To establish a grant program to support broadband-based economic development efforts.

Amends the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to make grants supporting the advancement of high-speed telecommunications in regions with low per capita income, high unemployment, or economic adjustment problems that have populations of no more than one million.

Limits the maximum assistance for any one region to $1 million.

Sets Federal cost sharing for projects carried out using funds authorized by this Act at 50 percent. Authorizes in-kind contributions for the non-Federal share of project costs.

[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 146 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 146

   To establish a grant program to support broadband-based economic 
                          development efforts.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 4, 2005

  Mr. McHugh introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the 
   Committee on Financial Services, 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 establish a grant program to support broadband-based economic 
                          development efforts.

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

SECTION 1. GRANTS FOR BROADBAND-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

    (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. GRANTS FOR BROADBAND-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions 
apply:
            ``(1) Eligible applicant.--The term `eligible applicant' 
        means--
                    ``(A) a State or local government;
                    ``(B) an institution of higher education; or
                    ``(C) a nonprofit economic development 
                organization.
            ``(2) Region.--The term `region' means an area--
                    ``(A) that is determined by the Secretary to 
                qualify for grants under this section; and
                    ``(B) that, on the date of submission of an 
                application for a grant under this section, meets 1 or 
                more of the criteria described in section 301(a).
    ``(b) Grants.--On the application of an eligible applicant, the 
Secretary may make grants--
            ``(1) to assess the telecommunications infrastructure of a 
        region;
            ``(2) to assess the telecommunications demand in a region; 
        and
            ``(3) to organize programs to boost the supply of high-
        speed telecommunications to a region, including demand 
        aggregation programs.
    ``(c) Criteria for Grant.--The Secretary may make a grant under 
this section only if the Secretary determines that the project proposed 
to be carried out using funds from the grant will advance high-speed 
telecommunications in an area with a population of not more than 
1,000,000 individuals, as determined by the Office of Management and 
Budget.
    ``(d) Maximum Assistance for Each Region.--Not more than $1,000,000 
of the amounts made available to carry out this section may be expended 
in any 1 region.
    ``(e) Cost Sharing.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Federal share of the cost of a 
        project carried out using funds made available under this 
        section shall be 50 percent.
            ``(2) In-kind contributions.--Not more than 50 percent of 
        the non-Federal share of the cost of a project carried out 
        using funds made available under this section may be provided 
        through in-kind contributions.
            ``(3) Inapplicability of certain section.--Section 204 
        shall not apply to this section.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000. Such funds shall 
remain available until expended.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents contained in 
section 1(b) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 
(42 U.S.C. 3121 note) is amended by inserting after the item relating 
to section 218 the following:

``Sec. 219. Grants for broadband-based economic development.''.
                                 <all>