[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2879 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2879
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to conduct a pilot
program expanding the Lifeline Program to include broadband service,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 11, 2009
Mr. Rockefeller (for himself, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Kerry, Ms. Snowe, Mr.
Pryor, and Mr. Warner) introduced the following bill; which was read
twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to conduct a pilot
program expanding the Lifeline Program to include broadband service,
and for other purposes.
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 ``Broadband Opportunity and
Affordability Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The adoption of broadband service results in enhanced
economic development and public safety for communities across
the Nation, improved health care and educational opportunities,
and a better quality of life for all Americans.
(2) Continued progress in the adoption of broadband service
is vital to ensuring that the United States remains competitive
and continues to create business opportunities and job growth.
(3) The price of broadband service is a barrier to adoption
for low-income households and can be an impediment to full
participation in the emerging broadband economy.
SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM TO EXPAND LIFELINE PROGRAM TO INCLUDE BROADBAND
SERVICE.
Section 254(j) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254(j))
is amended to read as follows:
``(j) Lifeline Assistance.--
``(1) Impact of section on lifeline assistance program.--
Except as provided in paragraph (2), nothing in this section
shall affect the collection, distribution, or administration of
the Lifeline program.
``(2) Pilot program to expand lifeline program to include
broadband service.--As soon as practicable after the date of
enactment of the Broadband Opportunity and Affordability Act,
the Commission shall implement a 2-year pilot program to expand
the Lifeline program to reduce the cost of broadband service
for low-income consumers that will--
``(A) apply to such broadband service as the
Commission may determine to be appropriate for purposes
of the pilot program;
``(B) provide such levels of support as the
Commission may determine to be appropriate for such
purposes;
``(C) be available to such consumers as the
Commission may determine to be appropriate for such
purposes under such eligibility criteria as the
Commission may determine to be appropriate for such
purposes; and
``(D) reimburse broadband service providers for
each customer served, subject to prior authorization
from the Commission to participate in the pilot
program.
``(3) Criteria for pilot program.--In developing the pilot
program required by paragraph (2), the Commission shall
consider--
``(A) whether State matching funds must be provided
as a condition of eligibility for low-income households
within a State;
``(B) the prevailing market rate for broadband
service and the prevailing speed of broadband service
adopted by households, using information that the
Commission routinely collects or that is publicly
available; and
``(C) how to ensure that the program is neutral as
to the types of technology used to provide broadband
service in order to promote competition from broadband
service providers to qualify for participation in the
pilot program.
``(4) Status report.--After the pilot program has been
operational for 18 months, the Commission shall submit a report
to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on
Energy and Commerce on the status of the pilot program.
``(5) Lifeline program defined.--In this subsection, the
term `Lifeline program' means the service described in section
54.401(a) of the Commission's regulations (47 C.F.R.
54.401(a)).''.
SEC. 4. EXPANSION OF LINK UP PROGRAM REPORT.
(a) In General.--Within 180 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall initiate a notice
of inquiry with public notice and opportunity for comment, to
determine--
(1) whether the Link Up program could be expanded to reduce
the cost of initiating broadband service through providing
support for computer ownership;
(2) what equipment would be supported by such an expansion;
(3) how much support would be available with such an
expansion; and
(4) the eligibility criteria for consumers to qualify for
such an expansion.
(b) Report.--The Commission shall submit a report to the Senate
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of
Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce containing the
Commission's findings, conclusions, and recommendations from the
inquiry.
(c) Link Up Program Defined.--In this section, the term ``Link Up
program'' means the service described in section 54.411(a) of the
Commission's regulations (47 U.S.C. 54.411(a)).
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