Emergency Broadband Connections Act of 2020
Latest action · Jun 29, 2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedJun 29, 2020
- Passed SenateNot reached
- Passed HouseNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Emergency Broadband Connections Act of 2020
This bill establishes an emergency broadband benefit for certain households during the emergency period related to COVID-19, and it modifies the Lifeline program of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which reduces the cost of communications services for low-income consumers.
Specifically, the bill requires a broadband service provider to provide a low-income household, upon request, with broadband internet service at a price that is discounted in an amount equal to the emergency broadband benefit for such household. The emergency broadband benefit is a monthly discount that is applied to the normal or special rate for internet service. Further, the bill establishes the Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund from which the FCC shall reimburse a provider in an amount equal to the emergency broadband benefit provided to a household. Providers that supply discounted connected devices (e.g., computers) to eligible households may also receive certain reimbursements from the fund.
The bill requires service providers participating in the FCC's Lifeline program to provide an unlimited number of minutes and data during the emergency period. The bill also requires the FCC to make a grant to each state for connecting the state's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) database to the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier, so that receipt of SNAP benefits is reflected in the Lifeline verifier. The verifier determines consumer eligibility for the Lifeline program, and receipt of SNAP benefits automatically qualifies a household for Lifeline service.
Cosponsors 28
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jun 29, 2020 to Jul 2, 2020; 26 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-MN | Amy Klobuchar | Original | Jun 29, 2020 |
| D-MD | Benjamin L. Cardin | Original | Jun 29, 2020 |
| I-VT | Bernard Sanders | Original | Jun 29, 2020 |
| D-HI | Brian Schatz | Original | Jun 29, 2020 |
| D-NY | Charles E. Schumer | Original | Jun 29, 2020 |
| D-MD | Chris Van Hollen | Original | Jun 29, 2020 |
| D-NJ | Cory A. Booker | Original | Jun 29, 2020 |
| D-MA | Edward J. Markey | Original | Jun 29, 2020 |
| D-MA | Elizabeth Warren | Original | Jun 29, 2020 |
| D-RI | Jack Reed | Original | Jun 29, 2020 |
| D-NV | Jacky Rosen | Original | Jun 29, 2020 |
| D-OR | Jeff Merkley | Original | Jun 29, 2020 |
| D-CA | Kamala D. Harris | Original | Jun 29, 2020 |
| D-NY | Kirsten E. Gillibrand | Original | Jun 29, 2020 |
| D-NM | Martin Heinrich | Original | Jun 29, 2020 |
Committees 1
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| Senate | Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee | Referred Jun 29, 2020 |
Actions 2
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Jun 29, 2020Introduced in Senate
- Jun 29, 2020Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR 6881 | Emergency Broadband Connections Act of 2020 | Related bill | May 14, 2020 |
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- A bill to provide emergency benefits for broadband service during periods relating to COVID-19, and for other purposes.
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- Emergency Broadband Connections Act of 2020
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications.
- Accounting and auditing
- Administrative law and regulatory procedures
- Cardiovascular and respiratory health
- Congressional oversight
- Consumer affairs
- Consumer credit
- Elementary and secondary education
- Emergency medical services and trauma care
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
- Federal-Indian relations
- Food assistance and relief
- Government information and archives
- Government studies and investigations
- Government trust funds
- Higher education
- Infectious and parasitic diseases
- Intergovernmental relations
- Internet and video services
- Internet, web applications, social media
- Nutrition and diet
- Science, Technology, Communications
- State and local government operations
- Student aid and college costs
- Telecommunication rates and fees
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Jun 29, 2020Introduced in Senate
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
