,i  #aad? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #caeb  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,july #bb1 #bjae ,mr4 
,nolan introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0   
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,agriculture1 
& 9 addition to ! ,committee on ,en]gy &
 ,comm]ce1 = a p]iod to be subsequ5tly  
det]m9$ by ! ,speak]1 9 ea* case =      
consid]ation ( su* provisions z fall )9 
! jurisdiction ( ! committee conc]n$  ,a
 ,,bill  ,to am5d ! ,rural              
,electrification ,act ( #aicf to e/abli%
 an ,(fice ( ,rural ,broadb&            
,initiatives 9 ! ,dep>tm5t (            
,agriculture1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4    
,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !   
,rural ,broadb& ,initiative ,act4  #b4  
,f9d+s ,! ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3  7#a7
 ,! ,rural ,electrification ,act ( #aicf
 help$ br+ electricity & telephone      
s]vice to rural ,am]ica1 ?us remov+     
major b>ri]s to ! developm5t ( our rural
 economies4  7#b7 ,a lack ( af=dable    
broadb& pres5ts a simil> b>ri] to !     
developm5t ( our rural economy4  7#c7   

,accord+ to ! ,f$]al ,communications    
,commission1 #ec p]c5t ( rural ,am]icans
 lack access to s]vice deliv]+ broadb&  
spe$s ( #be ,mbps = d[nloads & #c ,mbps 
= uploads4  7#d7 ,high-spe$ broadb&     
access helps rural communities compete &
 gr[ 9 our digital economy4  #c4 ,s5se (
 ! ,congress ,x is ! s5se ( ! ,congress 
t necess>y funds %\ld be made available 
to provide univ]sal & af=dable broadb&  
access to ! ,unit$ ,/ates ( ,am]ica ) a 
focus on und]s]v$ rural communities4    
#d4 ,(fice ( ,rural ,broadb&            
,initiatives  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,title ,,vi (
 ! ,rural ,electrification ,act ( #aicf 
7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #iej;bb et seq47 is       
am5d$-- 7#a7 by r$esignat+ sections #fja
 ?r\gh #fjc z sections #fjc ?r\gh #fje1 
respectively2 &  7#b7 by ins]t+ be=e    
section #fjc 7z s r$esignat$7 ! foll[+  
new sections3  #fja4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is 
title3  7#a7 ,(fice ,! t]m ,(fice means 
! ,(fice ( ,rural ,broadb& ,initiatives 
e/abli%$ by section #fjb7;a77#a74  7#b7 
,"u ,secret>y ,! t]m ,"u ,secret>y means

 ! ,"u ,secret>y = ,rural ,broadb&      
,initiatives appo9t$ "u section         
#fjb7;a77#b74  #fjb4 ,(fice ( ,rural    
,broadb& ,initiatives  7a7 ,e/abli%m5t  
7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,!re is e/abli%$ 9 !      
,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture an (fice to be 
kn[n z ! ,(fice ( ,rural ,broadb&       
,initiatives4  7#b7 ,"u ,secret>y ,!    
head ( ! ,(fice %all be ! ,"u ,secret>y 
= ,rural ,broadb& ,initiatives1 :o      
%all--  7,a7 be appo9t$ by ! ,presid5t1 
by & ) ! advice & cons5t ( ! ,s5ate2 &  
7,b7 report directly to ! ,secret>y4    
7b7 ,responsibilities  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! 
,"u ,secret>y %all-- 7,a7 z ( ! date (  
enactm5t ( ?is section1 adm9i/] all     
rural broadb&-relat$ grant & loan       
programs previ\sly adm9i/]$ by !        
,adm9i/rator ( ! ,rural ,utilities      
,s]vice1 includ+--  7i7 ! rural broadb& 
access loan & loan gu>antee program     
e/abli%$ "u section #fjc2  7ii7 !       
,community ,connect ,grant ,program     
describ$ 9 subp>t ,a ( "p #agci ( title 
#g1 ,code ( ,f$]al ,regulations 7or     

