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HR 7447 116th Congress House Science, Technology, Communications Administrative law and regulatory procedures Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Geography and mapping Infrastructure development Internet and video services Internet, web applications, social media

To direct the Federal Communications Commission to take certain actions to accelerate the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction, and for other purposes.

Introduced: July 1, 2020 Introduced by: Clyburn, James E. Democratic · South Carolina See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 1, 2020
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Jul 1, 2020
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take specified actions to expedite the provision of broadband internet access service in unserved rural areas.

Specifically, the FCC must modify the framework for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction, which aims to facilitate the provision of broadband service to areas that are wholly unserved. Among other requirements, the FCC (1) must accept long-form applications prior to such auction from applicants that are willing to commit to a specified schedule for deploying broadband internet access service, and (2) shall not require applicants to be designated as eligible telecommunications carriers in order to receive Rural Digital Opportunity Fund support.

In addition, the bill establishes a deadline of October 1, 2020, for the FCC to create broadband maps that depict the extent of availability of broadband service in the United States and the areas that remain unserved.

What's happening now July 1, 2020

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1