[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 870 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 870
To require the Federal Communications Commission to update the national
broadband plan, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 5, 2021
Ms. Eshoo (for herself, Ms. Norton, Mr. Case, Mr. Thompson of
Mississippi, and Mr. Thompson of California) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Federal Communications Commission to update the national
broadband plan, 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 ``National Broadband Plan for the
Future Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. UPDATE TO NATIONAL BROADBAND PLAN.
(a) Definitions.--In this section--
(1) the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the
House of Representatives;
(2) the term ``broadband internet access service'' has the
meaning given the term in section 8.1(b) of title 47, Code of
Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation;
(3) the term ``Commission'' means the Federal
Communications Commission;
(4) the term ``COVID-19 pandemic'' means the outbreak and
associated public heath, economic, and other societal effects
of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) related to the
emergency declared by the Secretary of Health and Human
Services on January 31, 2020, under section 319 of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d), and any renewals thereof
and any subsequent declarations by the Secretary of Health and
Human Services related to the coronavirus;
(5) the term ``E-Rate program'' means the program set forth
under subpart F of part 54 of title 47, Code of Federal
Regulations, or any successor regulations;
(6) the term ``Lifeline'' means the program set forth under
subpart E of part 54 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations,
or any successor regulations; and
(7) the term ``national broadband plan'' means the plan
required to be submitted by the Commission to the appropriate
committees of Congress under section 6001(k) of the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (47 U.S.C. 1305(k)).
(b) Update.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress a report containing an
update to the national broadband plan.
(2) Contents.--The update to the national broadband plan
required under paragraph (1) shall--
(A) assess the progress of the United States in
achieving the goals of the original national broadband
plan during the 10-year period preceding the date of
enactment of this Act;
(B) reassess the areas of focus contained within
the original national broadband plan, including
through--
(i) an analysis of the most effective and
efficient mechanisms for ensuring access to
broadband internet access service by all people
of the United States;
(ii) a detailed strategy for achieving--
(I) affordability of broadband
internet access service (including
through Lifeline); and
(II) maximum utilization of
broadband internet access service, and
the infrastructure with respect to that
service, by the public;
(iii) an evaluation of the status of
deployment of broadband internet access
service, including the progress of projects
supported by the grants made pursuant to
section 6001 of the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (47 U.S.C. 1305); and
(iv) a plan for use of broadband internet
access service, and the infrastructure with
respect to that service, in advancing racial
justice, socioeconomic equity, consumer
welfare, civic participation, public safety and
homeland security, community development,
health care delivery, energy independence and
efficiency, education, worker training, private
sector investment, entrepreneurial activity,
job creation and economic growth, and other
national purposes;
(C) examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on
how the people of the United States--
(i) learn, including--
(I) an analysis of the nature and
extent of gaps between students who
have access to broadband internet
access service at home and students who
do not have access to such service; and
(II) an identification of specific
ways to close the gaps described in
subclause (I), including through the E-
Rate program and Lifeline;
(ii) work, including by developing detailed
proposals that could make working from home
more practical for workers and more productive
for employers;
(iii) receive medical information and
treatment, including by--
(I) reviewing the adequacy and
effectiveness of telemedicine programs
implemented at the Federal and State
levels; and
(II) developing proposals for how
the programs described in subclause (I)
could be improved or expanded; and
(iv) participate in civic communications,
including by analyzing the effects that the
COVID-19 pandemic and the infrastructure with
respect to broadband internet access service in
the United States have had on--
(I) free expression and non-
commercial speakers in the United
States; and
(II) the availability of credible
news and information, including public
health information, with respect to
that pandemic;
(D) analyze the change in reliance that the people
of the United States will have on services enabled by
broadband internet access service as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic; and
(E) develop--
(i) short-term proposals to address the
reliance described in subparagraph (D); and
(ii) a long-term plan to address any
systemic privacy and security challenges
associated with the use of services described
in subparagraph (D).
(3) Subsequent annual reports.--Not later than 1 year after
the date on which the Commission submits the report of the
Commission required under paragraph (1), and annually
thereafter, the Commission shall submit to the appropriate
committees of Congress a report on the progress of the
Commission in achieving the goals of the national broadband
plan, as updated under this subsection.
(4) Public availability.--The Commission shall publish the
report submitted under paragraph (1), and each report submitted
under paragraph (3), on a publicly available website.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Commission such sums as may be necessary to carry
out this section.
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