H.R. 1721 — To amend the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 to authorize additional funds for the Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund, to provide grants to States and Tribal Entities to strengthen the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier, to provide for Federal coordination between the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier and the National Accuracy Clearinghouse, and for other purposes.

Summary

This bill makes changes to facilitate data sharing between the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and programs that subsidize communication services to verify eligibility for applicable programs.

Specifically, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must award grants to states and tribes for establishing or modifying connections between databases with information regarding benefit programs (e.g., SNAP) and the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier to verify eligibility for the Lifeline program (which subsidizes telephone and internet services for low-income individuals) and the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (which subsidizes broadband services for those who suffered income loss during the COVID-19 pandemic and other eligible households). The bill also reauthorizes through FY2026 the fund that supports the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program.

In addition, the FCC must establish an automated connection to share data between the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier and the National Accuracy Clearinghouse for SNAP. The FCC must coordinate with the Department of Agriculture to establish the connection.

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Related Legislation

H.R. 1848LIFT America Act
2022-01-20Referred to the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States.
Related
H.R. 1783Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act
2021-04-28Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit.
Related
S. 745Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act
2021-03-15Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Related
S. 979A bill to amend the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 to authorize additional funds for the Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund, to provide grants to States and Tribal Entities to strengthen the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier, to provide for Federal coordination between the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier and the National Accuracy Clearinghouse, and for other purposes.
2021-03-25Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Legislative Actions

2021-03-09
Introduced in House
2021-03-09
Introduced in House
2021-03-09
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2021-03-09
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2021-03-10
Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
2021-05-21
Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.

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