S.Amdt. 3360

SA 3360. Mr. PERDUE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to
amendment SA 3224 proposed by Mr. Roberts (for himself and Ms.
Stabenow) to the bill H.R. 2, to provide for the reform and
continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of
Agriculture through fiscal year 2023, and for other purposes; which was
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of subtitle B of title VI, add the following:

SEC. 62__. MIDDLE MILE BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE.

Section 601 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7
U.S.C. 950bb) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ``middle mile
infrastructure'' before ``in rural areas'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
(B) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
``(3) Middle mile infrastructure.--
``(A) In general.--The term `middle mile infrastructure'
means any broadband infrastructure that does not connect
directly to an end user location (including an anchor
institution).
``(B) Inclusions.--The term `middle mile infrastructure'
may include interoffice transport, backhaul, internet
connectivity, data centers, or special access transport to
rural areas.'';
(3) in subsection (c) (as amended by section 6206(2))--
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``and to construct,
improve, or acquire middle mile infrastructure'' after
``broadband service'';
(B) in paragraph (2)(A)(i) (as amended by section
6206(2)(C)) by inserting ``or, in the case of middle mile
infrastructure, offer the future ability to link'' after
``provide broadband service''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(5) Limitation on middle mile infrastructure projects.--
The Secretary shall limit grants, loans, or loan guarantees
for middle mile infrastructure projects to not more than 20
percent of the amounts made available to carry out this
section.'';
(4) in subsection (d)--
(A) in paragraph (1)(A)--
(i) in clause (i), by inserting ``or extend middle mile
infrastructure'' before ``to all''; and
(ii) in clause (iii) (as amended by section
6206(3)(A)(i)(III)), by inserting ``or middle mile
infrastructure'' before ``described'';
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``or install middle
mile infrastructure'' before ``in the proposed''; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) Exception for middle mile infrastructure.--Portions
of a middle mile infrastructure project that uses funds
provided under this section that otherwise meet the rural
service requirements of this section may traverse an area
that is not a rural area when necessary.'';
(C) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``, or to construct,
improve, or acquire middle mile infrastructure in,'' before
``a rural area'';
(D) in paragraph (5)(A)(v), by inserting ``or, in the case
of middle mile infrastructure, connect'' after ``to
service''; and
(E) in paragraph (8)(A)(ii)--
(i) in subclause (I), by inserting ``or may'' before
``receive'';
(ii) in subclause (II), by inserting ``or capability of
middle mile infrastructure'' after ``service''; and
(iii) in subclause (III), by striking ``area'' and
inserting ``area, if applicable'';
(5) in subsection (i)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ``or Middle
Mile Infrastructure'' after ``Service''; and
(B) by inserting ``or middle mile infrastructure'' before
``in rural areas''; and
(6) in subsection (j)(6), by inserting ``or middle mile
infrastructure'' after ``service'' the first and third places
it appears.
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