successor regulations72 &  7iii7 !      
,telecommunications ,infra/ructure ,loan
 program e/abli%$ "u ?is ,act4  7#b7    
,requirem5ts ,! ,"u ,secret>y %all--    
7,a7 conduct ext5sive1 nationwide       
outrea* to rural areas2  7,b7 fo/] !    
developm5t ( a compreh5sive rural       
broadb& /rategic vision2  7,c7 plan     
coord9ation ( ,f$]al res\rces = ,/ate1  
regional1 & local gov]nm5ts to assi/    
citiz5s liv+ & work+ 9 rural areas2     
7,d7 assess all relevant te*nologies    
7includ+ ,wi,fi1 ,,wimax1 ,,dsl1 cable1 
satellite1 fib]1 & broadb& ov] p[]      
l9es71 z ! te*nologies are able to      
support 9 :ole or 9 "p rural broadb&    
ne$s & requirem5ts2  7,e7 s]ve z a s+le 
in=mation s\rce = all rural broadb&     
programs & s]vices adm9i/]$ by ,f$]al   
ag5cies1 & coord9ate ! activities       
und]tak5 "u ,f$]al rural broadb&        
programs2 &  7,f7 provide te*nical      
assi/ance to ,/ate1 regional1 & local   
gov]nm5ts to develop broadb& deploym5t  
/rategies4  7c7 ,compreh5sive rural     

broadb& /rategy  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat]  
?an #ahj days aft] ! appo9tm5t ( ! fir/ 
,"u ,secret>y1 ! ,"u ,secret>y %all     
submit to ! ,presid5t & ,congress a     
report describ+ compreh5sive rural      
broadb& /rategy t includes--  7,a7      
recomm5dations-- 7i7 to promote         
int]ag5cy coord9ation ( ,f$]al ag5cies 9
 reg>ds to policies1 proc$ures1 & t>get$
 res\rces1 & to improve & /reaml9e !    
policies1 programs1 & s]vices2  7ii7 to 
coord9ate among ,f$]al ag5cies reg>d+   
exi/+ rural broadb& or rural initiatives
 t c\ld be ( value to rural broadb&     
developm5t2  7iii7 to address bo? %ort- 
& long-t]m solutions & ne$s assessm5ts =
 a rapid build-out ( rural broadb&      
solutions & applications = ,f$]al1      
,/ate1 regional1 & local gov]nm5t policy
 mak]s2  7iv7 to id5tify h[ specific    
,f$]al ag5cy programs & res\rces c be/  
respond to rural broadb& requirem5ts &  
ov]come ob/acles t curr5tly imp$e rural 
broadb& deploym5t2 &  7v7 to promote    
successful model deploym5ts &           

appropriate te*nologies be+ us$ 9 rural 
areas s t ,/ate1 regional1 & local      
gov]nm5ts c b5efit f ! catalog+ (       
successes ( o!r ,/ate1 regional1 & local
 gov]nm5ts2 &  7,b7 a description (     
goals & timeframes to a*ieve ! /rategic 
plans & visions id5tifi$ 9 ! report4    
7#b7 ,updates ,! ,"u ,secret>y %all     
update & evaluate ! report describ$ 9   
p>agraph 7#a7 on an annual basis4  7d7  
,rural ,broadb& ,advisory ,panel  7#a7  
,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an #fj days aft] !    
date ( appo9tm5t ( ! fir/ ,"u ,secret>y1
 ! ,"u ,secret>y %all submit to         
,congress a plan to e/abli% a ,rural    
,broadb& ,advisory ,panel 7ref]r$ to 9  
?is subsection z ! ,panel74  7#b7       
,*airp]son ,! ,panel %all be *air$ by ! 
,"u ,secret>y or a designee4  7#c7      
,memb]%ip ,! ,panel %all be compos$ (   
repres5tatives (--  7,a7 ,/ate gov]nm5t2
  7,b7 local gov]nm5t2  7,c7            
communications equipm5t v5dors 7includ+ 
broadb& data s]vice provid]s72  7,d7    
public utility s]vices2  7,e7 local     

