[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 193 (Wednesday, November 3, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H6141-H6143]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1330
 ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO RURAL INTERNET DEVELOPMENT GRANT ELIGIBILITY 
                                  ACT

  Mr. PAPPAS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3193) to amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act 
of 1965 to provide for a high-speed broadband deployment initiative, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3193

       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 ``Eliminating Barriers to 
     Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility Act'' or the 
     ``E-BRIDGE Act''.

     SEC. 2. HIGH-SPEED BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT INITIATIVE.

       (a) In General.--Title II of the Public Works and Economic 
     Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3141 et seq.) is amended 
     by adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 219. HIGH-SPEED BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT INITIATIVE.

       ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Broadband project.--The term `broadband project' 
     means, for the purpose of providing, extending, expanding, or 
     improving high-speed broadband service to further the goals 
     of this Act--
       ``(A) planning, technical assistance, or training;
       ``(B) the acquisition or development of land; or
       ``(C) the acquisition, design and engineering, 
     construction, rehabilitation, alteration, expansion, or 
     improvement of facilities, including related machinery, 
     equipment, contractual rights, and intangible property.
       ``(2) Eligible recipient.--
       ``(A) In general.--The term `eligible recipient' means an 
     eligible recipient.
       ``(B) Inclusions.--The term `eligible recipient' includes--
       ``(i) a public-private partnership; and
       ``(ii) a consortium formed for the purpose of providing, 
     extending, expanding, or improving high-speed broadband 
     service between 1 or more eligible recipients and 1 or more 
     for-profit organizations.
       ``(3) High-speed broadband.--The term `high-speed 
     broadband' means the provision of 2-way data transmission 
     with sufficient downstream and upstream speeds to end users 
     to permit effective participation in the economy and to 
     support economic growth, as determined by the Secretary.
       ``(b) Broadband Projects.--
       ``(1) In general.--On the application of an eligible 
     recipient, the Secretary may make grants under this title for 
     broadband projects, which shall be subject to the provisions 
     of this section.
       ``(2) Considerations.--In reviewing applications submitted 
     under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall take into 
     consideration geographic diversity of grants allocated, 
     including consideration of underserved markets, in addition 
     to data requested in paragraph (3).
       ``(3) Data requested.--In reviewing an application 
     submitted under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall request 
     from the Federal Communications Commission, the Administrator 
     of the National Telecommunications and Information 
     Administration, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the 
     Appalachian Regional Commission data on--
       ``(A) the level and extent of broadband service that exists 
     in the area proposed to be served; and
       ``(B) the level and extent of broadband service that will 
     be deployed in the area proposed to be served pursuant to 
     another Federal program.
       ``(4) Interest in real or personal property.--For any 
     broadband project carried out by an eligible recipient that 
     is a public-private partnership or consortium, the Secretary 
     shall require that title to any real or personal property 
     acquired or improved with grant funds, or if the recipient 
     will not acquire title, another possessory interest 
     acceptable to the Secretary, be vested in a public partner or 
     eligible nonprofit organization or association for the useful 
     life of the project, after which title may be transferred to 
     any member of the public-private partnership or consortium in 
     accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary.
       ``(5) Procurement.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, no person or entity shall be disqualified from competing 
     to provide goods or services related to a broadband project 
     on the basis that the person or entity participated in the 
     development of the broadband project or in the drafting of 
     specifications, requirements, statements of work, or similar 
     documents related to the goods or services to be provided.
       ``(6) Broadband project property.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may permit a recipient of 
     a grant for a broadband project to grant an option to acquire 
     real or personal property (including contractual rights and 
     intangible property) related to that project to a third party 
     on such terms as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, 
     subject to the condition that the option may only be 
     exercised after the Secretary releases the Federal interest 
     in the property.
       ``(B) Treatment.--The grant or exercise of an option 
     described in subparagraph (A) shall not constitute a 
     redistribution of grant funds under section 217.
       ``(c) Non-Federal Share.--In determining the amount of the 
     non-Federal share of the cost of a broadband project, the 
     Secretary may provide credit toward the non-Federal share for 
     the present value of allowable contributions over the useful 
     life of the broadband project, subject to the condition that 
     the Secretary may require such assurances of the value of the 
     rights and of the commitment of the rights as the Secretary 
     determines to be appropriate.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 
     1(b) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 
     (42 U.S.C. 3121 note; Public Law 89-136) is amended by 
     inserting after the item relating to section 218 the 
     following:

``Sec. 219. High-speed broadband deployment initiative.''.

     SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such 
     statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Hampshire (Mr. Pappas) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Hampshire.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PAPPAS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 3193, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Hampshire?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PAPPAS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3193, the Eliminating 
Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility, or E-BRIDGE, 
Act.
  Introduced by Ranking Member Graves and Representative Guest, the 
bill would create a high-speed

