Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1752) to amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to provide for a high-speed broadband deployment initiative, as amended. =========================== NOTE ===========================
On March 11, 2024, page H1074, in the first column, the following appeared: Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to provide for a high-speed broadband deployment initiative.
The online version has been corrected to read: Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to provide for a high-speed broadband deployment initiative, as amended. ========================= END NOTE =========================
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1752
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility Act'' or the ``E-BRIDGE Act''. SEC. 2. HIGH-SPEED BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT INITIATIVE.
(a) In General.--Title II of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3141 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``SEC. 219. HIGH-SPEED BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT INITIATIVE.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Broadband project.--The term `broadband project' means, for the purpose of providing, extending, expanding, or improving high-speed broadband service to further the goals of this Act--
``(A) planning, technical assistance, or training;
``(B) the acquisition or development of land; or
``(C) the acquisition, design and engineering, construction, rehabilitation, alteration, expansion, or improvement of facilities, including related machinery, equipment, contractual rights, and intangible property.
``(2) Eligible recipient.--
``(A) In general.--The term `eligible recipient' means an eligible recipient.
``(B) Inclusions.--The term `eligible recipient' includes--
``(i) a public-private partnership; and
``(ii) a consortium formed for the purpose of providing, extending, expanding, or improving high-speed broadband service between 1 or more eligible recipients and 1 or more for-profit organizations.
``(3) High-speed broadband.--The term `high-speed broadband' means the provision of 2-way data transmission with sufficient downstream and upstream speeds to end users to permit effective participation in the economy and to support economic growth, as determined by the Secretary.
``(b) Broadband Projects.--
``(1) In general.--On the application of an eligible recipient, the Secretary may make grants under this title for broadband projects, which shall be subject to the provisions of this section.
``(2) Considerations.--In reviewing applications submitted under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall take into consideration geographic diversity of grants allocated, including consideration of underserved markets, in addition to data requested in paragraph (3).
``(3) Data requested.--In reviewing an application submitted under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall request from the Federal Communications Commission, the Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Appalachian Regional Commission data on--
``(A) the level and extent of broadband service that exists in the area proposed to be served; and
``(B) the level and extent of broadband service that will be deployed in the area proposed to be served pursuant to another Federal program.
``(4) Interest in real or personal property.--For any broadband project carried out by an eligible recipient that is a public-private partnership or consortium, the Secretary shall require that title to any real or personal property acquired or improved with grant funds, or if the recipient will not acquire title, another possessory interest acceptable to the Secretary, be vested in a public partner or eligible nonprofit organization or association for the useful life of the project, after which title may be transferred to any member of the public-private partnership or consortium in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary.
``(5) Procurement.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person or entity shall be disqualified from competing to provide goods or services related to a broadband project on the basis that the person or entity participated in the development of the broadband project or in the drafting of specifications, requirements, statements of work, or similar documents related to the goods or services to be provided.
``(6) Broadband project property.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary may permit a recipient of a grant for a broadband project to grant an option to acquire real or personal property (including contractual rights and intangible property) related to that project to a third party on such terms as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, subject to the condition that the option may only be exercised after the Secretary releases the Federal interest in the property.
``(B) Treatment.--The grant or exercise of an option described in subparagraph (A) shall not constitute a redistribution of grant funds under section 217.
``(c) Non-federal Share.--In determining the amount of the non-Federal share of the cost of a broadband project, the Secretary may provide credit toward the non-Federal share for the present value of allowable contributions over the useful life of the broadband project, subject to the condition that the Secretary may require such assurances of the value of the rights and of the commitment of the rights as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 note; Public Law 89-136) is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 218 the following: ``Sec. 219. High-speed broadband deployment initiative.''. SEC. 3. APPLICABILITY.
The amendments made by this Act shall only apply to amounts appropriated on or after the date of enactment of this Act.
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Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. 1752.
I am very proud to sponsor H.R. 1752, the Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility Act, or the E-BRIDGE Act.
Unfortunately, too many of our communities, particularly in rural Missouri, still lack broadband access.
Broadband is critical for conducting business, for attracting jobs, telehealth, education, and emergency preparedness and response--you name it.
While Economic Development Administration grants can be used to attract jobs to these economically distressed areas, right now, there are hurdles to using these grants for broadband projects, including difficult last-mile efforts that often delay rural broadband deployment.
This bill removes those hurdles to help connect and revitalize our rural communities.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on the Budget, Washington, DC, September 27, 2023. Hon. Sam Graves, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Graves: I am writing regarding H.R. 1752, the E-Bridge Act, which was ordered reported by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on July 27, 2023.
The bill contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on the Budget. In order to expedite House consideration of H.R. 1752, the Committee on the Budget will forgo action on this bill. This is being done with the understanding that it does not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in H.R. 1752 or similar legislation and that the Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as this bill or similar legislation moves forward so that the Committee may address any remaining issues that fall within its jurisdiction. The Committee on the Budget also reserves the right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this or similar legislation and requests your support of any such request.
I would appreciate a response to this letter confirming this understanding with respect to H.R. 1752 and would ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in your committee report and in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of H.R. 1752. Sincerely, Jodey C. Arrington, Chairman, Committee on the Budget. ____ Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, September 27, 2023. Hon. Jodey Arrington, Chairman, Committee on the Budget, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Arrington: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 1752, the Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility (E-BRIDGE) Act. The bill was referred primarily to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, with additional referrals to the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on the Budget.
In response to your letter, I recognize that this bill contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on the Budget. I also acknowledge that your Committee's decision to forgo consideration would not prejudice your Committee regarding the appointment of conferees, to any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill, or to similar legislation falling under your Committee's Rule X jurisdiction. In addition, should a conference on this bill become necessary, I would support your request to have members of the Committee on the Budget represented on the conference committee.
I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included the Congressional Record during consideration on the House floor. Thank you again, I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward to continuing to work with you as this measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Sam Graves, Chairman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Financial Services, Washington, DC, September 25, 2023. Hon. Sam Graves, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Graves: Thank you for consulting with the Committee on Financial Services regarding H.R. 1752, the E- BRIDGE Act. I agree that the Committee shall be discharged from further consideration of the bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House Floor. The Committee takes this action with the mutual understanding that, by foregoing consideration of H.R. 1752 at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that the Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved on this or similar legislation as it moves forward. The Committee also reserves the right to see appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any conference with the Senate involving this or similar legislation, and we request your support for any such request.
Finally, as you mentioned in your letter, I ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this bill be included in your Committee's report to accompany the legislation, as well as in the Congressional Record during floor consideration. Sincerely, Patrick McHenry, Chairman, Committee on Financial Services. ____ Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, September 26, 2023. Hon. Patrick McHenry, Chairman, Committee on Financial Services, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman McHenry: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 1752, the Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility (E-BRIDGE) Act. The bill was referred primarily to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, with additional referrals to the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on the Budget.
In response to your letter, I recognize that this bill contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Financial Services. I also acknowledge that your Committee's decision to forgo consideration would not prejudice your Committee regarding the appointment of conferees, to any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill, or to similar legislation falling under your Committee's Rule X jurisdiction. In addition, should a conference on this bill become necessary, I would support your request to have members of the Committee on Financial Services represented on the conference committee.
I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included the Congressional Record during consideration on the House floor. Thank you again, I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward to continuing to work with you as this measure moves through the legislative process.
Thank you for your consideration of my request. Sincerely, Sam Graves, Chairman. ____
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Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
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