123STA T .5 13 PUBLIC LA W 111 – 5 —FE B.1 7, 2 0 0 9enti tie s t ofac i l itate gr eater u se of b roa d band ser v ice b y ort h rough these organi z ations
- (B)
organizations and agencies that p rovide outreach , access, e q uip m ent, and support services to facilitate greater use of broadband service by lo w- income, unemployed, aged, and otherwise vulnerable populations; and ( C ) j ob-creating strategic facilities located within a S tate-designated economic zone, E conomic D evelopment District designated by the Department of Commerce, R enewal Community or Empowerment Z one designated by the Department of H ousing and U rban Development, or Enterprise Community designated by the Department of A griculture; ( 4 ) improve access to, and use of, broadband service by public safety agencies; and ( 5 ) stimulate the demand for broadband, economic growth, and job creation . (c) T he Assistant Secretary may consult a State, the District of Columbia, or territory or possession of the United States with respect to — ( 1 ) the identification of areas described in subsection (b)(1) or( 2 ) located in that State; and (2) the allocation of grant funds within that State for projects in or affecting the State. (d) The Assistant Secretary shall— (1) establish and implement the grant program as e x pedi- tiously as practicable; (2) ensure that all awards are made before the end of fiscal year 2 0 10; ( 3 ) see k such assurances as may be necessary or appro- priate from grantees under the program that they will substan- tially complete projects supported by the program in accordance with project timelines, not to exceed 2 years following an award; and (4) report on the status of the program to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, every 9 0 days. (e) To be eligible for a grant under the program, an applicant shall— (1)(A) be a State or political subdivision thereof, the District of Columbia, a territory or possession of the United States, an I ndian tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self- Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450(b)) or native Hawaiian organization; (B) a nonprofit— (i) foundation, (ii) corporation, (iii) institution, or (iv) association; or (C) any other entity, including a broadband service or infrastructure provider, that the Assistant Secretary finds by rule to be in the public interest. In establishing such rule, the Assistant Secretary shall to the extent prac- ticable promote the purposes of this section in a techno- logically neutral manner; Reports.D e adlin es. Deadline. G rants.
