,,ib ,calendar ,no4 #dff #aagth         
,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4 ,r4 #dcgd
 ,report ,no4 #aag-aac1 ,part ,i ,,in   
,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives    
,july #i1 #bjba,mr4 ,david ,scott of    
,georgia 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  ,august #f1        
#bjba,reported from the ,committee on   
,agriculture with an amendment,strike   
out all after the enacting clause and   
insert the part printed in italic       
,august #f1 #bjba,referral to the       
,committee on ,energy and ,commerce     
extended for a period ending not later  
than ,september #bd1 #bjba  ,september  
#bd1 #bjba,referral to the ,committee on
 ,energy and ,commerce extended for a   
period ending not later than ,october   

#bh1 #bjba  ,october #bh1 #bjba,referral
 to the ,committee on ,energy and       
,commerce extended for a period ending  
not later than ,november #e1 #bjba      
,november #e1 #bjba,referral to the     
,committee on ,energy and ,commerce     
extended for a period ending not later  
than ,november #ah1 #bjba  ,november    
#ah1 #bjba,referral to the ,committee on
 ,energy and ,commerce extended for a   
period ending not later than ,december  
#c1 #bjba  ,december #c1 #bjba,referral 
to the ,committee on ,energy and        
,commerce extended for a period ending  
not later than ,january #ba1 #bjbb      
,january #ba1 #bjbb,referral to the     
,committee on ,energy and ,commerce     
extended for a period ending not later  
than ,march #ah1 #bjbb  ,march #ah1     
#bjbb,referral to the ,committee on     
,energy and ,commerce extended for a    
period ending not later than ,april #bi1
 #bjbb  ,april #bi1 #bjbb,referral to   
the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce 
extended for a period ending not later  

than ,may #f1 #bjbb  ,may #f1           
#bjbb,referral to the ,committee on     
,energy and ,commerce extended for a    
period ending not later than ,may #bf1  
#bjbb  ,may #bd1 #bjbb,referral to the  
,committee on ,energy and ,commerce     
extended for a period ending not later  
than ,june #bh1 #bjbb  ,june #bh1       
#bjbb,referral to the ,committee on     
,energy and ,commerce extended for a    
period ending not later than ,july #ae1 
#bjbb  ,july #ae1 #bjbb,referral to the 
,committee on ,energy and ,commerce     
extended for a period ending not later  
than ,july #bi1 #bjbb  ,july #bi1       
#bjbb,referral to the ,committee on     
,energy and ,commerce extended for a    
period ending not later than ,september 
#ab1 #bjbb  ,september #i1              
#bjbb,referral to the ,committee on     
,energy and ,commerce extended for a    
period ending not later than ,september 
#bb1 #bjbb  ,september #bb1             
#bjbb,referral to the ,committee on     
,energy and ,commerce extended for a    

period ending not later than ,november  
#ad1 #bjbb  ,november #ad1              
#bjbb,referral to the ,committee on     
,energy and ,commerce extended for a    
period ending not later than ,december  
#h1 #bjbb  ,december #h1 #bjbb,referral 
to the ,committee on ,energy and        
,commerce extended for a period ending  
not later than ,december #ae1 #bjbb     
,december #af1 #bjbb;,committee on      
,energy and ,commerce discharged2       
committed to the ,committee of the      
,whole ,house on the ,state of the      
,union and ordered to be printed,for    
text of introduced bill1 see copy of    
bill as introduced on ,july #i1 #bjba   
,a ,,bill  ,to bolster certain rural    
broadband programs of the ,department of
 ,agriculture4  #a4 ,short title ,this  
,act may be cited as the ,broadband     
,internet ,connections for ,rural       
,america ,act4  #b4 ,innovative         
broadband advancement program ,section  
#fjc7;e7 of the ,rural ,electrification 
,act of #aicf 7#g ,u4,s4,c4             

#iej;bb-#b7;e77 is amended to read as   
follows3  7e7 ,authorization of         
appropriations  7#a7 ,in general ,there 
is authorized to be appropriated to the 
,secretary #cjj1jjj1jjj for each of     
fiscal years #bjbb through #bjbi1 to    
remain available until expended1 to     
carry out projects in ,states and       
territories selected by the ,secretary  
to be diverse on the basis of geography1
 topography1 and demographics4  7#b7    
,limitation ,not more than #be1jjj1jjj  
of the amounts made available under     
paragraph 7#a7 for each fiscal year may 
be provided for a single project4  4    
#c4 ,rural broadband program loans and  
grants  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 ,reconnect 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 7c77#b71 by        
striking subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b7 and
 inserting the following3  7,a7 ,in     
general ,in making grants1 making loans1
 and guaranteeing loans under paragraph 
7#a71 the ,secretary shall 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-- 7i7 a #aj-,mbps downstream
 transmission capacity2 and  7ii7 a     
#a-,mbps upstream transmission capacity4
  7,b7 ,other ,after giving priority to 
the applications described in clauses   
7i7 and 7ii7 of subparagraph 7,a71 the  

