Sec. 6206. Public notice, assessments, technical assistance, and reporting requirements
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Section 701 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 ( 7 U.S.C. 950cc ) is amended— in the section heading, by inserting before technical assistance, ; and in subsection (a)(1)(B)(i), by inserting , including a complete shapefile map before the semicolon; in subsection (b)— in paragraph (1)— in subparagraph (A), by striking and at the end; by redesignating subparagraph
(B)as subparagraph
(C)and inserting after subparagraph
(A)the following: validate the information submitted by service providers under subparagraph
(A)through procedures established by the Secretary, which shall include an agency determination provided to the submitter, an opportunity of the submitter to respond, and a final non-appealable determination of the Secretary; and ; and in subparagraph
(C)(as so redesignated by clause
(ii)of this subparagraph), by striking paragraph
(1)and inserting subparagraph
(A); and in paragraph (2), by striking all that precedes subparagraph
(B)and inserting the following: In making any determination to award a loan, loan guarantee, or grant for any retail broadband project provided assistance or for which assistance is sought that is administered by the Secretary, the Secretary shall confirm that each unserved rural community identified in the application is eligible for funding by— utilizing the map created by the Federal Communications Commission under section 802(c)(1)(A) of the Communications Act of 1934 and the Deployment Locations Map established under section 60104(b) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ( 47 U.S.C. 1704(b) ); ; and by striking subsection
(e)and inserting the following: The Secretary shall make grants to private, nonprofit, or public organizations to provide or receive eligible entities broadband technical assistance and training to expand access to broadband service in rural communities through the broadband programs of the Department of Agriculture including— preparing applications for grants, loans and loan guarantees under this section; identifying resources to finance broadband facilities from public and private sources, including other Federal agencies; preparing feasibility studies, financial forecasts, market surveys, environmental studies, and technical design information to support broadband services; preparing reports and surveys necessary to support the need for broadband services, the price range, and request financial assistance; analyzing and improving operations related to the management, including financial management, of broadband facilities and to the efficiency of the entity; collecting broadband infrastructure data; or assisting with other areas of need identified by the Secretary. To be eligible to obtain assistance under this subsection, an entity shall be— a federally recognized Tribe or Tribal entity; a State or local government, including any agency, subdivision, instrumentality, or political subdivision thereof; a territory or possession of the United States; an institution of higher education (including a 1862 Land-Grant Institution, 1890 Land-Grant Institution, 1994 Land-Grant Institution, Hispanic-Serving Institution, or Historically Black College or University); a nonprofit organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; a cooperative or mutual organization; a corporation; or a limited liability company or limited liability partnership. In selecting recipients of grants under this paragraph, the Secretary shall give priority to organizations that have experience in providing technical assistance and training to rural entities. The Secretary shall allow applications for grants under this paragraph from qualified organizations for the sole purpose of providing on-site community technical assistance and training on a national or multi-State regional basis. The Secretary may make grants to eligible entities for the purpose of collecting broadband service data to assist the Secretary in— establishing the availability of broadband service or middle mile infrastructure in a rural area; determining the eligibility of a community for assistance under any broadband program administered by the Secretary; undertaking a service area assessment under this section; or collecting information to submit a challenge to the National Broadband Map created by the Federal Communications Commission pursuant to section 802(c)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 642(c)(1) ). To apply for a grant under this section, an entity shall submit an application which identifies— the data collection area; the purpose of the data collection; the types of broadband service data to be collected; the survey and data collection methods utilized; and any other information the Secretary determines necessary to promote the integrity of broadband service collected under this section. The amount of a grant made available under this subsection shall not exceed $50,000. The Secretary shall ensure that any broadband service data collected under this section is— measured or assessed in accordance with such standards as are established by the Federal Communications Commission pursuant to section 802(a)(1)(A) of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 642(a)(1)(A) ); accurate and verifiable in accordance with such standards as are established by the Federal Communications Commission pursuant to section 802(a)(1)(A) of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 642(a)(1)(A) ); included in any broadband maps or data sets maintained by the Secretary; and made available to the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission and the Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for inclusion in any broadband maps or data sets either may maintain. In this subsection: The term broadband service has the same meaning given the term in section 601. The term broadband service data means information related to— the location and type of broadband service; the location and type of broadband infrastructure; the advertised, maximum, and average speed of broadband service; the average price of the most subscribed tier of broadband service; the speed tiers of broadband service available in the area; or any additional metric the Secretary deems appropriate. The Secretary shall further define the term broadband service area to ensure that data is measured and collected in a manner consistent with the reporting requirements under this section, and any broadband coordination or data-sharing obligations. The term eligible entity means— a unit of local government in a rural area; a Tribal Government or unit of Tribal Government; an economic development or other community organization; an eligible entity under title I or II that serves persons in rural areas; an internet service provider that has not more than 100,000 subscribers; or any other entity eligible under a title VI program that is not an internet service provider. The term middle mile infrastructure has the meaning given the term in section 602. The term rural area has the meaning given the term in section 601. The Secretary may not expend more than 1 percent of the amounts made available under subsection
(g)for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out this subsection. Not less than 3 but not more than 5 percent of the amounts appropriated to the program to carry out title VI shall be set aside to be used for— conducting oversight under such title; implementing accountability measures and related activities authorized under such title; or carrying out this section. .
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Sec. 6206
Public notice, assessments, technical assistance, and reporting requirements
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