[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6554 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6554
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a refundable credit
against tax for the purchase of communications signal boosters in areas
with inadequate broadband internet access service, and for other
purposes.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 1, 2023
Mr. Moolenaar (for himself, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Panetta, and Mr.
Huizenga) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means
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A BILL
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a refundable credit
against tax for the purchase of communications signal boosters in areas
with inadequate broadband internet access 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 ``Broadening Online Opportunities
through Simple Technologies Act'' or the ``BOOST Act''.
SEC. 2. BROADBAND INTERNET COMMUNICATIONS SIGNAL BOOSTER CREDIT.
(a) In General.--Subpart C of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting before
section 37 the following new section:
``SEC. 36C. BROADBAND INTERNET COMMUNICATIONS SIGNAL BOOSTER CREDIT.
``(a) In General.--In the case of an individual who elects the
application of this section, there shall be allowed as a credit against
the tax imposed by this subtitle for the taxable year an amount equal
to 75 percent of so much of the qualified signal booster expenditures
of the taxpayer for the taxable year as does not exceed $400.
``(b) Qualified Signal Booster Expenditures.--For purposes of this
section--
``(1) In general.--The term `qualified signal booster
expenditures' means amounts paid or incurred by the taxpayer
for the purchase of--
``(A) any communications signal booster,
``(B) any customer premises equipment for use with
satellite networks,
``(C) any ground station equipment to send and
receive transmissions from satellite networks,
for use by the taxpayer in a principal residence (within the
meaning of section 121) of the taxpayer which is located in an
unserved area.
``(2) Communications signal booster.--The term
`communications signal booster' means a device the first use of
which is with the taxpayer and that receives a wireless signal,
or a commercial mobile data service (as defined in section 6001
of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47
U.S.C. 1401)) signal--
``(A) in order to increase the strength or range of
such signal, and
``(B) in connection with retransmitting a broadband
internet access service signal.
``(3) Unserved area.--The term `unserved area' means an
area eligible for funding under phase 1 or phase 2 of the Rural
Digital Opportunity Fund established by the Federal
Communications Commission in the Report and Order in the matter
of Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and Connect America Fund that
was adopted by the Commission on January 30, 2020 (FCC 20-5).
``(4) Broadband internet access service.--The term
`broadband internet access service' has the meaning given such
term in section 8.1(b) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations
(or any successor regulation).
``(c) Credit Allowed for Only 1 Taxable Year.--An election by the
taxpayer to have this section apply may not be made for any taxable
year if such an election is in effect for the taxpayer for any
preceding taxable year.
``(d) Regulations and Guidance.--The Secretary shall, in
consultation with the Federal Communications Commission, prescribe such
regulations, and provide such other guidance, as may be necessary to
carry out the purposes of this section including a program for persons
engaged in the trade or business of selling communications signal
boosters, or any other equipment described in subsection (b)(1), to
voluntarily report any such sale in an unserved area.
``(e) Termination.--This section shall not apply to any amounts
paid or incurred in any taxable year beginning after December 31,
2027.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for subpart C of
part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by
inserting before the item relating to section 26 the following new
item:
``Sec. 36C. Broadband Internet communications signal booster credit.''.
(c) Conforming Amendment.--Section 1324(b) of title 31, United
States Code, is amended by inserting ``36C,'' after ``36B,''.
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2023.
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