HR 3369 · 117th Congress · Science, Technology, Communications

Broadband for Rural America Act

Introduced 2021-05-20· Sponsored by Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15]· House

Bill Progress

Introduced
2
Committee
3
House Vote
4
Senate
5
Enacted
Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit.(2021-07-07)

Plain Language Summary

[AI summary unavailable — showing source text] Broadband for Rural America Act This bill modifies and consolidates Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs for expanding broadband internet in rural areas. Specifically, the bill modifies a program that provides grants, loans, and loan guarantees to support broadband expansion in rural areas. Modifications include revising the criteria used to prioritize applications and projects and changing the name of the program to the ReConnect Rural Broadband Program. Additionally, the bill terminates on June 30, 2022, a Department of Agriculture (USDA) COVID-19 response program that supports broadband expansion in rural areas for distance learning and telemedicine. Any remaining program funds available after the termination date shall be used for the ReConnect Rural Broadband Program. The bill also expands coordination requirements that apply to the Department of Commerce, USDA, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. This includes requiring the use of specified FCC maps when assessing a community's access to broadband.…

Summarized by Claude AI · Non-partisan · For informational purposes only

Cosponsors (20)

20 Republicans