,secretary shall then give priority to  
applications for projects to provide    
broadband service to rural communities--
 7i7 with a population of less than     
#aj1jjj inhabitants2 or  7ii7 with a    
high percentage of low income families  
or persons 7as defined in section       
#eja7;b7 of the ,housing ,act of #aidi74
  7,c7 ,ports in rural areas priority   
7i7 ,definition of port ,in this        
subparagraph1 the term port means-- 7,i7
 any port on the navigable waters of the
 ,united ,states1 including territories2
  7,,ii7 any harbor1 marine terminal1 or
 other shore side facility used         
principally for the movement of goods on
 inland waters2 and  7,,iii7 any port   
formed in accordance with applicable    
,state or territory law4  7ii7 ,priority
 ,in addition to the priority given     
under subparagraph 7,b71 the ,secretary 
shall give equal priority to an         
application for a project that would    
increase the availability of broadband  
service in a port in a rural area4  7,d7

 ,additional considerations ,in making  
grants1 making loans1 and guaranteeing  
loans under this subsection1 the        
,secretary shall consider whether an    
application was developed with the      
participation of community stakeholders1
 and will receive a substantial portion 
of the funding for the project from     
community stakeholders or other         
non-,federal sources4  2  7#d7 in       
subsection 7c77#c7-- 7,a7 in            
subparagraph 7,b7-- 7i7 by striking and 
at the end of clause 7i72  7ii7 by      
striking the period at the end of clause
 7ii7 and inserting 2 and2 and  7iii7 by
 adding at the end the following3  7iii7
 shall be subject to a grant agreement  
of not less than ten years4  2  7,b7 in 
subparagraph 7,d77i7-- 7i7 in subclause 
7,i71 by striking 7#b77;,a77i7 and      
inserting 7#b77;,a72 and  7ii7 in       
subclause 7,,ii71 by striking any of    
subclauses 7,i7 through 7,,iv7 of       
paragraph 7#b77;,b77i7 and inserting    
clause 7i7 or 7ii7 of paragraph         

7#b77;,b72 and  7,c7 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        
7d77#b7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,a7--   
7i7 by striking subparagraphs 7,b7 and  
7,c7 and inserting subparagraph 7,b72   
7ii7 by striking is submitted-- and all 
that follows through 7i7 not less and   
inserting is submitted not less 2 and   
7iii7 by striking 7e72 and and all that 
follows and inserting 7e742  7,b7 in    
subparagraph 7,b71 by striking          
,subparagraph 7,a77i7 and inserting     

,subparagraph 7,a72 and  7,c7 by        
striking subparagraph 7,c72  7#f7 in    
subsection 7d71 by striking paragraph   
7#e72  7#g7 by striking subsection 7j7  
and inserting the following3  7j7       
,authorization of appropriations ,there 
is authorized to be appropriated to the 
,secretary to carry out this section    
#d1ejj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years 
#bjbb through #bjbi1 to remain available
 for #e fiscal years after the fiscal   
year for which appropriated4  2 and     
7#h7 in subsection 7k71 by striking     
#bjbc and inserting #bjbi4  7b7         
,regulations ,not later than #ahj days  
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,secretary of ,agriculture    
shall promulgate rules to carry out the 
amendments made by subsection 7a7 of    
this section1 and complete the biennial 
review process required by section      
#fja7;e77#b7 of the ,rural              
,electrification ,act of #aicf4  7c7    
,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  7d7     
,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  #d4 ,community ,connect 
grants ,section #fjd7;g7 of the ,rural  
,electrification ,act of #aicf 7#g      
,u4,s4,c4 #iej;bb-#c7;g77 is amended by 
striking #ej1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal 
years #bjai through #bjbc and inserting 
#aej1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years   
#bjbb through #bjbi1 to remain available
 for #b fiscal years after the fiscal   
year for which appropriated4  #e4       
,distance learning and telemedicine     
loans and grants ,section #bcce;,a of   
the ,food1 ,agriculture1 ,conservation1 
and ,trade ,act of #aiij 7#g ,u4,s4,c4  

#iej;aaa-#e7 is amended by striking     
#hb1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years    
#bjai through #bjbc and inserting       
#aej1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years   
#bjbb through #bjbi1 to remain available
 for #b fiscal years after the fiscal   
year for which appropriated4  #f4       
,expansion of middle mile infrastructure
 into rural areas ,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 through #bjbc and
 inserting #cjj1jjj1jjj for each of     
fiscal years #bjbb through #bjbi1 to    
remain available for #b fiscal years    
after the fiscal year for which         
appropriated4  #g4 ,broadband           
,connectors ,program  7a7 ,in general   
,the ,secretary of ,agriculture shall   
establish a system for the dissemination
 of information and technical assistance
 on the broadband programs of the       
,department of ,agriculture1 which shall
 be for the use of entities eligible1   

