H.R. 3152 · 114th Congress
Rural Broadband Initiative Act
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 114th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
D
NolanSponsor2 cosponsors · 2 D
0 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
This bill amends the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to establish an Office of Rural Broadband Initiatives at the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and an Under Secretary for Rural Broadband Initiatives appointed by the President to head the Office.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Jul 22, 2015
Rural Broadband Initiative Act
This bill amends the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to establish an Office of Rural Broadband Initiatives at the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and an Under Secretary for Rural Broadband Initiatives appointed by the President to head the Office.
The Under Secretary is responsible for administering all rural broadband-related grant and loan programs previously administered by the Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service and must:
- conduct nationwide outreach to rural areas;
- foster the development of a comprehensive rural broadband strategic vision;
- plan coordination of federal resources for state, regional, and local governments to assist rural areas;
- assess all relevant technologies;
- serve as a single information source for and coordinate all federal rural broadband programs and services; and
- provide technical assistance to state, regional, and local governments.
The Under Secretary must also:
- submit to the President and Congress a comprehensive rural broadband strategy;
- submit to Congress a plan to establish a Rural Broadband Advisory Panel;
- establish a web-based clearinghouse that describes options, opportunities, resources, successful public-private partnerships, funding sources, and technology tutorials; and
- revise the rules and qualification criteria for the loan and loan guarantee programs.
USDA must report to Congress on the resources and staff necessary to carry out this bill, and the Government Accountability Office must review the report.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Rural Broadband Initiative Act
Latest action (Aug 6, 2015): Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit.
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications · Origin: House · Introduced: Jul 22, 2015
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.