Introduced in Senate — S. 3259

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 3259

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 20, 2025

Ms. Ernst (for herself and Mr. Cruz) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

A BILL

To amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to require remaining funds under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program to be used for deficit reduction.

Section 1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the Recovering Excess Communications Appropriations while Protecting Telecommunications Upgrades, Reinvestment, and Expansion Act or the RECAPTURE Act.

Sec. 2. Use of remaining BEAD funds for deficit reduction

(a) In general

Section 60102(e)(4) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (47 U.S.C. 1702(e)(4)) is amended—

(1)

in subparagraph (D)(ii)(III), by striking , shall make available to the eligible entity the remainder of the grant funds allocated to the eligible entity under subsection (c); and inserting the following:

, shall, with respect to the remainder of the grant funds allocated to the eligible entity under subsection (c)—
(aa)
make available to the eligible entity the portion of those remaining funds that have been designated for a specific purpose in the final proposal; and
(bb)
deposit in the general fund of the Treasury, for the sole purpose of deficit reduction, the portion of those remaining funds that have not been designated for a specific purpose in the final proposal;; and

(2)

in subparagraph (E)(ii)(III), by striking , shall make available to the eligible entity the remainder of the grant funds allocated to the eligible entity under subsection (c); and inserting the following:

, shall, with respect to the remainder of the grant funds allocated to the eligible entity under subsection (c)—
(aa)
make available to the eligible entity the portion of those remaining funds that have been designated for a specific purpose in the final proposal; and
(bb)
deposit in the general fund of the Treasury, for the sole purpose of deficit reduction, the portion of those remaining funds that have not been designated for a specific purpose in the final proposal;

(b) Technical and conforming amendments

Section 60102 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (47 U.S.C. 1702) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (c)(5)(C)—

(A)

by striking clause (ii);

(B)

by striking Reallocation to other eligible entities.— and all that follows through The Assistant Secretary and inserting Reallocation to other eligible entities due to application failures.—The Assistant Secretary;

(C)

by redesignating subclauses (I) and (II) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively, and adjusting the margins accordingly; and

(D)

in clause (ii), as so redesignated, by striking subclause (I) of this clause and inserting clause (i) of this subparagraph; and

(2)

in subsection (e)(4)(A)(i), in the matter preceding subclause (I), by striking approvals and inserting approves.