ex*ange c>ri]s2  7,f7 wireless c>ri]s2  
7,g7 satellite communications s]vices2 &
  7,h7 o!r appropriate public or private
 sector entities1 z det]m9$ by ! ,"u    
,secret>y4  7#d7 ,meet+s ,! ,panel %all 
meet n less ?an #d times ea* ye>4  7#e7 
,duties ,! ,advisory ,panel %all--  7,a7
 assi/ ! ,"u ,secret>y 9 updat+ ! annual
 report describ$ 9 subsection 7c77#b72  
7,b7 evaluate ! effectiv5ess ( all      
,f$]al broadb& assi/ance programs &     
policies aim$ at fo/]+ broadb& access 9 
rural & und]s]v$ areas2  7,c7 evaluate  
be/ practices employ$ at ! ,/ate & local
 gov]nm5t level to fo/] broadb& access 9
 rural & und]s]v$ areas2 &  7,d7        
coop]ate ) ! ,"u ,secret>y 9 address+ & 
evaluat+ issues det]m9$ by ! ,"u        
,secret>y to be critical to fo/]+       
broadb& access & connectivity 9 rural & 
und]s]v$ areas4  7e7 ,web-,bas$         
,cle>+h\se ,! ,"u ,secret>y %all e/abli%
 a compreh5sive & int]active rural      
broadb& ,web-bas$ cle>+h\se t describes 
options1 opportunities1 res\rces1       

successful public-private p>tn]%ips1    
compreh5sive fund+ s\rces1 & te*nology  
tutorials = rural broadb&1 includ+--    
7#a7 case /udies2  7#b7 descriptions (  
be/ practices2  7#c7 assessm5ts ( v>i\s 
te*nology solutions2  7#d7 feasibility  
/udies2  7#e7 applications1 includ+     
telework1 telem$ic9e1 di/ance le>n+1    
tra9+1 homel& security1 s5ior citiz5    
connectivity & program developm5t1 &    
bus9ess & economic developm5t2  7#f7    
rural broadb& options & policies        
analysis2 &  7#g7 support = networks    
among rural communities & economic      
developm5t ag5cies4  4  7b7 ,con=m+     
am5dm5ts ,section #fjc ( ! ,rural       
,electrification ,act ( #aicf 7z s      
r$esignat$ by subsection 7a77#a77 is    
am5d$--  7#a7 9 subsection 7d77#a77;,b71
 by /rik+ subsection 7k7 & ins]t+       
subsection 7l72  7#b7 9 subsection 7j71 
by /rik+ ,adm9i/rator & ins]t+ ,"u      
,secret>y2  7#c7 by r$esignat+          
subsections 7k7 & 7l7 z subsections 7l7 
& 7m71 respectively2 &  7#d7 by ins]t+  

aft] subsection 7j7 ! foll[+3  7k7      
,rules revision  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat]  
?an #fj days aft] ! date ( appo9tm5t ( !
 fir/ ,"u ,secret>y1 ! ,"u ,secret>y    
%all submit to ,congress a revision ( ! 
rules & qualification crit]ia = ! loan &
 loan gu>antee programs "u ?is section4 
7#b7 ,requirem5ts ,9 prep>+ ! revision1 
! ,"u ,secret>y %all-- 7,a7 emphasize   
/reaml9+ ! application process &        
process+ "t2  7,b7 ensure t ! f9ancial  
requirem5ts = applicants d n unduly     
disqualify applicants t h demon/rat$ a  
viable bus9ess plan2 &  7,c7 n dim9i% ! 
mission ( ! program to deliv] broadb&   
s]vice to und]s]v$ rural areas4  4  #e4 
,suffici5cy ( res\rces  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,n 
lat] ?an #fj days aft] ! date ( enactm5t
 ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,agriculture 
%all submit to ,congress a report       
describ+ ! res\rces & /aff necess>y to  
c>ry out ?is ,act & ! am5dm5ts made by  
?is ,act4  7b7 ,prep>ation ( report ,!  
,secret>y %all provide ! ,(fice ( ,rural
 ,broadb& ,initiatives ! res\rces & /aff

 necess>y to c>ry out ?is section4  7c7 
,comptroll] ,g5]al review  7#a7 ,9 g5]al
 ,! ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates
 %all review ! report submitt$ "u       
subsection 7a7 = validity4  7#b7 ,report
 ,n lat] ?an #cj days aft] ! date on :i*
 ! report is submitt$ "u subsection 7a71
 ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
%all submit to ,congress a report       
conta9+ ! f9d+s ( ! review "u p>agraph  
7#a74