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Legislation, Universal Service Modernization
S. 1492 Broadband Data Improvement Act
Submitted by Benton Foundation on Fri, 06/08/2007 - 09:39Last updated: Tue, 03/04/2008 - 11:50
Commerce Committee Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii), with the cosponsorship of Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.), Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), introduced the Broadband Data Improvement Act, S. 1492, which seeks to improve the quality of federal broadband data collection and encourages state initiatives that promote broadband deployment.
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S. 1190 Connect the Nation Act
Submitted by Benton Foundation on Thu, 06/07/2007 - 15:12Last updated: Tue, 03/04/2008 - 11:50
On April 24, 2007, Sen Dick Durbin (D-IL)introduced legislation, (S. 1190) the Connected Nation Act of 2007, to encourage the rapid deployment of high-quality, affordable broadband internet service, especially in rural areas. The legislation creates a matching grant program to be administered through the Department of Commerce to assist statewide or regional public-private partnerships increase broadband access, map resources and build demand.
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HR 3919 The Broadband Census of America Act of 2007
Submitted by Benton Foundation on Thu, 05/24/2007 - 10:51Last updated: Tue, 03/04/2008 - 11:49
On May 17, 2007, the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet held a hearing to discuss draft legislation, the Broadband Census of America Act of 2007, which seeks to address the lack of accurate information about the nature and extent of broadband service across America in order to pave the way for the development and implementation of a comprehensive national broadband strategy.
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S.R. 191 Resolution on Next-generation Broadband Networks
Submitted by admin on Wed, 05/16/2007 - 10:41Last updated: Tue, 03/04/2008 - 11:49
On May 8, 2007, Sen John Rockefeller IV (D-WV) introduced Senate Resolution 191, proposing to set a national broadband goal and develop a strategy to meet the goal. The goal is 10 megabits per second universally available in the United States by the end of 2010, and 100 megabits by the end of 2015. His strategy would include tax incentives to push the private sector beyond their current deployment plans, low-interest loans for the same purpose, reform of the Universal Service Fund to encourage broadband deployment, municipal broadband networks, and wise use of wireless spectrum. The national broadband strategy would be developed by the end of 2007 and revisted every year thereafter to modify as necessary.
H.R. 1818 Broadband Deployment Accleration Act of 2007
Submitted by Benton Foundation on Mon, 04/30/2007 - 10:21Last updated: Tue, 03/04/2008 - 11:49
On March 29, 2007, Rep Doris Matsui (D-CA) inroduced the Broadband Deployment Acceleration Act of 2007 (HR 1818).
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H.R. 2035 Rural Utility Service Bill
Submitted by Benton Foundation on Mon, 04/30/2007 - 10:01Last updated: Tue, 03/04/2008 - 11:48
Reps. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) have introduced the "Rural Utility Service Bill" (H.R. 2035) to promote increased access to high-speed broadband Internet service in rural America. The bill would improve the Rural Utility Service Broadband Loan Program that provides federal loans to areas of rural America that don't have service; that law, however, has a loophole that allows nonrural areas and areas that already have broadband services to apply for these loans, thus depleting the cash set aside for the real rural America.
H.R. 2054 Universal Service Reform Act of 2007
Submitted by Benton Foundation on Mon, 04/30/2007 - 09:45Last updated: Tue, 03/04/2008 - 11:48
On April 26, 2007 Rick Boucher (D-VA) and Lee Terry (R-NE) introduced the Universal Service Reform Act of 2007 to improve the Universal Service Fund (USF) and ensure its continued viability by broadening the base of contributions into the Fund, controlling distributions from the Fund, and assisting with the rollout of high speed broadband access.
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S. 1032 Rural Broadband Initiative Act of 2007
Submitted by Benton Foundation on Thu, 04/12/2007 - 10:04Last updated: Tue, 03/04/2008 - 11:47
The Rural Broadband Initiatives Act: This legislation aims to extend and improve access to broadband services in small towns across America. It would create a policy and action framework to ensure that the federal government employs an effective and comprehensive strategy to deploy broadband service and access in the rural areas of the United States. The bill would also establish a Rural Broadband Innovation fund to explore and develop cutting edge broadband delivery technologies to reach underserved rural areas.
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S. 337 White Spaces Act of 2007
Submitted by Benton Foundation on Tue, 03/06/2007 - 10:31Last updated: Tue, 03/04/2008 - 11:47
On January 18, 2007, Sen John Sununu (R-NH) introduced the “White Spaces Act of 2007,†(S. 337) which would provide access to unassigned or unused portions of the broadcast spectrum.
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S. 234 Wireless Innovation Act of 2007
Submitted by Benton Foundation on Tue, 03/06/2007 - 10:11Last updated: Tue, 03/04/2008 - 11:46
On January 9, 2007, Sen John Kerry (D-MA) introduced the Wireless Innovation Act of 2007 (S. 234), to make broadband available to unconnected communities by exploiting unused frequencies in the broadcast spectrum known as “white spaces.â€
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