[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 13, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1897-S1898]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Sanders, Mr. 
        Menendez, Mr. Markey, Mrs. Murray, and Ms. Klobuchar):
  S. 1102. A bill to direct the Federal Communications Commission to 
establish a program to make grants to States to inform Medicaid 
enrollees, SNAP participants, and low-income residents of potential 
eligibility for the Lifeline program of the Commission; to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1102

       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 2021''.

     SEC. 2. 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) Eligible-but-not-enrolled.--The term ``eligible-but-
     not-enrolled'' means, with respect to an individual, that the 
     individual is eligible for the Lifeline program but is not 
     enrolled in the Lifeline program.
       (4) Lifeline program.--The term ``Lifeline program'' means 
     the Lifeline program of the Commission.
       (5) Low-income.--The term ``low-income'' means a gross 
     annual income at or below 135 percent of the Federal poverty 
     level.
       (6) 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.
       (7) Reach.--The term ``reach'' means, with respect to an 
     individual, to inform the individual of potential eligibility 
     for the Lifeline program and to provide the individual with 
     information about the Lifeline program, as described in 
     subsection (e).
       (8) 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.).
       (9) 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.--The Commission shall establish a 
     competitive program to make grants to States to inform 
     covered individuals of potential eligibility for the Lifeline 
     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 the Lifeline program;
       (B) provide those covered individuals with information 
     about the Lifeline program, including--
       (i) how to apply for the Lifeline program; and
       (ii) a description of the prohibition on more than 1 
     subscriber in each household receiving a service provided 
     under the Lifeline program; and

[[Page S1898]]

       (C) partner with nonprofit and community-based 
     organizations to provide those covered individuals with 
     assistance applying for the Lifeline 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 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) 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 Lifeline program 
     eligibility by States receiving grants under this section;
       (B) the number of new applicants to the Lifeline program 
     from States receiving grants under this section, including 
     the number of those applicants whose Lifeline program 
     applications were approved and the number of those applicants 
     whose Lifeline program applications were denied; and
       (C) the cost-effectiveness of the grant program established 
     under this section.
       (h) 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.

                          ____________________