[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 109 (Thursday, June 28, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S4755]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3360. Mr. PERDUE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 3224 proposed by Mr. Roberts (for himself and Ms. 
Stabenow) to the bill H.R. 2, to provide for the reform and 
continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of 
Agriculture through fiscal year 2023, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle B of title VI, add the following:

     SEC. 62__. MIDDLE MILE BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE.

       Section 601 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 
     U.S.C. 950bb) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by inserting ``middle mile 
     infrastructure'' before ``in rural areas'';
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
       (B) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
       ``(3) Middle mile infrastructure.--
       ``(A) In general.--The term `middle mile infrastructure' 
     means any broadband infrastructure that does not connect 
     directly to an end user location (including an anchor 
     institution).
       ``(B) Inclusions.--The term `middle mile infrastructure' 
     may include interoffice transport, backhaul, internet 
     connectivity, data centers, or special access transport to 
     rural areas.'';
       (3) in subsection (c) (as amended by section 6206(2))--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``and to construct, 
     improve, or acquire middle mile infrastructure'' after 
     ``broadband service'';
       (B) in paragraph (2)(A)(i) (as amended by section 
     6206(2)(C)) by inserting ``or, in the case of middle mile 
     infrastructure, offer the future ability to link'' after 
     ``provide broadband service''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(5) Limitation on middle mile infrastructure projects.--
     The Secretary shall limit grants, loans, or loan guarantees 
     for middle mile infrastructure projects to not more than 20 
     percent of the amounts made available to carry out this 
     section.'';
       (4) in subsection (d)--
       (A) in paragraph (1)(A)--
       (i) in clause (i), by inserting ``or extend middle mile 
     infrastructure'' before ``to all''; and
       (ii) in clause (iii) (as amended by section 
     6206(3)(A)(i)(III)), by inserting ``or middle mile 
     infrastructure'' before ``described'';
       (B) in paragraph (2)--
       (i) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``or install middle 
     mile infrastructure'' before ``in the proposed''; and
       (ii) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(D) Exception for middle mile infrastructure.--Portions 
     of a middle mile infrastructure project that uses funds 
     provided under this section that otherwise meet the rural 
     service requirements of this section may traverse an area 
     that is not a rural area when necessary.'';
       (C) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``, or to construct, 
     improve, or acquire middle mile infrastructure in,'' before 
     ``a rural area'';
       (D) in paragraph (5)(A)(v), by inserting ``or, in the case 
     of middle mile infrastructure, connect'' after ``to 
     service''; and
       (E) in paragraph (8)(A)(ii)--
       (i) in subclause (I), by inserting ``or may'' before 
     ``receive'';
       (ii) in subclause (II), by inserting ``or capability of 
     middle mile infrastructure'' after ``service''; and
       (iii) in subclause (III), by striking ``area'' and 
     inserting ``area, if applicable'';
       (5) in subsection (i)--
       (A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ``or Middle 
     Mile Infrastructure'' after ``Service''; and
       (B) by inserting ``or middle mile infrastructure'' before 
     ``in rural areas''; and
       (6) in subsection (j)(6), by inserting ``or middle mile 
     infrastructure'' after ``service'' the first and third places 
     it appears.
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