S. 1102Senate117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

Promoting Access to Broadband Act of 2021

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 1:27 AM UTC

The bill directs the Federal Communications Commission to create a competitive grant program for states, the District of Columbia, territories, and recognized Indian tribes to outreach to Medicaid enrollees, SNAP participants, and other low‑income residents about potential eligibility for the Lifeline discount program. Grants would fund activities that inform these individuals, help them apply, and partner with community organizations. The goal is to increase enrollment among people who qualify but are not yet enrolled, with the FCC reporting results to Congress.

Key Provisions

Defines "covered individuals" as Medicaid enrollees, SNAP participants, and low‑income residents, and defines "eligible‑but‑not‑enrolled" for Lifeline.
Requires the FCC to establish a competitive grant program and award grants to at least five states, giving preference to states with more covered individuals, higher outreach potential, and geographic diversity.
States must apply with data on covered individuals, a detailed outreach plan, and an estimate of the percentage of eligible‑but‑not‑enrolled people they expect to reach; funds may be used by multiple state agencies.
Grant funds must be used to inform covered individuals about Lifeline eligibility, application procedures, household restrictions, and to partner with nonprofits for application assistance.
The FCC must conduct outreach to states before accepting applications and must submit a report to Congress within three years detailing notifications, new applicants, approvals/denials, and cost‑effectiveness.
Appropriations are authorized for the program for the first five full fiscal years after the grant program is established.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text: CR S1897-1898)

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

April 13, 2021

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

April 13, 2021

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text: CR S1897-1898)

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

April 13, 2021

Floor Debate

3 members

What members said about S. 1102 on the floor

1 Republican2 Democrats

Sen. Tim KaineD-VA · Apr 13, 2021

Mr. President, The U.S. Infrastructure system is in critical need of an upgrade. In February 2021, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) graded 11 of 17 infrastructure categories a D+ or…

Mr. President, The U.S. Infrastructure system is in critical need of an upgrade. In February 2021, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) graded 11 of 17 infrastructure categories a D+ or worse. Systems across the Nation are in dire need of repair, including our bridges, public transit, roads, and schools.

A recent study by the Center of Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University estimated that a $1.5 trillion infrastructure investment would create 15 million new jobs. Nearly half of these would require training past the high school level. Even without a significant investment, though, infrastructure industries are already struggling to meet workforce demands. Though the need to invest in infrastructure goes back decades, there's renewed momentum today, especially as more than 10 million people remain unemployed across the country as a result of COVID-19, exacerbating the already historic inequities that have limited women and people of color from accessing these jobs. Investments in infrastructure skills training must serve people of color, women, and other communities who have historically been excluded from good careers in infrastructure.

Industry and sector partnerships are a proven strategy for helping workers prepare for jobs that lead to strong career pathways and helping businesses find skilled workers. Congress requires states and local areas to support the development of these partnerships under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), but no dedicated funding has been provided for these activities.

For workers, especially those underrepresented in infrastructure industries, support services like career counseling, child care, and transportation can often be the key to succeed in work-based learning programs. Providing these services may be outside the capacity of a business. Industry partnerships bring business together with community and human service organizations that can make these connections for workers and drastically improve their ability to succeed in training and meet business demand for skilled workers.

This is why I am pleased to introduce with my colleague, Senator Portman, the Building U.S. Infrastructure by Leveraging Demands for Skills Act, or BUILDS Act. The BUILDS Act creates a grant program that would support industry and sector partnerships working with local businesses, industry associations and organizations, labor organizations, state and local workforce boards, economic development agencies and other partners engaged in their communities to encourage industry growth, competitiveness and collaboration to improve worker training, retention and advancement in targeted infrastructure clusters. Additionally, businesses and education providers would be connected to develop classroom curriculum to complement on-the-job learning and workers would receive support services such as mentoring and career counseling to ensure that they are successful from the pre- employment to placement in a full-time position.

As we prepare to tackle critical infrastructure needs nationwide, it's vital we also support a skilled workforce that can take on this task. This bill will help foster strong industry partnerships and career pathways in infrastructure fields to ensure we can train and upskill workers for millions of good-paying jobs and also strengthen our economy as we begin to recover from COVID-19. I hope that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle consider the BUILDS Act as a necessary component to any investment in our nation's infrastructure.

