Promoting Access to Broadband Act of 2021
This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a grant program to provide states with resources to inform their residents who are Medicaid enrollees, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants, or low-income individuals about the FCC's Lifeline program. The Lifeline program is designed to reduce the cost of communications services for low-income consumers.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2524 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2524
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a program
to make grants to States to inform Medicaid enrollees, SNAP
participants, and low-income residents of potential eligibility for the
Lifeline program of the Commission.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 14, 2021
Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a program
to make grants to States to inform Medicaid enrollees, SNAP
participants, and low-income residents of potential eligibility for the
Lifeline program of the Commission.
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 ``Promoting Access to Broadband Act of
2021''.
SEC. 2. LIFELINE ENROLLMENT OUTREACH GRANTS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal
Communications Commission.
(2) Covered individuals.--The term ``covered individuals''
means--
(A) Medicaid enrollees;
(B) SNAP participants; and
(C) low-income residents.
(3) Eligible-but-not-enrolled.--The term ``eligible-but-
not-enrolled'' means, with respect to an individual, that the
individual is eligible for the Lifeline program but is not
enrolled in the Lifeline program.
(4) Lifeline program.--The term ``Lifeline program'' means
the Lifeline program of the Commission.
(5) Low-income.--The term ``low-income'' means a gross
annual income at or below 135 percent of the Federal poverty
level.
(6) Medicaid enrollee.--The term ``Medicaid enrollee''
means, with respect to a State, an individual enrolled in the
State plan under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) or a waiver of that plan.
(7) Reach.--The term ``reach'' means, with respect to an
individual, to inform the individual of potential eligibility
for the Lifeline program and to provide the individual with
information about the Lifeline program, as described in
subsection (e).
(8) SNAP participant.--The term ``SNAP participant'' means
an individual who is a member of a household that participates
in the supplemental nutrition assistance program under the Food
and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.).
(9) State.--The term ``State'' means each State of the
United States, the District of Columbia, each commonwealth,
territory, or possession of the United States, and each
federally recognized Indian Tribe.
(b) Establishment.--The Commission shall establish a competitive
program to make grants to States to inform covered individuals of
potential eligibility for the Lifeline program.
(c) Application.--
(1) In general.--The Commission may only award a grant
under this section to a State that submits an application at
such time, in such form, and with such information and
assurances as the Commission may require.
(2) Matters required to be included.--An application
submitted by a State under paragraph (1) shall include--
(A) the number of covered individuals in the State;
(B) a plan for the activities that the State will
conduct using grant funds, including a list of each
agency within the State that will assist in carrying
out those activities; and
(C) an estimate of the percentage of eligible-but-
not-enrolled individuals in the State who will be
reached by those activities.
(d) Selection.--
(1) Minimum of 5 states.--The Commission shall award grants
under this section to not fewer than 5 States.
(2) Factors for consideration.--In awarding grants under
this section, the Commission shall give favorable
consideration--
(A) to States that have higher numbers of covered
individuals; and
(B) to States proposing, in the plans submitted
under subsection (c)(2)(B), to conduct activities that
have the potential to reach higher percentages of
eligible-but-not-enrolled individuals in those States,
as determined by the Commission, taking into
consideration the estimates submitted under subsection
(c)(2)(C).
(3) Geographic diversity.--In awarding grants under this
section, the Commission shall, to the maximum extent
practicable, select States from different geographic regions of
the United States.
(e) Use of Funds.--
(1) In general.--A State that receives a grant under this
section shall use grant funds, in accordance with the plan
included in the application of the State under subsection
(c)(2)(B), to--
(A) inform covered individuals and organizations or
agencies that serve those individuals, as the case may
be under the terms of the grant awarded to the State,
of potential eligibility for the Lifeline program;
(B) provide those covered individuals with
information about the Lifeline program, including--
(i) how to apply for the Lifeline program;
and
(ii) a description of the prohibition on
more than 1 subscriber in each household
receiving a service provided under the Lifeline
program; and
(C) partner with nonprofit and community-based
organizations to provide those covered individuals with
assistance applying for the Lifeline program and
information about product and technology choices.
(2) Multiple state agencies.--A State that receives a grant
under this section may provide grant funds to 1 or more
agencies located within the State to carry out the activities
under the grant.
(f) Outreach to States Regarding Grant Program.--Before accepting
applications for the grant program established under this section, the
Commission shall conduct outreach to States to ensure that States are
aware of the grant program and how to apply for a grant under the grant
program.
(g) Report to Congress.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after establishing
the grant program under this section, the Commission shall
submit to Congress a report evaluating the effectiveness of the
grant program.
(2) Contents.--The report submitted under paragraph (1)
shall include--
(A) the number of individuals notified of Lifeline
program eligibility by States receiving grants under
this section;
(B) the number of new applicants to the Lifeline
program from States receiving grants under this
section, including the number of those applicants whose
Lifeline program applications were approved and the
number of those applicants whose Lifeline program
applications were denied; and
(C) the cost-effectiveness of the grant program
established under this section.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Commission such sums as may be necessary to carry
out this section for the first 5 full fiscal years beginning after the
establishment of the grant program under this section.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
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