,,ii  #aadth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #aiaf  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,august #c1    
#bjae,mr4 ,thune introduced the         
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation
  ,a ,,bill  ,to include skilled nursing
 facilities as a type of health care    
provider under section #bed7;h7 of the  
,communications ,act of #aicd4  #a4     
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,rural ,health ,care ,connectivity  
,act of #bjae4  #b4 ,telecommunications 
services for skilled nursing facilities 
7a7 ,in general ,section                
#bed7;h77#g77;,b7 of the ,communications
 ,act of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4           
#bed7;h77#g77;,b77 is amended--  7#a7 in
 clause 7vi71 by striking and at the    
end2  7#b7 by redesignating clause 7vii7
 as clause 7viii72  7#c7 by inserting   
after clause 7vi7 the following3  7vii7 
skilled nursing facilities2  2 and  7#d7
 in clause 7viii71 as redesignated1 by  

striking clauses 7i7 through 7vi7 and   
inserting clauses 7i7 through 7vii74    
7b7 ,savings clause ,nothing in         
subsection 7a7 shall be construed to    
affect the aggregate annual cap on      
,federal universal service support for  
health care providers under section     
#ed4fge of title #dg1 ,code of ,federal 
,regulations1 or any successor          
regulation4