HR 1783 United States House · 117th Congress

Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act

Summary
Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2026, revises, and establishes grants and activities to promote access to broadband internet and other telecommunication services. The bill addresses digital equity and inclusion through grants and by requiring studies on barriers to adoption of broadband services and related matters. The bill addresses broadband affordability and access. It (1) reauthorizes and expands various programs that subsidize or otherwise support broadband services for eligible households, schools and libraries, and tribal lands and populations; and (2) establishes a program for expanding broadband service for underserved areas and community support organizations (e.g., schools and religious organizations). Additionally, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must award grants and take other actions to expand programs that verify an individual's eligibility for subsidized services. The bill addresses broadband data collection, disclosure, and sharing. The FCC must (1) issue rules regarding the collection of pricing data and labels that disclose information about broadband plans to consumers, and (2) collaborate and share data with federal agencies and other stakeholders. The bill makes financing (e.g., low-interest loans) available to communities and public-private partnerships for broadband infrastructure investments. Additionally, the Department of Transportation must require states to install conduits for broadband cables as part of certain highway projects. The bill also sets up a task force on nationwide dig once requirements (i.e., policies or practices to minimize excavations of highway rights-of-way when installing telecommunications infrastructure). Further, the bill preempts state laws that prohibit certain telecommunications service providers (e.g., public providers) from providing high-speed broadband services.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2021
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced Mar 11, 2021 Last action Apr 28, 2021
Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
5
Key actions
0
Committee
4
Apr 28, 2021
Committee
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit.
lower
Mar 12, 2021
Committee
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
lower
Mar 12, 2021
Committee
Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
lower
Mar 11, 2021
Committee
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
lower
Mar 11, 2021
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 75 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of James E. Clyburn
James E. Clyburn
DDemocratic
SC
6
Co
Photo of A. Donald McEachin
A. Donald McEachin
DDemocratic
VA
4
Co
Photo of Abigail Davis Spanberger
Abigail Davis Spanberger
DDemocratic
VA
7
Co
Photo of Adam Smith
Adam Smith
DDemocratic
WA
9
Co
Photo of Adriano Espaillat
Adriano Espaillat
DDemocratic
NY
13
Co
Photo of Angie Craig
Angie Craig
DDemocratic
MN
2
Co
Photo of Ann Kirkpatrick
Ann Kirkpatrick
DDemocratic
AZ
2
Co
Photo of Ann M. Kuster
Ann M. Kuster
DDemocratic
NH
2
Co
Photo of Anna G. Eshoo
Anna G. Eshoo
DDemocratic
CA
16
Co
Photo of Antonio Delgado
Antonio Delgado
DDemocratic
NY
19
Co
Photo of Barbara Lee
Barbara Lee
DDemocratic
CA
12