Emergency Broadband Connections Act of 2020

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.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

1. 29 June 2020

   Introduced

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 29 June 2020

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

• Introduced in Senate · 29 June 2020 · Download file

Documents

3 official files

• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 29 June 2020

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in Senate (PDF)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 29 June 2020

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

  Leesvertaling

  Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.

  Vertaal naarNL · DutchDE · GermanFR · FrenchES · SpanishIT · ItalianPL · PolishPT · PortugueseSV · SwedishDA · DanishFI · FinnishEL · GreekCS · CzechHU · HungarianRO · RomanianBG · BulgarianHR · CroatianSK · SlovakSL · SlovenianLT · LithuanianLV · LatvianET · EstonianGA · IrishMT · Maltese

  Vertaal document

  Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 29 June 2020

  Open at official source

  Leesvertaling

  Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.

  Vertaal naarNL · DutchDE · GermanFR · FrenchES · SpanishIT · ItalianPL · PolishPT · PortugueseSV · SwedishDA · DanishFI · FinnishEL · GreekCS · CzechHU · HungarianRO · RomanianBG · BulgarianHR · CroatianSK · SlovakSL · SlovenianLT · LithuanianLV · LatvianET · EstonianGA · IrishMT · Maltese

  Vertaal document

  Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

Sponsors

• Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] · I · Sponsor
• Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Harris, Kamala D. [D-CA] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Udall, Tom [D-NM] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Jones, Doug [D-AL] · D · Cosponsor
• · sscm00 · Standing

Related records

• related to → Emergency Broadband Connections Act of 2020