119th Congress Science, Technology, Communications
H.R. 1838: Broadband Internet for Small Ports Act
Introduced
- Introduced (completed)
- Passed House (not reached)
- Passed Senate (not reached)
- To the President (not reached)
- Became law (not reached)
Summary
This bill establishes priority for broadband projects near rural maritime ports under the Department of Agriculture (USDA) rural broadband grant and loan program, and makes other specified changes to the program’s structure and available support.
Under current law, the rural broadband program provides grants, loans, and loan guarantees for the construction, improvement, and acquisition of broadband facilities and equipment in rural areas. The bill adjusts the level of priority given to certain categories of projects, including through the establishment of a new priority for projects that would increase broadband service in ports and shore-side facilities in rural areas.
The bill also makes changes to the program’s parameters, including by changing available grant amounts and increasing the percentage of households in a community that must be unserved or underserved with broadband in order for projects in the community to qualify for loans or loan guarantees. Further, as a condition of receiving support, recipients must share with USDA geolocation information on new or upgraded broadband service established under the program.
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For proposed projects given high priority, the bill requires USDA to confirm that the relevant communities are currently unserved by conferring with relevant federal agencies and other broadband service data sources, and by performing site-specific testing to verify the unavailability of residential broadband service.
Finally, the bill requires USDA to provide feedback and decisions to applicants in a timely manner, and to use certain program funds for oversight and accountability measures.
Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
Roll calls
No roll call votes have been held on this bill.
Amendments
No amendments were offered to this bill.
Cosponsors
- Barry Moore R-ALOriginal
Who scored on this bill
- 1Stacey Plaskett SponsorDrew cross-party cosponsors, introduced2 events+6
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Introductions and cosponsorships count toward weekly caps and show no points.
Other bills by Stacey Plaskett
- H.R. 8121: To designate the Christiansted Bandstand at the Christiansted National Historic Site, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, as the "Peter G. Thurland, Sr., Bandstand".
- H.R. 1737: To direct the Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report containing an assessment of the value, cost, and feasibility of a trans-Atlantic submarine fiber optic cable connecting the contiguous United States, the United States Virgin Islands, Ghana, and Nigeria.
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History
- Introduced in the House by Stacey Plaskett.
Show the full action history (3 actions)
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development.
- Introduced in House
- Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.