To provide incentives to promote broadband telecommunications services in rural America, and for other purposes.

June 24, 2004

Mrs. CLINTON introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

To provide incentives to promote broadband telecommunications services in rural America, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Broadband Rural Research Investment Act of 2004'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:

(1) The availability of broadband telecommunications services in rural America is critical to economic development, job creation, and new services such as distance learning and telemedicine.

(2) Existing broadband technology cannot be deployed in many rural areas, either because of technical limitations, or the cost of deployment relative to the available market.

(3) Research in new broadband technology that addresses these barriers could increase the availability of broadband telecommunications services in rural areas.

SEC. 3. RESEARCH ON ENHANCEMENT OF BROADBAND TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES.

(a) IN GENERAL- The Director of the National Science Foundation (in this section, referred to as the `Director') shall carry out research on the following:

(1) Means of enhancing or facilitating the availability of broadband telecommunications services in rural areas and other remote areas.

(2) Means of facilitating or enhancing access to the Internet through broadband telecommunications services.

(b) SCOPE OF AUTHORITY- The Director may carry out research under subsection (a) within the National Science Foundation or pursuant to such grants, agreements, or other arrangements as the Director considers appropriate.

(c) RESULTS OF RESEARCH- The Director shall make available to the public, in such manner as the Director considers appropriate, the results of any research carried out under this section.

(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated for the National Science Foundation for purposes of activities under this section $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, and such sums as are necessary for each fiscal year thereafter.

END