[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7948 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7948
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
April 11, 2024
Mr. Foster (for himself, Ms. Norton, Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania, Mr.
Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. McGovern, and Mrs. Beatty)
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 2024''.
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 1934 (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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