Sec. 1. Report on digital divide
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Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the subsequent 10-year period, the Assistant Secretary, in consultation with the Federal Communications Commission, shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and make publicly available on the website of the NTIA, a report on the state of the digital divide, which shall include the following:
Information on and an analysis of— barriers to, and trends regarding, broadband access, adoption, and affordability; the connection between— broadband access, adoption, and affordability; and various socioeconomic indicators; and the impact of Federal programs on broadband access, adoption, and affordability. An assessment of the sufficiency of existing data collection and data sets with respect to the analysis described in paragraph
(1)and, if necessary, recommendations for NTIA actions to improve data quality. Recommendations for legislative action to facilitate closure of the digital divide. In assembling each report required by subsection (a), the Assistant Secretary shall— utilize all available and relevant data, including data associated with the Indicators of Broadband Need mapping application of the NTIA and published research and data from individuals and entities other than the NTIA; solicit public comment; hold public meetings with relevant stakeholders; and consult with experts on and representatives of communities that are unserved or underserved with respect to broadband.