September 3, 2026
Mr. Schweikert introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
To ensure that assistance is available under the ReConnect program without regard to the technology used to provide broadband service, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Rural Broadband Modernization Act
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Sec. 2. Availability of ReConnect program assistance without regard to technology used to provide broadband service
(a) In general
Section 779 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115–141) is amended by striking the period at the end and inserting Provided further, That to be eligible for a loan or grant under the program, a project must provide broadband with a transmission capacity of at least 100 Mbps downstream and 20 Mbps upstream; Provided further, That an application for a loan or grant under the program shall not be denied or given lesser preference on the basis of the kind of technology to be used to provide broadband, or on the basis of whether broadband is to be provided through a terrestrial, non-terrestrial, or low-Earth orbit satellite system, and section 601(e)(3) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 shall apply to the program; Provided further, That, within 30 days after an award is made under the program, the Secretary shall make available to the public a report on the number of locations to be served and the kind of technology to be used to provide broadband, through use of the award; Provided further, That, on completion of a project, the Secretary shall make available to the public a report on the amount of assistance disbursed for the project and the number of locations at which broadband service was made available through the project.
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(b) Final regulations
Within 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Agriculture shall issue final regulations to implement the amendments made by this section.