S 3024 118th Congress Senate Science, Technology, Communications Congressional oversight Food assistance and relief Government information and archives Medicaid Poverty and welfare assistance State and local government operations Telecommunication rates and fees Telephone and wireless communication

Promoting Access to Broadband Act of 2023

Introduced: October 4, 2023 Introduced by: Durbin, Richard J. Democratic · Illinois See on congress.gov

Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Oct 4, 2023

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text: CR S4951-4952)

Oct 4, 2023

Introduced in Senate

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Promoting Access to Broadband Act of 2023

This bill establishes grant programs to facilitate enrollment in the Lifeline program and the Affordable Connectivity Program. (These programs subsidize telecommunications services for eligible, low-income individuals and households.)

Specifically, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must award competitive grants to states, territories, or tribes for informing Medicaid enrollees, recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, and other low-income individuals about their potential eligibility for the programs.

The FCC must also award grants to states, territories, and tribes to facilitate data sharing for verifying eligibility for the programs. Recipients must use the grants to establish or maintain connections between (1) their databases that contain information about residents who receive benefits administered by the recipient, and (2) the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier (a centralized system that verifies and annually recertifies Lifeline applicants' eligibility for the program).

What's happening now October 4, 2023

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text: CR S4951-4952)

Committees of jurisdiction 1