119-hr2750

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2750 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2750

 To amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to authorize 
recipients of funds under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment 
 Program to use such funds to provide broadband vouchers to households 
 in certain locations, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 April 8, 2025

 Mr. Taylor introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to authorize 
recipients of funds under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment 
 Program to use such funds to provide broadband vouchers to households 
 in certain locations, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Bridging the Broadband Gap Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. USE OF BEAD PROGRAM FUNDS TO PROVIDE BROADBAND VOUCHERS.

 

Section 60102 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (47 
U.S.C. 1702) is amended by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (p) Broadband Vouchers.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--If an eligible entity makes the 
 determination described in paragraph

    (2) with respect to a 
 political subdivision of such eligible entity, such eligible 
 entity may use grant funds received under this section to 
 provide to households in such political subdivision vouchers 
 that such households may use to cover eligible broadband 
 service costs.
 ``

    (2) Determination.--The determination described in this 
 paragraph is a determination by an eligible entity that a 
 political subdivision of such eligible entity lacks access to 
 broadband service that such eligible entity considers adequate.
 ``

    (3) Priority.--In providing vouchers under this 
 subsection, an eligible entity shall give priority to 
 households in political subdivisions the per capita income of 
 which is below the median per capita income of the political 
 subdivisions of such eligible entity, as determined by such 
 eligible entity.
 ``

    (4) Limitations.--
 ``
        (A) Households in unserved locations or 
 underserved locations.--An eligible entity may not 
 provide a voucher under this subsection to a household 
 unless, on the day before such eligible entity provides 
 the first such voucher to such household, such 
 household resides at a location that is an unserved 
 location or an underserved location.
 ``
        (B) Duration.--In the case of eligible broadband 
 service costs described in clauses
            (i) 
            (II) and
            (ii) of 
 paragraph

    (5)
        (B) , an eligible entity may only provide 
 vouchers under this subsection to a household to cover 
 such costs charged to such household with respect to a 
 single period of 12 consecutive months.
 ``

    (5) === Definitions. ===
-In this subsection:
 ``
        (A) Broadband customer premises equipment.--The 
 term `broadband customer premises equipment' means 
 equipment employed on the premises of a household to 
 provide satellite or fixed wireless broadband service.
 ``
        (B) Eligible broadband service costs.--The term 
 `eligible broadband service costs' means the following:
 ``
            (i) 50 percent of the amount charged by a 
 provider of satellite or fixed wireless 
 broadband service to a household for--
 ``
            (I) the purchase of broadband 
 customer premises equipment; or
 ``
            (II) the monthly lease or rental 
 of broadband customer premises 
 equipment.
 ``
            (ii) The monthly amount (not to exceed 
 $30 per month) charged by a provider of 
 satellite or fixed wireless broadband service 
 to a household for providing such service to 
 such household.''.
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