115th CONGRESS 1st Session |
To require the Secretary of Commerce to conduct an assessment and analysis of the effects of broadband deployment and adoption on the economy of the United States, and for other purposes.
March 15, 2017
Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mrs. Capito, Mr. King, Ms. Heitkamp, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Franken, and Mr. Sullivan) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
To require the Secretary of Commerce to conduct an assessment and analysis of the effects of broadband deployment and adoption on the economy of the United States, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “Measuring the Economic Impact of Broadband Act of 2017”.
SEC. 2. Assessment and analysis of the effect of broadband deployment on economy of the United States.
(a) Broadband defined.—In this section, the term “broadband” means an Internet Protocol-based transmission service that enables users to send and receive voice, video, data, or graphics, or a combination of those items.
(b) Assessment and analysis required.—The Secretary of Commerce shall, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, conduct an assessment and analysis of the effects of broadband deployment and adoption on the economy of the United States.
(c) Considerations.—In conducting the assessment and analysis required by subsection (b), the Secretary shall consider matters relating to employment, including job creation, business headcount, online commerce, income, education and distance learning, telehealth, telework, agriculture, population growth, population density, broadband speed, and geography.
(d) Consultation.—In conducting the assessment and analysis required by subsection (b), the Secretary shall consult with—
(1) the heads of such agencies and offices of the Federal Government as the Secretary considers appropriate, including the Secretary of Agriculture, the Director of the Bureau of the Census, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Small Business Administration, and the Federal Communications Commission;
(2) representatives of business, including rural and urban Internet service providers and telecommunications infrastructure providers;
(3) representatives from State, local, and tribal government agencies; and
(4) representatives from consumer and community organizations.
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the findings of the Secretary with respect to the assessment and analysis conducted under subsection (b).
(2) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS.—In this subsection, the term “appropriate committees of Congress” means—
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate;
(D) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives;
(E) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; and
(F) the Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives.