§1721 — Title 47 Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs | U.S. Code

Summary

Defines key words used in this part of the law about broadband and digital equity. Adoption of broadband means a person gets daily internet on a personal device, at speeds and quality needed to do common tasks, on a secure and easy network, and has the digital skills to use it. Advanced telecommunications capability is defined in section 1302(d). Aging individual uses the meaning for “older individual” in 42 U.S.C. 3002. Appropriate committees of Congress are the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, the House Appropriations Committee, and the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information. Community anchor institution covers public schools, housing authorities, libraries, health providers, community colleges or other colleges, State library agencies, and similar nonprofit or government community groups. Covered household means a household with last-year income at or below 150 percent of the poverty level set by the Census. Covered populations include people in those households, older adults, people jailed in nonfederal facilities, veterans, people with disabilities, people with language or low-literacy barriers (including English learners), racial or ethnic minorities, and people who mainly live in rural areas. Covered programs are the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program and the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. Digital equity means having the tech capacity to fully take part in U.S. society and the economy. Digital inclusion means work to give everyone access to affordable internet, useful devices, apps and content, plus training, good tech help, and basic online privacy and security awareness. Digital literacy means the skills to use technology to find, judge, organize, make, and share information. Disability, eligible State, gender identity, Indian Tribe, institution of higher education, local educational agency, postsecondary vocational institution, rural area, State (any State, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico), veteran, and workforce development program are defined by the cited sections named in the law.

Title 47, §1721

Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In this subchapter:

(1)The term “adoption of broadband” means the process by which an individual obtains daily access to the internet—

(A)at a speed, quality, and capacity—

(i)that is necessary for the individual to accomplish common tasks; and

(ii)such that the access qualifies as an advanced telecommunications capability;

(B)with the digital skills that are necessary for the individual to participate online; and

(C)on a—

(i)personal device; and

(ii)secure and convenient network.

(2)The term “advanced telecommunications capability” has the meaning given the term in section 1302(d) of this title.

(3)The term “aging individual” has the meaning given the term “older individual” in section 3002 of title 42.

(4)The term “appropriate committees of Congress” means—

(A)the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;

(B)the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate;

(C)the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and

(D)the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.

(5)The term “Assistant Secretary” means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information.

(6)The term “community anchor institution” means a public school, a public or multi-family housing authority, a library, a medical or healthcare provider, a community college or other institution of higher education, a State library agency, and any other nonprofit or governmental community support organization.

(7)The term “covered household” means a household, the income of which for the most recently completed year is not more than 150 percent of an amount equal to the poverty level, as determined by using criteria of poverty established by the Bureau of the Census.

(8)The term “covered populations” means—

(A)individuals who live in covered households;

(B)aging individuals;

(C)incarcerated individuals, other than individuals who are incarcerated in a Federal correctional facility;

(D)veterans;

(E)individuals with disabilities;

(F)individuals with a language barrier, including individuals who—

(i)are English learners; and

(ii)have low levels of literacy;

(G)individuals who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group; and

(H)individuals who primarily reside in a rural area.

(9)The term “covered programs” means the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program established under section 1723 of this title and the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program established under section 1724 of this title.

(10)The term “digital equity” means the condition in which individuals and communities have the information technology capacity that is needed for full participation in the society and economy of the United States.

(11)The term “digital inclusion”—

(A)means the activities that are necessary to ensure that all individuals in the United States have access to, and the use of, affordable information and communication technologies, such as—

(i)reliable fixed and wireless broadband internet service;

(ii)internet-enabled devices that meet the needs of the user; and

(iii)applications and online content designed to enable and encourage self-sufficiency, participation, and collaboration; and

(B)includes—

(i)obtaining access to digital literacy training;

(ii)the provision of quality technical support; and

(iii)obtaining basic awareness of measures to ensure online privacy and cybersecurity.

(12)The term “digital literacy” means the skills associated with using technology to enable users to find, evaluate, organize, create, and communicate information.

(13)The term “disability” has the meaning given the term in section 12102 of title 42.

(14)The term “eligible State” means—

(A)with respect to planning grants made available under section 60304(c)(3), a State with respect to which the Assistant Secretary has approved an application submitted to the Assistant Secretary under section 1723(c)(3)(C) of this title; and

(B)with respect to capacity grants awarded under section 1723(d) of this title, a State with respect to which the Assistant Secretary has approved an application submitted to the Assistant Secretary under section 1723(d)(2) of this title, including approval of the State Digital Equity Plan developed by the State under section 1723(c) of this title.

(15)The term “gender identity” has the meaning given the term in section 249(c) of title 18.

(16)The term “Indian Tribe” has the meaning given the term in section 5304(e) of title 25.

(17)The term “institution of higher education”—

(A)has the meaning given the term in section 1001 of title 20; and

(B)includes a postsecondary vocational institution.

(18)The term “local educational agency” has the meaning given the term in section 7801(30) of title 20.

(19)The term “postsecondary vocational institution” has the meaning given the term in section 1002(c) of title 20.

(20)The term “rural area” has the meaning given the term in section 950bb(b)(3) of title 7.

(21)The term “State” means—

(A)any State of the United States;

(B)the District of Columbia; and

(C)the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

(22)The term “veteran” has the meaning given the term in section 101 of title 38.

(23)The term “workforce development program” has the meaning given the term in section 3102(66) of title 29.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

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For

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of this subchapter as the “Digital Equity Act of 2021”, see section 60301 of Pub. L. 117–58, set out as a note under section 1701 of this title.

§1721 Definitions

Summary

Title 47, §1721

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

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Citations & Metadata