 
        annual income that qualifies a household for participation in a 
        covered program.
            (7) Medicaid enrollee.--The term ``Medicaid enrollee'' 
        means, with respect to a State, an individual enrolled in the 
        State plan under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) or a waiver of that plan.
            (8) Reach.--The term ``reach'' means, with respect to an 
        individual, to inform the individual of potential eligibility 
        for a covered program and to provide the individual with 
        information about the covered program, as described in 
        subsection (e).
            (9) SNAP participant.--The term ``SNAP participant'' means 
        an individual who is a member of a household that participates 
        in the supplemental nutrition assistance program under the Food 
        and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.).
            (10) State.--The term ``State'' means each State of the 
        United States, the District of Columbia, each commonwealth, 
        territory, or possession of the United States, and each Indian 
        Tribe.
    (b) Establishment.--The Commission shall establish a competitive 
program to make grants available to States to inform covered 
individuals of potential eligibility for a covered program.
    (c) Application.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission may only award a grant 
        under this section to a State that submits an application at 
        such time, in such form, and with such information and 
        assurances as the Commission may require.
            (2) Matters required to be included.--An application 
        submitted by a State under paragraph (1) shall include--
                    (A) the number of covered individuals in the State;
                    (B) a plan for the activities that the State will 
                conduct using grant funds, including a list of each 
                agency within the State that will assist in carrying 
                out those activities; and
                    (C) an estimate of the percentage of eligible-but-
                not-enrolled individuals in the State who will be 
                reached by those activities.
    (d) Selection.--
            (1) Minimum of 5 states.--The Commission shall award grants 
        under this section to not fewer than 5 States.
            (2) Factors for consideration.--In awarding grants under 
        this section, the Commission shall give favorable 
        consideration--
                    (A) to States that have higher numbers of covered 
                individuals; and
                    (B) to States proposing, in the plans submitted 
                under subsection (c)(2)(B), to conduct activities that 
                have the potential to reach higher percentages of 
                eligible-but-not-enrolled individuals in those States, 
                as determined by the Commission, taking into 
                consideration the estimates submitted under subsection 
                (c)(2)(C).
            (3) Geographic diversity.--In awarding grants under this 
        section, the Commission shall, to the maximum extent 
        practicable, select States from different geographic regions of 
        the United States.
    (e) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--A State that receives a grant under this 
        section shall use grant funds, in accordance with the plan 
        included in the application of the State under subsection 
        (c)(2)(B), to--
                    (A) inform covered individuals and organizations or 
                agencies that serve those individuals, as the case may 
                be under the terms of the grant awarded to the State, 
                of potential eligibility for a covered program;
                    (B) provide those covered individuals with 
                information about covered programs, including--
                            (i) how to apply for a covered program; and
                            (ii) a description of the prohibition on 
                        more than 1 subscriber in each household 
                        receiving a service provided under a covered 
                        program; and
                    (C) partner with nonprofit and community-based 
                organizations to provide those covered individuals with 
                assistance applying for a covered program and 
                information about product and technology choices.
            (2) Multiple state agencies.--A State that receives a grant 
        under this section may provide grant funds to 1 or more 
        agencies located within the State, as identified under 
        subsection (c)(2)(B), to carry out the activities under the 
        grant.
    (f) Outreach to States Regarding Grant Program.--Before accepting 
applications for the grant program established under this section, the 
Commission shall conduct outreach to States to ensure that States are 
aware of the grant program and how to apply for a grant under the grant 
program.
    (g) Regulations Required.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall promulgate regulations to 
implement this section.
    (h) Enforcement.--A violation of this section or a regulation 
promulgated under this section shall be treated as a violation of the 
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) or a regulation 
promulgated under such Act. The Commission shall enforce this section 
and the regulations promulgated under this section in the same manner, 
by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, and duties 
as though all applicable terms and provisions of the Communications Act 
of 1934 were incorporated into and made a part of this section.
    (i) Exemptions.--
            (1) Certain rulemaking requirements.--Section 553 of title 
        5, United States Code, shall not apply to a regulation 
        promulgated under this section or a rulemaking proceeding to 
        promulgate such a regulation.
            (2) Paperwork reduction act requirements.--A collection of 
        information conducted or sponsored under the regulations 
        required under this section shall not constitute a collection 
        of information for the purposes of subchapter I of chapter 35 
        of title 44, United States Code (commonly known as the 
        ``Paperwork Reduction Act'').
    (j) Report to Congress.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after establishing 
        the grant program under this section, the Commission shall 
        submit to Congress a report evaluating the effectiveness of the 
        grant program.
            (2) Contents.--The report submitted under paragraph (1) 
        shall include--
                    (A) the number of individuals notified of covered 
                program eligibility by States receiving grants under 
                this section;
                    (B) the number of new applicants to a covered 
                program from States receiving grants under this 
                section, including the number of those applicants who 
                enrolled in a covered program; and
                    (C) the cost-effectiveness of the grant program 
                established under this section.
    (k) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Commission such sums as may be necessary to carry 
out this section for the first 5 full fiscal years beginning after the 
establishment of the grant program under this section.

SEC. 3. GRANTS TO STATES TO STRENGTHEN NATIONAL LIFELINE ELIGIBILITY 
              VERIFIER.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
        Communications Commission.
            (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
        State that, not later than 30 days after the date of enactment 
        of this Act, submits to the Commission an application for a 
        grant under this section containing such information as the 
        Commission may require.
            (3) State.--The term ``State'' means each State of the 
        United States, the District of Columbia, each commonwealth, 
        territory, or possession of the United States, and each 
        federally recognized Indian Tribe.
    (b) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall establish a program to 
provide a grant, from amounts appropriated under subsection (e), to 
each eligible entity for the purpose described in subsection (c).
    (c) Purpose.--The Commission shall make a grant to each eligible 
entity for the purpose of establishing, renewing, reestablishing, or 
maintaining or amending a connection between the databases of the 
eligible entity that contain information concerning the receipt by a 
household, or a member of a household, of benefits under a program 
administered by the eligible entity (including any benefit provided 
under the supplemental nutrition assistance program under the Food and 
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.)) and the National 
Lifeline Eligibility Verifier so that the receipt by a household, or a 
member of a household, of benefits under the benefits program--
            (1) is reflected in the National Lifeline Eligibility 
        Verifier; and
            (2) can be used to verify eligibility for--
                    (A) the Lifeline program established under subpart 
                E, part 54, of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, 
                or any successor regulation; and
                    (B) the Affordable Connectivity Program established 
                under section 904(b) of division N of the Consolidated 
                Appropriations Act, 2021 (47 U.S.C. 1752(b)), or any 
                successor program.
    (d) Disbursement of Grant Funds.--Not later than 120 days after the 
date on which the Commission establishes the program under subsection 
(b), funds provided under each grant made under such subsection shall 
be disbursed to the eligible entity receiving such grant.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriation.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
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