119-hr3125

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3125 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 3125

 To amend the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to provide technical 
 assistance to expand access to broadband service in rural communities.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 April 30, 2025

 Mr. Taylor (for himself and Mr. Sorensen) introduced the following 
 bill; which was 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

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to provide technical 
 assistance to expand access to broadband service in rural communities.

 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 ``Rural Broadband Assistance Act''.

SEC. 2. PUBLIC NOTICE, ASSESSMENTS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND REPORTING 
 REQUIREMENTS.

 

Section 701 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
950cc) is amended--

    (1) in the section heading, by inserting ``technical 
 assistance,'' before ``and''; and

    (2) by striking subsection

    (e) and inserting the following:
 ``

    (e) Broadband Technical Assistance Program.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall make grants to 
 private, nonprofit, or public organizations to provide or 
 receive eligible entities broadband technical assistance and 
 training to expand access to broadband service in rural 
 communities through the broadband programs of the Department of 
 Agriculture including--
 ``
        (A) preparing applications for grants, loans and 
 loan guarantees under this section;
 ``
        (B) identifying resources to finance broadband 
 facilities from public and private sources, including 
 other Federal agencies;
 ``
            (C) preparing feasibility studies, financial 
 forecasts, market surveys, environmental studies, and 
 technical design information to support broadband 
 services;
 ``
            (D) preparing reports and surveys necessary to 
 support the need for broadband services, the price 
 range, and request financial assistance;
 ``
        (E) analyzing and improving operation related to 
 the management, including financial management, of 
 broadband facilities and to the efficiency of the 
 entity;
 ``
        (F) collecting broadband infrastructure data; or
 ``
        (G) assisting with other areas of need identified 
 by the Secretary.
 ``

    (2) Eligible entities.--To be eligible to obtain 
 assistance under this subsection, an entity shall be--
 ``
        (A) a federally recognized Tribe or Tribal 
 entity;
 ``
        (B) a State or local government, including any 
 agency, subdivision, instrumentality, or political 
 subdivision thereof;
 ``
            (C) a territory or possession of the United 
 States;
 ``
            (D) an institution of higher education (including 
 a 1862 Land-Grant Institution, 1890 Land-Grant 
 Institution, 1994 Land-Grant Institution, Hispanic-
 Serving Institution, or Historically Black College or 
 University);
 ``
        (E) a nonprofit organization described in 

section 501
            (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
 ``
        (F) a cooperative or mutual organization;
 ``
        (G) a corporation; or
 ``
        (H) a limited liability company or limited 
 liability partnership.
 ``

    (3) Selection priority.--In selecting recipients of 
 grants under this paragraph, the Secretary shall give priority 
 to organizations that have experience in providing technical 
 assistance and training to rural entities.
 ``

    (4) National applications.--The Secretary shall allow 
 applications for grants under this paragraph from qualified 
 organizations for the sole purpose of providing on-site 
 community technical assistance and training on a national or 
 multi-State regional basis.''.
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