,,ii  #aadth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #hfc  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,march #be1 #bjae   
,mr4 ,wicker 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,cardin1
 ,mrs4 ,capito1 and ,mrs4 ,gillibrand7  
introduced the following bill2 which was
 read twice and referred to the         
,committee on ,environment and ,public  
,works  ,a ,,bill  ,to reauthorize and  
improve the ,appalachian regional       
development program1 and for other      
purposes4  #a4 ,short title  ,this ,act 
may be cited as the ,appalachian        
,regional ,development ,amendments ,act 
of #bjae4  #b4 ,reauthorization of      
,appalachian regional development       
program ,section #adgjc of title #dj1   
,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7
 by striking subsection 7a7 and         
inserting the following3  7a7 ,in       
general ,in addition to amounts made    
available by section #adeja and any     
other amounts made available for the    
,appalachian development highway system 
program under any other provision of    

law1 there are authorized to be         
appropriated to the ,appalachian        
,regional ,commission to carry out this 
subtitle #ajj1jjj1jjj for fiscal years  
#bjaf through #bjbj4  2  7#b7 by        
redesignating subsections 7c7 and 7d7 as
 subsections 7d7 and 7e71 respectively2 
and  7#c7 by inserting after subsection 
7b7 the following3  7c7 ,high-,speed    
broadband deployment initiative ,of the 
amounts made available under subsection 
7a71 #aj1jjj1jjj shall be used to carry 
out section #adeji4  4  #c4 ,high-speed 
broadband deployment initiative  7a7 ,in
 general ,subchapter ,i of chapter #ade 
of subtitle ,,iv of title #dj1 ,united  
,states ,code1 is amended by adding at  
the end the following3  #adeji4         
,high-speed broadband deployment        
initiative  7a7 ,in general ,the        
,appalachian ,regional ,commission may  
provide technical assistance1 make      
grants1 enter into contracts1 or        
otherwise provide amounts to persons or 
entities in the ,appalachian region for 

projects and activities--  7#a7 to      
increase affordable access to broadband 
networks throughout the ,appalachian    
region2  7#b7 to conduct research1      
analysis1 and training to increase      
broadband adoption efforts in the       
,appalachian region2  7#c7 to provide   
technology assets1 including computers1 
smartboards1 and video projectors to    
educational systems throughout the      
,appalachian region2  7#d7 to increase  
distance learning opportunities         
throughout the ,appalachian region2     
7#e7 to increase the use of telehealth  
technologies in the ,appalachian region2
 and  7#f7 to promote e-commerce        
applications in the ,appalachian region4
  7b7 ,limitation on available amounts  
,of the cost of any activity eligible   
for a grant under this section1 not more
 than--  7#a7 #ej percent may be        
provided from amounts appropriated to   
carry out this section2  7#b7 in the    
case of a project to be carried out in a
 county for which a distressed county   

designation is in effect under section  
#adebf1 #hj percent may be provided from
 amounts appropriated to carry out this 
section2 or  7#c7 in the case of a      
project to be carried out in a county   
for which an at-risk designation is in  
effect under section #adebf1 #gj percent
 may be provided from amounts           
appropriated to carry out this section4 
7c7 ,sources of assistance ,subject to  
subsection 7b71 grants provided under   
this section may be provided from       
amounts made available to carry out this
 section in combination with amounts    
made available under other ,federal     
programs or from any other source4  7d7 
,federal share ,notwithstanding any     
provision of law limiting the ,federal  
share under any other ,federal program1 
amounts made available to carry out this
 section may be used to increase that   
,federal share1 as the ,appalachian     
,regional ,commission determines is     
appropriate4  4  7b7 ,conforming        
amendment ,the analysis for chapter #ade

 of title #dj1 ,united ,states ,code1 is
 amended by inserting after the item    
relating to section #adejh the          
following3  #adeji4 ,high-speed         
broadband deployment initiative4  4  #d4
 ,termination ,section #adgjd of title  
#dj1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended  
by striking #bjab and inserting #bjbj4  
#e4 ,effective date ,this ,act and the  
amendments made by this ,act take effect
 on ,october #a1 #bjae4