,i #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ccfi ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,may #bj1 #bjba,mr4 ,thompson of ,pennsylvania 7for himself1 ,mrs4 ,fischbach1 ,mr4 ,austin ,scott of ,georgia1 ,mr4 ,baird1 ,mr4 ,jacobs of ,new ,york1 ,mr4 ,hagedorn1 ,mr4 ,kelly of ,mississippi1 ,mr4 ,balderson1 ,mr4 ,crawford1 ,mr4 ,allen1 ,mrs4 ,hartzler1 ,mr4 ,rouzer1 ,ms4 ,letlow1 ,mr4 ,moore of ,alabama1 ,mrs4 ,cammack1 ,mr4 ,mann1 ,mr4 ,johnson of ,south ,dakota1 ,mr4 ,feenstra1 ,mrs4 ,miller of ,illinois1 ,mr4 ,rodney ,davis of ,illinois1 ,mr4 ,la,malfa1 and ,mr4 ,bacon7 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 codify the ,re,connect ,program1 to expand rural broadband assistance1 and to improve the administration and accountability of the broadband programs at the ,department of ,agriculture4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,broadband for ,rural ,america ,act4 #b4 ,streamlining duplicative broadband authorities 7a7 ,in general ,section #fja of the ,rural ,electrification ,act of #aicf 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #iej;bb7 is amended-- 7#a7 in the section heading1 by striking ,,access ,,to ,,broadband ,,telecommunications ,,services ,,in ,,rural ,,areas and inserting ,re,connect ,rural ,broadband ,program2 7#b7 by striking subsection 7a7 and inserting the following3 7a7 ,establishment2 purpose ,the ,secretary shall establish a program1 which shall be known as the ,re,connect ,rural ,broadband ,program1 to provide grants1 loans1 and loan guarantees to finance the costs of the construction1 improvement1 and acquisition of facilities and equipment for broadband service in rural areas4 2 7#c7 in subsection 7b71 by striking paragraph 7#b7 and redesignating paragraph 7#c7 as paragraph 7#b72 7#d7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 by striking paragraph 7#b7 and inserting the following3 7#b7 ,priority 7,a7 ,in general ,in providing assistance under this section the ,secretary shall-- 7i7 give the highest priority to applications for projects to provide broadband service to unserved rural communities that do not have any residential broadband service of at least-- 7,i7 a #aj-,mbps downstream transmission capacity2 and 7,,ii7 a #a-,mbps upstream transmission capacity2 7ii7 give priority to applicants for projects which propose to serve communities-- 7,i7 with a population of less than #aj1jjj permanent residents2 7,,ii7 that are experiencing outmigration and have adopted a strategic community investment plan under section #cgi;,h7d7 of the ,consolidated ,farm and ,rural ,development ,act that includes considerations for improving and expanding broadband service2 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;b772 or 7,,iv7 that are isolated from other significant population centers4 7,b7 ,additional priority for advanced projects ,after giving priority to the applications described in subparagraph 7,a71 the ,secretary shall then give priority to applications for projects which propose to provide-- 7i7 the maximum level of broadband service to the greatest proportion of rural premises in the proposed service area identified in the application2 7ii7 rapid and expanded deployment of fixed and mobile broadband on cropland and ranchland within a service territory that is not supported by funds from the #e;,g ,fund for ,rural ,america established by the ,federal ,communications ,commission in the ,report and ,order in the matter of ,establishing a #e;,g ,fund for ,rural ,america 7,,fcc #bj-aej2 adopted ,october #bg1 #bjbj71 for use in various applications of precision agriculture4 7,c7 ,additional priority for community stakeholders ,the ,secretary shall further prioritize projects based on the number of community stakeholders served1 including-- 7i7 ,state1 local1 and tribal government entities2 7ii7 nonprofit institutions2 7iii7 community anchor institutions1 such as-- 7,i7 public libraries2 7,,ii7 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 7,,iii7 institutions of higher education2 7,,iv7 health care facilities2 or 7,v7 other essential community facilities2 7iv7 rural businesses2 or 7v7 philanthropic organizations4 7,d7 ,administration ,in implementing this section1 the ,secretary shall-- 7i7 provide equal consideration to all eligible entities1 including those that have not previously received assistance under this title2 and 7ii7 with respect to #b or more applications that are given the same priority under this paragraph1 give priority to an application that is proposing to serve the highest number of households without sufficient broadband service4 2 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#c7-- 7i7 by striking ,grant amounts and inserting ,additional requirements for grant awards2 and 7ii7 by striking subparagraph 7,e7 and inserting the following3 7,e7 ,applications 7i7 ,grant-only applications ,the ,secretary shall establish an application process that permits an application for a grant-only award4 7ii7 ,combined applications ,the ,secretary shall establish an application process that permits-- 7,i7 a single application for a grant and a loan under title ,i or ,,ii1 or this title1 that is associated with the grant2 and 7,,ii7 provides a single decision to award the grant and the loan4 2 7#e7 in subsection 7d7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#b7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,i7 by striking subparagraphs 7,b7 and 7,c7 and inserting subparagraph 7,b72 7,,ii7 by striking submitted-- and all that follows through 7i7 and inserting submitted2 and 7,,iii7 by striking 2 and and all that follows through providers2 and 7ii7 by striking subparagraph 7,c72 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#c77;,b77iii71 by striking subclause 7,,ii7 and inserting the following3 7,,ii7 demonstrated on the maps required to be created under section #hjb7;c7 of the ,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #fdb7;c771 if address level data is available4 2 and 7#f7 by striking subsection 7j7 and inserting the following3 7j7 ,limitations on authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out