such as ,indian tribes and tribal       
organizations1 to receive funds under   
title ,,ii or ,,vi of the ,rural        
,electrification ,act of #aicf 7#g      
,u4,s4,c4 #ija et seq47 or chapter #a of
 subtitle ,d of title ,,xxiii of the    
,food1 ,agriculture1 ,conservation1 and 
,trade ,act of #aiij 7#g ,u4,s4,c4      
#iej;aaa et seq474  7b7 ,limitations on 
authorization of appropriations ,to     
carry out subsection 7a71 there are     
authorized to be appropriated to the    
,secretary of ,agriculture not more than
 #be1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years   
#bjbb through #bjbi1 which are          
authorized to remain available through  
fiscal year #bjbi4  #h4 ,community      
broadband mapping ,section #gja of the  
,rural ,electrification ,act of #aicf   
7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #iej;cc7 is amended by    
redesignating subsection 7e7 as         
subsection 7f7 and inserting after      
subsection 7d7 the following3  7e7      
,community broadband mapping program    
7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary may    

make grants to eligible entities for the
 purpose of collecting broadband service
 data to assist the ,secretary in-- 7,a7
 establishing the availability of       
broadband service or middle mile        
infrastructure in a rural area2  7,b7   
determining the eligibility of a        
community for assistance under any      
broadband program administered by the   
,secretary2 or  7,c7 undertaking a      
service area assessment under this      
section4  7#b7 ,application ,to apply   
for a grant under this section1 an      
entity shall submit an application      
therefor which identifies-- 7,a7 the    
data collection area2  7,b7 the purpose 
of the data collection2  7,c7 the types 
of broadband service data to be         
collected2  7,d7 the survey and data    
collection methods to be utilized2 and  
7,e7 any other information the          
,secretary determines necessary to      
promote the integrity of broadband      
service data collected under this       
section4  7#c7 ,limitation on grant     

amount ,the amount of a grant made under
 this subsection shall not exceed       
#ej1jjj4  7#d7 ,broadband service data  
usage ,the ,secretary shall ensure that 
any broadband service data collected    
under this section is-- 7,a7 measured or
 assessed in accordance with such       
standards as the ,secretary may         
establish2  7,b7 accurate and verifiable
 in accordance with such standards as   
the ,secretary may establish2  7,c7     
included in any broadband maps or data  
sets maintained by the ,secretary2 and  
7,d7 made available to the ,chair of the
 ,federal ,communications ,commission   
and the ,administrator of the ,national 
,telecommunications and ,information    
,administration for inclusion in any    
broadband maps or data sets either may  
maintain4  7#e7 ,definitions ,in this   
subsection3 7,a7 ,broadband service ,the
 term broadband service has the meaning 
given the term in section #fja4  7,b7   
,broadband service data  7i7 ,in general
 ,the term broadband service data means 

information related to-- 7,i7 the       
location and type of broadband service2 
7,,ii7 the location and type of         
broadband infrastructure2  7,,iii7 the  
advertised1 maximum1 and average speed  
of broadband service2  7,,iv7 the       
average price of the most subscribed    
tier of broadband service2  7,v7 the    
speed tiers of broadband service        
available in the area2 or  7,,vi7 any   
additional metric the ,secretary deems  
appropriate4  7ii7 ,further definition  
,the ,secretary shall further define the
 term broadband service data to ensure  
that data is measured and collected in a
 manner consistent with the reporting   
requirements under this section1 and any
 broadband coordination or data- sharing
 obligations4  7,c7 ,eligible entity    
,the term eligible entity means-- 7i7 a 
unit of local government in a rural     
area2  7ii7 a tribal government or unit 
of tribal government2  7iii7 an economic
 development or other community         
organization2  7iv7 an eligible entity  

under title ,i or ,,ii that serves      
persons in rural areas2  7v7 an internet
 service provider that has not more than
 #ajj1jjj subscribers2 or  7vi7 any     
other entity eligible under a title ,,vi
 program that is not an internet service
 provider4  7,d7 ,middle mile           
infrastructure ,the term middle mile    
infrastructure has the meaning given the
 term in section #fjb4  7,e7 ,rural area
 ,the term rural area has the meaning   
given the term in section #fja4  7#f7   
,limitation on amount made available for
 grants ,the ,secretary may not expend  
more than #a percent of the amounts made
 available under subsection 7f7 for each
 of fiscal years #bjbb through #bjbi to 
carry out this subsection4  4  #i4      
,limitations on reservation of funds    
,section #gja7;f7 of the ,rural         
,electrification ,act of #aicf 7#g      
,u4,s4,c4 #iej;cc7f771 as so            
redesignated by section #h of this ,act1
 is amended to read as follows3  7f7    
,limitations on reservation of funds    

,not less than #c but not more than #g  
percent of the amounts appropriated to  
carry out title ,,vi shall be set aside 
to be used-- 7#a7 for administrative    
costs to carry out programs under title 
,,vi2  7#b7 for technical assistance and
 pre-development planning activities to 
support the most rural communities2     
7#c7 to conduct oversight under title   
,,vi2  7#d7 to implement accountability 
measures and related activities         
authorized under title ,,vi2 and  7#e7  
to carry out this section4  4  ,december
 #af1 #bjbb;,committee on ,energy and   
,commerce discharged2 committed to the  
,committee of the ,whole ,house on the  
,state of the ,union and ordered to be  
printed