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Broadband Internet Connections for Rural America Act
4/17/2024, 11:45 PM
Summary of Bill HR 4374
The key provisions of the bill include funding for the expansion of broadband infrastructure in rural communities, grants for broadband deployment projects, and support for broadband adoption programs. The bill also seeks to address the digital divide by ensuring that all Americans, regardless of where they live, have access to reliable and affordable internet service.
Additionally, the bill includes measures to promote competition among internet service providers in rural areas, which can help drive down costs and improve service quality. It also emphasizes the importance of data collection and mapping to accurately assess the current state of broadband access in rural America and identify areas in need of improvement. Overall, the Broadband Internet Connections for Rural America Act is a comprehensive piece of legislation that seeks to bridge the digital divide and ensure that all Americans have access to the essential services and opportunities that high-speed internet provides.
Congressional Summary of HR 4374
Broadband Internet Connections for Rural America Act
This bill reauthorizes through FY2029 and makes other changes to various programs of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) that support broadband internet expansion in rural areas.
Specifically, the bill reauthorizes and modifies a program that provides grants, loans, and loan guarantees for broadband expansion. Modifications include revising the criteria used to prioritize applications and projects and changing the name of the program to the ReConnect Rural Broadband Program. Further, the bill terminates on June 30, 2022, a separate USDA pilot program that supports broadband expansion in rural areas; any program funds that remain available after that date shall be used for the ReConnect Rural Broadband Program.
The bill also reauthorizes programs that support (1) rural broadband access, including for economically challenged communities, distance learning, and telehealth; (2) innovative technologies to decrease broadband deployment costs and increase broadband speeds; and (3) expansion of middle mile broadband infrastructure (i.e., connections between national and regional internet backbones and schools, businesses, residences, and other local connection sites).
Additionally, USDA must establish a system to disseminate information and technical assistance concerning its broadband expansion programs and may award grants to units of governments and other eligible entities to collect data about broadband availability (e.g., location of infrastructure, costs, and speeds).
