[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8077 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8077
To include reasonable costs for high-speed internet service in the
utility allowances for families residing in public housing, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 15, 2022
Mr. Foster (for himself, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Cardenas, Ms. Norton, Ms.
Sewell, Mr. Rush, Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. Neguse, Mrs. Lee of Nevada, Mrs.
Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Ms. Bonamici, Mrs. Hayes, Ms. Dean,
Mrs. Axne, Mr. McGovern, Mrs. Beatty, and Mr. Johnson of Georgia)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Financial Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To include reasonable costs for high-speed internet service in the
utility allowances for families residing in public housing, 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 ``Closing the Digital Divide for
Students Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF HIGH-SPEED INTERNET SERVICE IN PUBLIC HOUSING
UTILITY ALLOWANCES FOR CERTAIN FAMILIES.
Subsection (b) of section 3 of the United States Housing Act of
1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following
new paragraph:
``(14) Utility allowance.--A utility allowance under this
Act for public housing shall include costs for high-speed
internet service, including the cost of renting or purchasing
equipment necessary to access such service and a one-time
installation fee, subject to the following limitations:
``(A) Cost.--The cost included in a utility
allowance for a public housing dwelling unit pursuant
to this paragraph for monthly internet service shall
not--
``(i) exceed the lowest cost available in
the area of such housing for such monthly high-
speed internet service; and
``(ii) include any costs for cable or
satellite television service or telephone
service.
``(B) Family choice.--Subparagraph (A) may not be
construed to prohibit a household in public housing
from subscribing to--
``(i) a high-speed internet service the
cost of which exceeds the cost described in
subparagraph (A)(i); or
``(ii) any joint package for internet
service together with cable or satellite
television service or telephone service, or
both.
``(C) Qualified families.--Costs for high-speed
internet service may be included in a utility allowance
only for a household that incurs such costs and
includes children who qualify for free and reduced
price lunch pursuant to section 9 of the Richard B.
Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758).
``(D) Protection of minors.--Costs for high-speed
internet service may be included in a utility allowance
for a household only if the internet service provider,
upon initial provision of such service for a household,
provides the household with a specific technology
capable of blocking or filtering internet access to
visual depictions described in section 254(h)(5)(B)(i)
of the Communications Act of 1937 (47 U.S.C.
254(h)(5)(B)(i)) that provides a level of protection
against access by minors to such depictions through the
internet that is at least as great as the level of
protection provided by a technology protection measure
(as such term is defined in paragraph (7) of such
section 254(h)) that meets the requirements for
certification under such paragraph, as determined by
the Secretary.''.
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