,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #aijh ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #bg1 #bjba,mr4 ,wyden introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,rural ,electrification ,act of #aicf to improve access to broadband telecommunications services in rural areas1 including by encouraging the provision of broadband loans and grants to increase broadband service in rural ports1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,broadband ,internet for ,small ,ports ,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 7c7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#b7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,i7 in clause 7i7-- 7aa7 by striking of at least-- and inserting a semicolon2 and 7bb7 by striking subclauses 7,i7 and 7,,ii72 7,,ii7 in clause 7iii71 by striking and at the end2 7,,iii7 in clause 7iv71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7,,iv7 by adding at the end the following3 7v7 give priority to applications for projects to provide rapid and expanded deployment of fixed and mobile broadband on cropland and ranchland within a service territory for use in various applications of precision agriculture4 2 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,b7-- 7,i7 in clause 7i7-- 7aa7 in subclause 7,,iii71 by inserting or after the semicolon2 7bb7 in subclause 7,,iv71 by striking or and inserting and2 and 7cc7 by striking subclause 7,v72 and 7,,ii7 in clause 7ii7-- 7aa7 in the matter preceding subclause 7,i71 by striking #b and inserting #a2 7bb7 in subclause 7,,iv71 by inserting and after the semicolon2 7cc7 in subclause 7,v71 by striking 2 and and inserting a period at the end2 and 7dd7 by striking subclause 7,,vi72 and 7iii7 by adding at the end the following3 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 ,identification of unserved communities 7i7 ,in general ,in the case of an application given the highest priority under subparagraph 7,a77i71 the ,secretary shall confirm that each unserved rural community identified in the application is eligible for funding by-- 7,i7 conferring with and obtaining data from the ,chair of the ,federal ,communications ,commission and the ,administrator of the ,national ,telecommunications and ,information ,administration with respect to the service area proposed in the application2 7,,ii7 reviewing any other source that is relevant to service data validation1 as determined by the ,secretary2 and 7,,iii7 performing site-specific testing to verify the unavailability of any residential broadband service in the unserved rural community4 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 2 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#c71 by striking subparagraphs 7,c7 and 7,d7 and inserting the following3 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#b7 in subsection 7d7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking subsection 7j7 and inserting subsection 7l72 and 7ii7 by adding at the end the following3 7,c7 ,relation to universal service high-cost support ,the ,secretary shall communicate with the ,federal ,communications ,commission to ensure that any grants1 loans1 or loan guarantees made under this section provide a level of service that is not less than the level of service provided through 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 clause 7i71 by striking #ej and inserting #ij2 and 7,,ii7 in clause 7ii71 by striking #c and inserting #b2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#f7 ,application process ,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#c7 by redesignating subsections 7j7 and 7k7 as subsections 7l7 and 7m71 respectively2 7#d7 by inserting after subsection 7i7 the following3 7j7 ,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 7k7 ,environmental reviews ,the ,secretary may obligate1 but not disperse1 funds under this ,act before the completion of otherwise required environmental1 historical1 or other types of reviews if the ,secretary determines that a subsequent site-specific review shall be adequate and easily accomplished for the location of towers1 poles1 or other broadband facilities in the service area of the borrower without compromising the project or the required reviews4 2 and 7#e7 in subsection 7l77#b77;,a7 7as so redesignated7-- 7,a7 in clause 7i71 by striking and at the end2 7,b7 in clause 7ii71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7,c7 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 4