[[Page H6142]]

broadband initiative at the Economic Development Administration and 
clarify that public-private partnerships and consortiums are eligible 
for broadband project grant awards.
  Access to reliable high-speed internet is vital for participation in 
today's workforce and economy. Whether it is working or learning from 
home, communicating virtually with friends and family, shopping online, 
or consulting with your doctor remotely, almost every aspect of our 
daily lives now relies on a connection to the internet.
  Unfortunately, millions of people across the country still don't have 
access to high-speed internet. In my home State of New Hampshire, 10 
percent of households lack an internet subscription. This problem is 
especially prevalent in rural America.
  According to a study by the Pew Research Center, almost 30 percent of 
rural Americans don't have access to high-speed broadband internet 
services at home. This poses challenges for our small businesses, for 
students, for families.
  Passing this legislation will help our rural communities thrive by 
removing existing barriers to internet development.
  EDA already has the authority to award grants to fund the deployment 
of broadband infrastructure in communities in most need of assistance, 
but many communities lack the financial and technical resources 
necessary to properly develop broadband deployment strategies.
  In order to effectively deploy broadband projects in the last mile, 
local communities must have the flexibility to collaborate with public-
private partnerships and consortiums in developing these proposals. By 
clarifying that public-private partnerships and consortiums are 
eligible for EDA grants, H.R. 3193 ensures that communities can 
leverage private-sector expertise without disqualifying them from 
receiving assistance.
  This bill also provides grant applicants with additional flexibility 
in financing broadband infrastructure projects by clarifying that funds 
can be combined with other Federal resources and allowing real or 
personal property to count toward the non-Federal share of a project's 
cost.
  Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member for introducing this 
critical legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

                                         House of Representatives,


                              Committee on Financial Services,

                                 Washington, DC, November 3, 2021.
     Hon. Peter DeFazio,
     Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
         House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing concerning H.R. 3193, the 
     ``E-BRIDGE Act.'' In order to permit H.R. 3193 to proceed 
     expeditiously to the House Floor, I agree to forgo formal 
     consideration of the bill.
       The Committee on Financial Services takes this action to 
     forego formal consideration of H.R. 3193 in light of our 
     mutual understanding that, by foregoing formal consideration 
     of H.R. 3193 at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction 
     over the subject matter contained in this or similar 
     legislation, and that our Committee will be appropriately 
     consulted and involved as this or similar legislation moves 
     forward with regard to any matters in the Committee's 
     jurisdiction. The Committee also reserves the right to seek 
     appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any 
     House-Senate conference involving this or similar legislation 
     that involves the Committee's jurisdiction and request your 
     support for any such request.
       Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter 
     confirming this understanding, and I would ask that a copy of 
     our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the 
     Congressional Record during Floor consideration of H.R. 3193.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Maxine Waters,
     Chairwoman.
                                  ____

         House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and 
           Infrastructure,
                                 Washington, DC, November 3, 2021.
     Hon. Maxine Waters,
     Chairwoman, Committee on Financial Services,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairwoman Waters: Thank you for your letter regarding 
     H.R. 3193, the E-BRIDGE Act. I appreciate your willingness to 
     work cooperatively on this legislation.
       I acknowledge that by foregoing formal consideration on 
     H.R. 3193, the Committee on Financial Services does not waive 
     any future jurisdictional claims to provisions in this or 
     similar legislation, and that your Committee will be 
     consulted and involved on any matters in your Committee's 
     jurisdiction should this legislation move forward. In 
     addition, should a conference on the bill be necessary, I 
     would support your effort to seek appointment of an 
     appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate 
     conference involving provisions within this legislation on 
     which the Committee on Financial Services has a valid 
     jurisdictional claim.
       I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation, 
     and I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in 
     the Congressional Record during floor consideration of H.R. 
     3193.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Peter DeFazio,
                                                            Chair.

  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I am proud to be the sponsor of H.R. 3193, the 
Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility 
Act, or E-BRIDGE, along with the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. 
Guest).
  Unfortunately, too many of our communities, particularly in rural 
America, still lack broadband access. Broadband is critical to 
conducting business and attracting jobs for telehealth, education, and 
emergency preparedness and response efforts in this digital age.
  While Economic Development Administration, or EDA, grants may already 
be used to attract jobs in economically distressed areas, there are 
hurdles to using these grants for broadband projects, including 
difficult last-mile efforts that often delay rural broadband 
development. This bill removes those hurdles to help connect and 
revitalize our rural communities.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. PAPPAS. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest).
  Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, I would first like to thank Ranking Member 
Graves for his leadership on this important piece of legislation that 
would eliminate hurdles and leverage Economic Development 
Administration dollars to invest in broadband deployment across 
America's rural communities.
  By utilizing public-private partnerships and consortia between 
internet service providers and economic development agencies, EDA 
dollars could be leveraged to deploy broadband and spur modern economic 
development for rural and economically distressed communities.
  Many of these consortia exist within the private sector, including 
many large corporations working to deploy broadband across vast rural 
areas. However, EDA funds have been held back from small towns and 
communities working to attract private investment in their communities. 
The E-BRIDGE Act would directly respond to the needs of these 
communities and provide flexibility to leverage in-kind services and 
other Federal resources.
  The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the necessity of the internet 
in our lives and the need to close the digital divide that exists 
between rural and urban areas. This bill is supported by The App 
Association, American Farm Bureau, and the National Association of 
Development Organizations.
  I appreciate the chairman and ranking member for bringing this 
legislation to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. PAPPAS. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of 
my time to close.
  H.R. 3193 is going to ensure that rural and economically distressed 
communities are equipped to use EDA grants to develop high-speed 
broadband access. I feel very strongly about this bill, and I urge 
support of this important legislation.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PAPPAS. Madam Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Graves and Mr. 
Guest for their leadership on this important issue. I urge my 
colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Pappas) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3193, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.

[[Page H6143]]

  

  Mr. ROSENDALE. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

                          ____________________