Sen. Mitch McConnellR-KY · Apr 13, 2021

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Sen. Richard J. DurbinD-IL · Apr 13, 2021

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Sen. Richard J. DurbinD-IL · Apr 13, 2021

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued April 13, 2021

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1102

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 13, 2021

Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Markey, Mrs. Murray, and Ms. Klobuchar) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

A BILL

To direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a program to make grants to States to inform Medicaid enrollees, SNAP participants, and low-income residents of potential eligibility for the Lifeline program of the Commission.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Promoting Access to Broadband Act of 2021.

Lifeline enrollment outreach grants

(a)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Commission

The term Commission means the Federal Communications Commission.

(2)

Covered individuals

The term covered individuals means—

(A)

Medicaid enrollees;

(B)

SNAP participants; and

(C)

low-income residents.

(3)

Eligible-but-not-enrolled

The term eligible-but-not-enrolled means, with respect to an individual, that the individual is eligible for the Lifeline program but is not enrolled in the Lifeline program.

(4)

Lifeline program

The term Lifeline program means the Lifeline program of the Commission.

(5)

Low-income

The term low-income means a gross annual income at or below 135 percent of the Federal poverty level.

(6)

Medicaid enrollee

The term Medicaid enrollee means, with respect to a State, an individual enrolled in the State plan under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) or a waiver of that plan.

(7)

Reach

The term reach means, with respect to an individual, to inform the individual of potential eligibility for the Lifeline program and to provide the individual with information about the Lifeline program, as described in subsection (e).

(8)

SNAP participant

The term SNAP participant means an individual who is a member of a household that participates in the supplemental nutrition assistance program under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.).

(9)

State

The term State means each State of the United States, the District of Columbia, each commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States, and each federally recognized Indian Tribe.

(b)

Establishment

The Commission shall establish a competitive program to make grants to States to inform covered individuals of potential eligibility for the Lifeline program.

(c)

Application

(1)

In general

The Commission may only award a grant under this section to a State that submits an application at such time, in such form, and with such information and assurances as the Commission may require.

(2)

Matters required to be included

An application submitted by a State under paragraph (1) shall include—

(A)

the number of covered individuals in the State;

(B)

a plan for the activities that the State will conduct using grant funds, including a list of each agency within the State that will assist in carrying out those activities; and

(C)

an estimate of the percentage of eligible-but-not-enrolled individuals in the State who will be reached by those activities.

(d)

Selection

(1)

Minimum of 5 States

The Commission shall award grants under this section to not fewer than 5 States.

(2)

Factors for consideration

In awarding grants under this section, the Commission shall give favorable consideration—

(A)

to States that have higher numbers of covered individuals; and

(B)

to States proposing, in the plans submitted under subsection (c)(2)(B), to conduct activities that have the potential to reach higher percentages of eligible-but-not-enrolled individuals in those States, as determined by the Commission, taking into consideration the estimates submitted under subsection (c)(2)(C).

(3)

Geographic diversity

In awarding grants under this section, the Commission shall, to the maximum extent practicable, select States from different geographic regions of the United States.

(e)

Use of funds

(1)

In general

A State that receives a grant under this section shall use grant funds, in accordance with the plan included in the application of the State under subsection (c)(2)(B), to—

(A)

inform covered individuals and organizations or agencies that serve those individuals, as the case may be under the terms of the grant awarded to the State, of potential eligibility for the Lifeline program;

(B)

provide those covered individuals with information about the Lifeline program, including—

(i)

how to apply for the Lifeline program; and

(ii)

a description of the prohibition on more than 1 subscriber in each household receiving a service provided under the Lifeline program; and

(C)

partner with nonprofit and community-based organizations to provide those covered individuals with assistance applying for the Lifeline program and information about product and technology choices.

(2)

Multiple State agencies

A State that receives a grant under this section may provide grant funds to 1 or more agencies located within the State to carry out the activities under the grant.

(f)

Outreach to States regarding grant program

Before accepting applications for the grant program established under this section, the Commission shall conduct outreach to States to ensure that States are aware of the grant program and how to apply for a grant under the grant program.

(g)

Report to Congress

(1)

In general

Not later than 3 years after establishing the grant program under this section, the Commission shall submit to Congress a report evaluating the effectiveness of the grant program.

(2)

Contents

The report submitted under paragraph (1) shall include—

(A)

the number of individuals notified of Lifeline program eligibility by States receiving grants under this section;

(B)

the number of new applicants to the Lifeline program from States receiving grants under this section, including the number of those applicants whose Lifeline program applications were approved and the number of those applicants whose Lifeline program applications were denied; and

(C)

the cost-effectiveness of the grant program established under this section.

(h)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Commission such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section for the first 5 full fiscal years beginning after the establishment of the grant program under this section.