,i #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dbcb ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,november #b1 #bjag,mr4 ,pocan 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,stefanik1 ,mrs4 ,bustos1 ,mr4 ,huffman1 and ,mr4 ,rogers of ,kentucky7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,rural ,electrification ,act of #aicf to provide grants for access to broadband telecommunications services in rural areas1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,broadband ,connections for ,rural ,opportunities ,program ,act or the ,b-,,crop ,act4 #b4 ,access to broadband telecommunications services in rural areas ,section #fja of the ,rural ,electrification ,act of #aicf 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #iej;bb7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a71 by striking loans and and inserting grants1 loans1 and2 7#b7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 in the subsection heading1 by striking ,loans and and inserting ,grants1 loans1 and2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#a71 by inserting make grants and after ,secretary shall2 and 7,c7 by striking paragraph 7#b7 and inserting the following3 7#b7 ,priority 7,a7 ,in general ,in making grants1 loans1 or loan guarantees under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall-- 7i7 give priority to grants1 loans1 and loan guarantees to all or part of rural communities that do not have residential broadband service that meets the minimum acceptable level of broadband service established under subsection 7e72 7ii7 give the highest priority to applications for projects to provide broadband service to the greatest proportion of rural households that are within unserved communities1 as identified by the ,secretary in accordance with subparagraph 7,c72 7iii7 provide equal consideration to all eligible entities1 including those that have not previously received grants1 loans1 or loan guarantees under paragraph 7#a72 and 7iv7 with respect to #b or more applications that are given the same priority under clause 7ii71 give priority to an application that requests less grant funding than loan funding4 7,b7 ,other ,after giving priority to the applications described in subparagraph 7,a77ii71 the ,secretary shall then give priority to applications-- 7i7 for projects to provide broadband service to rural communities-- 7,i7 with a population of less than #aj1jjj permanent residents2 7,,ii7 that are experiencing outmigration2 7,,iii7 with a high percentage of low income families or persons 7as defined in section #eja7;b7 of the ,housing ,act of #aidi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #adga7;b7772 or 7,,iv7 that are isolated from other significant population centers2 and 7ii7 that were developed with the participation of1 and will receive a substantial portion of the funding for the project from1 #a or more stakeholders1 including-- 7,i7 ,state1 local1 and tribal governments2 7,,ii7 nonprofit institutions2 7,,iii7 community anchor institutions1 such as-- 7aa7 public libraries2 7bb7 elementary schools and secondary schools 7as defined in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja772 7cc7 institutions of higher education2 and 7dd7 health care facilities2 7,,iv7 private entities2 and 7,v7 philanthropic organizations4 7,c7 ,identification of unserved communities 7i7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall identify unserved communities for purposes of subparagraph 7,a77ii7 using broadband coverage data that is-- 7,i7 collected by the ,federal ,communications ,commission2 and 7,,ii7 reviewed and refined by the ,secretary using a thorough evidentiary review process4 7ii7 ,adjustments ,not less often than once every #b years1 the ,secretary shall review1 and may adjust through notice published in the ,federal ,register1 the unserved communities identified under clause 7i74 7#c7 ,grant amounts 7,a7 ,definition of development costs ,in this paragraph1 the term development costs means costs of-- 7i7 construction1 including labor and materials2 7ii7 project applications2 and 7iii7 other development activities1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7,b7 ,eligibility ,to be eligible for a grant under this section1 the project that is the subject of the grant shall be carried out in a rural area4 7,c7 ,maximum ,except as provided in subparagraph 7,d71 the amount of any grant made under this section shall not exceed #ej percent of the development costs of the project for which the grant is provided4 7,d7 ,secretarial authority to adjust ,the ,secretary may make grants of up to #ge percent of the development costs of the project for which the grant is provided to an eligible entity if the ,secretary determines that the project serves-- 7i7 an area of rural households described in paragraph 7#b77;,a77ii72 and 7ii7 a rural community described in any of subclauses 7,i7 through 7,,iv7 of paragraph 7#b77;,b77i74 2 7#c7 in subsection 7d7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,i7 in the matter preceding clause 7i71 by striking loan or and inserting grant1 loan1 or2 7,,ii7 in clause 7ii71 by striking a loan application and inserting an application2 and 7,,iii7 in clause 7iii7-- 7aa7 by striking the loan application and inserting the application2 and 7bb7 