Sen Durbin, Rep Kelly Introduce Bicameral Bill to Increase Access to Broadband Service for Low-Income Americans

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) introduced a bicameral bill that would increase access to broadband service for low-income urban and rural Americans.  The Promoting Access to Broadband Act would help states increase awareness and enrollment in the Federal Communications Commission’s Lifeline program and Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provide a monthly subsidy to help low-income households pay for their broadband and telephone service. The bill would:

1. Award grants to at least five states;
2. Direct the FCC to consider several factors in evaluating applications, including states with a higher number of covered individuals, states with plans with the potential to reach a higher percentage of eligible-but-not-enrolled households, and geographic diversity;
3. Allow states to use the funds to inform Medicaid enrollees, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants, and low-income individuals of potential eligibility, provide information on how to apply for Lifeline and ACP, and partner with non-profit and community-based organizations to assist individuals applying forLifeline and ACP; and
4. Require the FCC to issue a report to Congress within a year of establishing the grant program evaluating the grant’s effectiveness.  

The Senate bill is co-sponsored by Sens Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Edward Markey (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Alex Padilla (D-CA).