S. 4515, ACCESS the Internet Act
Summary
S. 4515, the ACCESS the Internet Act, was introduced in the Senate of the United States on August 6, 2020 by Mr. Manchin (for himself and Mr. Cornyn) and referred to the Committee on Appropriations. It is a bill to provide funding for internet-connected devices and associated internet connectivity services. Section 2, Education, appropriates $1,300,000,000 to make elementary and secondary school emergency relief grants to State educational agencies for internet-connected devices and associated internet connectivity services to support distance learning. The Secretary of Education would make the grants not later than 30 days after enactment, and the Secretary would use $260,000,000 for rural schools.
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“S. 4515, ACCESS the Internet Act.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/bills-bills-116s4515is-bills-116s4515is/
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II
116TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
S. 4515
To provide funding for internet-connected devices and associated internet
connectivity services.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
AUGUST 6, 2020
Mr. MANCHIN (for himself and Mr. CORNYN) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations
A BILL
To provide funding for internet-connected devices and
associated internet connectivity services.
1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Accelerating Connected
5 Care and Education Support Services on the Internet
6 Act’’ or the ‘‘ACCESS the Internet Act’’.
7 SEC. 2. EDUCATION.
8 (a) DIRECT APPROPRIATION.—Out of amounts in the
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9 Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there is appro-
10 priated to the Elementary and Secondary School Emer-
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2
1 gency Relief Fund established under section 18001(b)(2)
2 of the CARES Act (Public Law 116–136),
3 $1,300,000,000 to make elementary and secondary school
4 emergency relief grants to State educational agencies, in
5 accordance with subsection (b), for the purchase of inter-
6 net-connected devices and associated internet connectivity
7 services to support distance learning at elementary schools
8 and secondary schools. The Secretary of Education shall
9 make such grants not later than 30 days after the date
10 of enactment of this Act.
11 (b) ALLOCATION OF FUNDING.—
12 (1) RURAL SCHOOLS.—
13 (A) IN GENERAL.—From the amounts
14 made available for this section, the Secretary
15 shall use $260,000,000 to allocate funds to
16 each State that received funds under the Rural
17 and Low-Income School Program under subpart
18 2 of part B of title V of the Elementary and
19 Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
20 7351 et seq.) in the same proportion as each
21 such State received funds under that subpart
22 for fiscal year 2019.
23 (B) SUBGRANTS.—Not later than 30 days
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24 after receipt of funds under this paragraph, a
25 State educational agency shall allocate those
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1 funds to rural local educational agencies in the
2 State in the same proportion as each rural local
3 educational agency received funds under the
4 Rural and Low-Income School Program under
5 subpart 2 of part B of title V of the Elemen-
6 tary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
7 U.S.C. 7351 et seq.) for fiscal year 2019 to en-
8 able those rural local educational agencies to
9 carry out the activities described in subsection
10 (a).
11 (2) STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES.—
12 (A) IN GENERAL.—From the amounts
13 made available to carry out this section, the
14 Secretary shall use $1,040,000,000 to allocate
15 funds to each State in the same proportion as
16 each State received funds under part A of title
17 I of the Elementary and Secondary Education
18 Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.) for fiscal
19 year 2019.
20 (B) SUBGRANTS.—Not later than 30 days
21 after receipt of funds under this paragraph, a
22 State educational agency shall allocate those
23 funds to local educational agencies in the State
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24 in proportion to the amount of funds such local
25 educational agencies received under part A of
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1 title I of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
2 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.) for
3 fiscal year 2019.
4 (c) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.—Grant funds pro-
5 vided under this section shall be used to supplement, not
6 supplant, other Federal or State funds available to carry
7 out activities described in this section.
8 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
9 (1) ESEA.—The terms ‘‘elementary school’’,
10 ‘‘local educational agency’’, ‘‘secondary school’’,
11 ‘‘Secretary’’, ‘‘State’’, and ‘‘State educational agen-
12 cy’’ have the meanings given those terms in section
13 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
14 Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
15 (2) RURAL LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—
16 The term ‘‘rural local educational agency’’ means a
17 local educational agency that is eligible for funds
18 under the Rural and Low-Income School Program
19 under subpart 2 of part B of title V of the Elemen-
20 tary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
21 U.S.C. 7351 et seq.).
22 (e) EMERGENCY DESIGNATION.—
23 (1) IN GENERAL.—The amounts provided under
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24 this section are designated as an emergency require-
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1 ment pursuant to section 4(g) of the Statutory Pay-
2 As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 933(g)).
3 (2) DESIGNATION IN SENATE.—In the Senate,
4 this section is designated as an emergency require-
5 ment pursuant to section 4112(a) of H. Con. Res.