by striking proceeds from the loan made or guaranteed under this section are and inserting assistance under this section is2 and 7ii7 by adding at the end the following3 7,c7 ,relation to universal service high-cost support ,the ,secretary shall coordinate with the ,federal ,communications ,commission to ensure that any grants1 loans1 or loan guarantees made under this section complement and do not conflict with universal service high-cost support 7as defined in section #ed4e of title #dg1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations1 or any successor regulation7 provided by the ,commission4 2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#b7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,i7 in the matter preceding clause 7i7-- 7aa7 by striking the proceeds of a loan made or guaranteed and inserting assistance2 and 7bb7 by striking for the loan or loan guarantee and inserting of the eligible entity2 and 7,,ii7 in clause 7ii71 by striking #c and inserting #b2 and 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,c71 by striking clause 7ii7 and inserting the following3 7ii7 ,exceptions ,clause 7i7 shall not apply if the applicant is eligible for funding under another title of this ,act4 2 7,c7 in paragraph 7#c71 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking loan or and inserting grant1 loan1 or2 7,d7 in paragraph 7#d71 by striking loan or and inserting grant1 loan1 or2 7,e7 in paragraph 7#e77;,a71 in the matter preceding clause 7i71 by striking loan or and inserting grant1 loan1 or2 7,f7 in paragraph 7#f71 by striking loan or and inserting grant1 loan1 or2 7,g7 by redesignating paragraph 7#g7 as subparagraph 7,b7 and indenting appropriately2 7,h7 by inserting after paragraph 7#f7 the following3 7#g7 ,application process 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall provide to an applicant of a grant1 loan1 or loan guarantee under this section feedback and decisions on funding in a timely manner4 2 7,i7 in paragraph 7#g77;,b7 7as so redesignated71 by striking may seek a determination of area eligibility prior to preparing a loan application under this section4 and inserting the following3 8may1 before preparing an application under this section-- 7i7 seek a determination of area eligibility2 and 7ii7 submit to the ,secretary a proposal for a project1 on which the ,secretary shall provide feedback regarding how the proposal could be changed to improve the likelihood that the ,secretary would approve the application4 2 and 7,j7 by adding at the end the following3 7#aa7 ,technical assistance and training 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall provide to eligible entities described in paragraph 7#a7 technical assistance and training-- 7i7 to prepare reports and surveys necessary to request grants1 loans1 and loan guarantees under this section for broadband deployment2 7ii7 to improve management1 including financial management1 relating to the proposed broadband deployment2 7iii7 to prepare applications for grants1 loans1 and loan guarantees under this section2 or 7iv7 to assist with other areas of need identified by the ,secretary4 7,b7 ,funding ,not less than #c percent and not more than #e percent of amounts appropriated to carry out this section for a fiscal year shall be used for technical assistance and training under this paragraph4 2 7#d7 in subsection 7f71 by striking make a loan or loan guarantee and inserting provide assistance2 7#e7 in subsection 7j7-- 7,a7 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by striking loan and loan guarantee2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#a71 by inserting grants and after number of2 7,c7 in paragraph 7#b7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking loan2 and 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking loans and and inserting grants1 loans1 and2 and 7,d7 in paragraph 7#c71 by striking loan2 7#f7 by redesignating subsections 7k7 and 7l7 as subsections 7l7 and 7m71 respectively2 7#g7 by inserting after subsection 7j7 the following3 7k7 ,broadband buildout data ,as a condition of receiving a grant1 loan1 or loan guarantee under this section1 a recipient of assistance shall provide to the ,secretary complete1 reliable1 and precise geolocation information that indicates the location of new broadband service that is being provided or upgraded within the service territory supported by the grant1 loan1 or loan guarantee not later than #cj days after the earlier of-- 7#a7 the date of completion of any project milestone established by the ,secretary2 or 7#b7 the date of completion of the project4 2 7#h7 subsection 7l7 7as redesignated by paragraph 7#f77-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking #be1jjj1jjj and inserting #ej1jjj1jjj2 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#b77;,a7-- 7i7 in clause 7i71 by striking and at the end2 7ii7 in clause 7ii71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7iii7 by adding at the end the following3 7iii7 set aside at least #a percent to be used for-- 7,i7 conducting oversight under this section2 and 7,,ii7 implementing accountability measures and related activities authorized under this section4 2 and 7#i7 in subsection 7m7 7as redesignated by paragraph 7#f771 by striking loan or and inserting grant1 loan1 or4