[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.
____________________