6 71 (115th Congress), the concurrent resolution on
7 the budget for fiscal year 2018.
8 SEC. 3. LIBRARY SERVICES.
9 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the terms ‘‘li-
10 brary’’, ‘‘State’’, and ‘‘State library administrative agen-
11 cy’’ have the meanings given those terms in section 213
12 of the Museum and Library Services Act (20 U.S.C.
13 9122).
14 (b) PILOT PROGRAM.—
15 (1) DIRECT APPROPRIATION.—Out of amounts
16 in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there is
17 appropriated to the Institute of Museum and Li-
18 brary Services $200,000,000 to carry out the pilot
19 program under this section. Not later than 21 days
20 after the date of enactment of this section, the Di-
21 rector of the Institute of Museum and Library Serv-
22 ices shall establish a 2-year pilot program, through
23 which the Director shall—
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24 (A) reserve 2.5 percent of the amounts ap-
25 propriated to carry out this section to make
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1 grants to Indian Tribes and to organizations
2 that primarily serve and represent Native Ha-
3 waiians (as the term is defined in section 6207
4 of the Native Hawaiian Education Act (20
5 U.S.C. 7517)) to enable such tribes and organi-
6 zations to carry out the activities described in
7 subsection (c); and
8 (B) allocate grant funds to States in ac-
9 cordance with paragraph (2) to enable States,
10 through the State library administrative agency,
11 as appropriate, to carry out the activities de-
12 scribed in subsection (c).
13 (2) ALLOTMENTS TO STATES.—
14 (A) MINIMUM ALLOTMENTS.—
15 (i) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of
16 this subsection, the minimum allotment for
17 each State shall be $1,600,000, except that
18 the minimum allotment shall be $160,000
19 in the case of the United States Virgin Is-
20 lands, Guam, American Samoa, the Com-
21 monwealth of the Northern Mariana Is-
22 lands, the Republic of the Marshall Is-
23 lands, the Federated States of Micronesia,
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24 and the Republic of Palau.
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1 (ii) RATABLE REDUCTION.—Notwith-
2 standing clause (i), if the sum appro-
3 priated to carry out this section is insuffi-
4 cient to fully satisfy the requirement of
5 clause (i), each of the minimum allotments
6 under such clause shall be reduced ratably.
7 (B) REMAINDER.—
8 (i) IN GENERAL.—From the remain-
9 der of any sums not reserved or allotted
10 under subparagraph (A), the Director shall
11 award grants to each State in an amount
12 that bears the same relation to such re-
13 mainder as the population of the State
14 bears to the population of all States.
15 (ii) DATA.—The population of each
16 State and of all the States shall be deter-
17 mined by the Director on the basis of the
18 most recent data available from the Bu-
19 reau of the Census.
20 (3) GRANTS FOR INDIAN TRIBES.—An Indian
21 tribe that is eligible for support under section 261
22 of the Library Services and Technology Act (20
23 U.S.C. 9161) may designate a tribal library or tribal
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24 library consortium as a library or consortium that is
25 eligible for grant funds under this section, without
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1 regard to whether the library or library consortium
2 is eligible for assistance from a State Library Ad-
3 ministrative Agency under the Library Services and
4 Technology Act (20 U.S.C. 9121 et seq.), if the li-
5 brary or library consortium is eligible for support
6 from an Indian tribe under such section 261.
7 (c) USE OF GRANT FUNDS.—Each State, Indian
8 Tribe, or other entity receiving a grant, contract, or coop-
9 erative agreement under this section shall use funding
10 under this section to—
11 (1) expand digital network access by purchasing
12 and distributing internet-connected devices, such as
13 hotspots, to libraries in low-income and rural areas
14 so that those libraries can allow individuals to bor-
15 row internet-connected devices for home use and in-
16 stall or upgrade public Wi-Fi access points for use
17 on or near library grounds;
18 (2) provide libraries with funds to pay the other
19 expenses associated with such devices and services,
20 such as processing, training, associated connectivity,
21 hardware and support, and other necessary expenses
22 related to the retention of these devices and provi-
23 sion of these services; or
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24 (3) encourage existing and new partnerships be-
25 tween State and local governments, libraries, non-
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1 profit entities, agencies including the Federal Com-
2 munications Commission, and telecommunication,
3 broadband, and internet service providers to coordi-
4 nate the distribution of hotspots and other internet-
5 connected devices and services.
6 (d) GRANTS, CONTRACTS, OR COOPERATIVE AGREE-
7 MENTS.—From amounts appropriated to carry out this
8 section, $1,000,000 shall be made available for the Direc-
9 tor of the Institute of Museum and Library Services for
10 grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements with Federal
11 agencies, public and private organizations, and other enti-
12 ties determined to be eligible by the Director to enable
13 those agencies, organizations, and entities to carry out the
14 activities described in subsection (c).
