,,ii #aaf? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ccfb ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,febru>y #bg1 #bjbj,mr4 ,van ,holl5 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,comm]ce1 ,sci5ce1 & ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to require ! ,f$]al ,communications ,commission to use a portion ( ! proce$s f ! auction ( ! ,c-b& to fund measures to provide /ud5ts ) access to ! int]net at home1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,homework ,gap ,tru/ ,fund ,act4 #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,accord+ to ! ,jo9t ,economic ,committee1 z _m z #ab1jjj1jjj /ud5ts 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates d n h access to ! int]net at home4 7#b7 ,lack ( int]net access at home = a /ud5t c lead to r$uc$ academic prep>$ness1 decreas$ academic p]=mance1 & decreas$ classroom engagem5t 9 s*ool4 7#c7 ,ne>ly #ej p]c5t ( /ud5ts 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates h report$ be+ unable to complete a homework assignm5t because ^? /ud5ts did n h access to ! int]net or a comput]4 7#d7 ,sev5te5 p]c5t ( /ud5ts 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates d n h access to comput]s at home & #ah p]c5t d n h home access to broadb& int]net access s]vice4 7#e7 ,comput] own]%ip & int]net use are /rongly correlat$ ) h\sehold income4 7#f7 ,approximately #cj p]c5t ( h\seholds 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ) incomes bel[ #ej1jjj d n h a connection to broadb& int]net access s]vice4 7#g7 ,/ud5ts )\t broadb& int]net access s]vice at home are m likely to be /ud5ts f l[-income families1 /ud5ts ( color1 or /ud5ts :o live 9 h\seholds ) l[] levels ( p>5tal education4 7#h7 ,m ?an #ej p]c5t ( tea*]s 9 l[-income s*ool di/ricts report t limit$ access to te*nology outside ( s*ool = /ud5ts limits ! ability ( tea*]s to-- 7,a7 advance & implem5t digital le>n+ initiatives2 & 7,b7 promote digital lit]acy4 7#i7 ,accord+ to ! ,commission1 approximately #gj p]c5t ( tea*]s 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates assign homework t requires access to broadb& int]net access s]vice4 7#aj7 ,rese>* has %[n t te5ag]s :o h access to home comput]s are #f to #h p]c5t m likely to graduate f high s*ool ?an te5ag]s :o d n h access to home comput]s4 7#aa7 ,! homework gap affects /ud5ts 9 bo? rural & urban communities4 7#ab7 ,ensur+ t /ud5ts h access to broadb& int]net access s]vice w r$uce ! digital divide & c help r$uce economic1 educational1 & social inequalities4 #c4 ,homework ,gap ,tru/ ,fund 7a7 ,e/abli%m5t2 purpose ,!re is e/abli%$ 9 ! ,treasury ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates a fund to be kn[n z ! ,homework ,gap ,tru/ ,fund-- 7#a7 :i* %all be adm9i/]$ by ! ,commission2 & 7#b7 ! purpose ( :i* is to provide fund+ = measures t help to-- 7,a7 close ! digital divide2 & 7,b7 promote digital equality ) respect to s*ool-ag$ *ildr54 7b7 ,deposit ( proce$s ,not)/&+ any provision ( section #cji7;j7 ( ! ,communications ,act ( #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #cji7;j771 n less ?an #b1jjj1jjj1jjj & n m ?an #d1jjj1jjj1jjj ( ! proce$s receiv$ f sy/ems ( competitive bidd+ conduct$ ) respect to ! use ( ! ,c-b& %all be deposit$ 9 ! ,homework ,gap ,tru/ ,fund4 7c7 ,use ( ,homework ,gap ,tru/ ,fund am\nts ,! ,commission %all use ! am\nts 9 ! ,homework ,gap ,tru/ ,fund to fund measures t seek to ensure t all /ud5ts 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates h access to broadb& int]net access s]vice at home1 includ+ by-- 7#a7 pur*as+ any necess>y equipm5t = t purpose2 & 7#b7 provid+ ^? /ud5ts ) hotspot devices4 7d7 ,report ,n lat] ?an #a ye> aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 & annually !reaft]1 ! ,commission %all submit to ,congress a report reg>d+1 = ! ye> cov]$ by ! report-- 7#a7 ! numb] ( recipi5ts ( fund+ provid$ "u subsection 7c72 7#b7 ! numb] ( /ud5ts :o obta9$ access to broadb& int]net access s]vice z a result ( fund+ provid$ "u subsection 7c72 7#c7 ! numb] ( /ud5ts 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates :o cont9ue to face unequal access to digital devices & broadb& int]net access s]vice1 :i* prev5ts ^? /ud5ts f complet+ homework assignm5ts2 7#d7 ! use ( hotspot devices provid$ ) fund+ provid$ "u subsection 7c72 & 7#e7 ! am\nt ( data us$ p] hotspot device describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#d74 7e7 ,rulemak+ ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,commission %all issue f9al rules to c>ry out ?is section4 #d4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7 ,c-b& ,! t]m ,c-b& means ! b& ( electromagnetic spectrum betwe5 #c4g gigah]tz & #d4b gigah]tz1 inclusive4 7#b7 ,commission ,! t]m ,commission means ! ,f$]al ,communications ,commission4 7#c7 ,digital divide ,! t]m digital divide means ! economic1 educational1 & social inequalities t exi/ betwe5 individuals1 h\seholds1 bus9esses1 & geographic areas at diff]5t socioeconomic levels due to _! diff]+ abilities to access in=mation & communications te*nology4 7#d7 ,digital equality ,! t]m digital equality means ! activities t are necess>y to ensure t1 z a means to enhance & promote education1 employm5t1 & civic & cultural p>ticipation1 all individuals 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates h access to1 & ! use (1 af=dable in=mation & communication te*nologies1 includ+-- 7,a7 reliable fix$ & wireless broadb& int]net access s]vice2 7,b7 int]net-enabl$ devices t meet ! ne$s ( ! us]2 & 7,c7 applications & onl9e cont5t design$ to enable & enc\rage self-suffici5cy1 p>ticipation1 & collaboration1 includ+-- 7i7 obta9+ access to digital lit]acy tra9+2 7ii7 ! provision ( quality te*nical support2 & 7iii7 obta9+ basic aw>5ess ( measures to ensure onl9e privacy & cyb]security4 7#e7 ,digital lit]acy ,! t]m digital lit]acy means ! ability ( an individual to use cognitive & te*nical skills & te*nology to effectively f9d1 analyze1 organize1 %>e1 create1 & communicate in=mation us+ digital plat=ms4 7#f7 ,hotspot device ,! t]m hotspot device means a portable device-- 7,a7 t connects to broadb& int]net access s]vice us+ a cellul> data connection2 7,b7 to :i* o!r devices wirelessly connect by means ( ,wi-,fi2 & 7,c7 t enables ! devices describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,b7 to connect to ! broadb& int]net access s]vice describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a74