this section1 to remain available until expended-- 7#a7 #cej1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjba2 7#b7 #c1ejj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbb2 and 7#c7 #c1ejj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbc4 4 7b7 ,sunset ,the authorities provided by section #ggi of the ,consolidated ,appropriations ,act1 #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-ada7 shall have no force or effect after ,june #cj1 #bjbb4 7c7 ,transition rules 7#a7 ,availability of funds for administrative costs ,not more than #a percent of the unobligated balances of amounts made available as of ,june #a1 #bjba1 to carry out the pilot program described in section #ggi of the ,consolidated ,appropriations ,act1 #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-ada7 may be used for the costs of transitioning from the pilot program to the program under section #fja of the ,rural ,electrification ,act of #aicf1 as amended by this ,act4 7#b7 ,consolidation of funds 7,a7 ,in general ,the unobligated balances of all amounts made available on or before ,june #cj1 #bjbb1 to carry out the pilot program described in section #ggi of the ,consolidated ,appropriations ,act1 #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-ada7 that are in excess of the amount described in subparagraph 7,b7 of this paragraph are hereby transferred to and merged with amounts made available to carry out the program authorized under section #fja of the ,rural ,electrification ,act of #aicf4 7,b7 ,unfunded approvals ,the amount described in this subparagraph is the amount required to fully fund each project approved as of ,june #cj1 #bjbb1 under the pilot program described in such section #ggi for which amounts were not obligated or partially obligated as of such date4 #c4 ,expanding middle-mile infrastructure in rural ,america ,section #fjb7;g7 of the ,rural ,electrification ,act of #aicf 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #iej;bb-#a7;g77 is amended by striking #aj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjah and inserting #aej1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjba4 #d4 ,fostering broadband technology innovation ,section #fjc7;e7 of the ,rural ,electrification ,act of #aicf 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #iej;bb-#b7;e77 is amended by striking #aj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjai and inserting #ej1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjba4 #e4 ,broadband program oversight and accountability ,section #gja of the ,rural ,electrification ,act of #aicf 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #iej;cc7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b77#b77;,a71 by inserting 7which data shall include maps required to be created under section #hjb7;c7 of the ,communications ,act of #aicd7 before and the ,administrator2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7e7-- 7,a7 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by striking program level amounts available pursuant to and inserting the2 and 7,b7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#c7 as paragraphs 7#b7 through 7#d71 respectively1 and inserting before paragraph 7#b7 7as so redesignated7 the following3 7#a7 administrative costs for carrying out such title2 4 #f4 ,amendments to ,federal broadband program coordination requirements ,section #fbab of the ,agriculture ,improvement ,act of #bjah 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #iej;bb-#f7 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking subsection 7a72 7#b7 by redesignating subsections 7b7 through 7d7 as subsections 7d7 through 7f71 respectively2 and 7#c7 by inserting before subsection 7d7 7as so redesignated7 the following3 7a7 ,eligibility verification ,the ,secretary shall consult with the ,commission to assist in the verification of eligibility of the broadband loan and grant programs of the ,department of ,agriculture4 ,in providing assistance under the preceding sentence1 the ,commission shall make available the broadband assessment and mapping capabilities of the ,commission4 7b7 ,information-,sharing 7#a7 ,the ,secretary shall semiannually submit to the ,assistant ,secretary and the ,commission complete1 reliable1 and precise information 7in a manner consistent with how information is submitted under section #hjb of the ,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #fdb77 which identifies the areas for which broadband service has been deployed under a loan or grant program of the ,department of ,agriculture4 7#b7 ,the ,assistant ,secretary shall semiannually submit to the ,secretary complete1 reliable1 and precise information 7in a manner consistent with how information is submitted under section #hjb of the ,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #fdb77 which identifies the areas for which broadband service has been deployed under any assistance provided by the ,assistant ,secretary1 unless the ,assistant ,secretary has submitted the information to the ,commission and the information is incorporated into the maps required to be created under section #hjb7;c7 of the ,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #fdb7;c77 and is shared with the ,secretary under paragraph 7#c7 of this subsection4 7#c7 ,on request of the ,secretary1 the ,commission shall provide to the ,secretary the maps required to be created under section #hjb7;c7 of the ,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #fdb7;c774 7c7 ,consultations between ,,usda and ,,ntia 7#a7 ,by ,,usda ,the ,secretary shall consult with the ,assistant ,secretary before providing broadband assistance for a project to serve an area with respect to which another entity is receiving assistance under any broadband assistance program administered by the ,assistant ,secretary4 7#b7 ,by ,,ntia ,the ,assistant ,secretary shall consult with the ,secretary before offering or providing broadband assistance for a project to serve an area with respect to which another entity has received broadband assistance under a loan or grant program of the ,department of ,agriculture4 4