15 (e) EMERGENCY DESIGNATION.—
16 (1) IN GENERAL.—The amounts provided under
17 this section are designated as an emergency require-
18 ment pursuant to section 4(g) of the Statutory Pay-
19 As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 933(g)).
20 (2) DESIGNATION IN SENATE.—In the Senate,
21 this section is designated as an emergency require-
22 ment pursuant to section 4112(a) of H. Con. Res.
23 71 (115th Congress), the concurrent resolution on
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24 the budget for fiscal year 2018.
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1 SEC. 4. FCC COVID–19 TELEHEALTH PROGRAM.
2 (a) DIRECT APPROPRIATION.—Out of amounts in the
3 Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there is appro-
4 priated to the Federal Communications Commission
5 $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2020 to carry out the
6 COVID–19 Telehealth Program established by the Com-
7 mission under the authority provided under the heading
8 ‘‘SALARIES AND EXPENSES’’ under the heading ‘‘FEDERAL
9 COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION’’ under the heading
10 ‘‘INDEPENDENT AGENCIES’’ in title V of division B
11 of the CARES Act (Public Law 116–136; 134 Stat. 281),
12 to remain available until expended.
13 (b) LIMITATION.—
14 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not less than $80,000,000
15 of the amounts made available under subsection (a)
16 shall be used to assist health care providers that—
17 (A) are located in a rural area (as defined
18 in section 54.600 of title 47, Code of Federal
19 Regulations, or any successor regulation); and
20 (B) have fewer than 500 employees.
21 (2) PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT EXEMP-
22 TION.—A collection of information conducted or
23 sponsored under regulations required to implement
24 paragraph (1)(B) shall not constitute a collection of
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25 information for the purposes of subchapter I of
26 chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (com-
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1 monly referred to as the ‘‘Paperwork Reduction
2 Act’’).
3 (c) EMERGENCY DESIGNATION.—
4 (1) IN GENERAL.—The amounts provided under
5 this section are designated as an emergency require-
6 ment pursuant to section 4(g) of the Statutory Pay-
7 As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 933(g)).
8 (2) DESIGNATION IN SENATE.—In the Senate,
9 this section is designated as an emergency require-
10 ment pursuant to section 4112(a) of H. Con. Res.
11 71 (115th Congress), the concurrent resolution on
12 the budget for fiscal year 2018.
13 SEC. 5. ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS FOR DEPARTMENT OF VET-
14 ERANS AFFAIRS TO PURCHASE, MAINTAIN,
15 AND REFRESH DEVICES AND SERVICES FOR
16 PROVISION OF TELEHEALTH SERVICES.
17 (a) DIRECT APPROPRIATION.—Out of amounts in the
18 Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there is appro-
19 priated to the Department of Veterans Affairs
20 $100,000,000 for Telehealth and Connected Care, Con-
21 nected Care Program Funding: Sustainment and Expan-
22 sion, Home and Community Based Services, to be used—
23 (1) to furnish internet-connected devices (such
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24 as tablets) and associated internet access services to
25 veterans for purposes of providing such veterans
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1 with access to telehealth services from the Depart-
2 ment; and
3 (2) to maintain and refresh such devices and
4 services and any such devices and services previously
5 provided to veterans for such purposes.
6 (b) AVAILABILITY OF AMOUNTS.—Amounts appro-
7 priated under subsection (a) shall remain available for ob-
8 ligation until September 30, 2022.
9 (c) PRIORITY.—In expending amounts to furnish,
10 maintain, and refresh devices and internet access services
11 for veterans as described in subsection (a), the Secretary
12 of Veterans Affairs shall prioritize—
13 (1) veterans who are in unserved and under-
14 served areas;
15 (2) veterans who reside in rural and highly
16 rural areas, as defined in the Rural-Urban Com-
17 muting Areas coding system of the Department of
18 Agriculture;
19 (3) low-income veterans; and
20 (4) any other veterans that the Secretary con-
21 siders to be at a higher risk for suicide and mental
22 health concerns during isolation periods due to a
23 public health emergency.
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24 (d) EMERGENCY DESIGNATION.—
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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The amounts provided under
2 this section are designated as an emergency require-
3 ment pursuant to section 4(g) of the Statutory Pay-
4 As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 933(g)).
5 (2) DESIGNATION IN SENATE.—In the Senate,
6 this section is designated as an emergency require-
7 ment pursuant to section 4112(a) of H. Con. Res.
8 71 (115th Congress), the concurrent resolution on
9 the budget for fiscal year 2018.
Æ
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