{ "id": "R41775", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R41775", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 443623, "date": "2015-08-04", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T18:40:30.963897", "title": "Background and Issues for Congressional Oversight of ARRA Broadband Awards", "summary": "The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, P.L. 111-5) provided an unprecedented level of federal funding for broadband projects across the nation. These projects are intended to expand broadband availability and adoption in unserved and underserved areas, which in turn is believed to contribute to increased future economic development in those areas. \nThe ARRA provided nearly $7 billion for broadband grant and loan programs to be administered by two separate agencies: the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the Department of Commerce (DOC) and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). With the ARRA broadband projects awarded and with many complete and others nearing completion, NTIA and RUS are monitoring the awards to protect against waste, fraud, and abuse, and to ensure that each project reaches its promised milestones, goals, and outcomes. A key oversight role is played by the Offices of Inspector General in the DOC and the USDA, which are monitoring the projects for waste, fraud, and abuse, and are investigating specific complaints. Both NTIA and RUS have the authority to reclaim and recover awards (either for cause or in cases where awardees decide not to pursue the project) and return the deobligated funds to the U.S. Treasury. Meanwhile, all undisbursed federal funds for the ARRA broadband program will be returned to the Treasury on September 30, 2015.\nCongress plays an important oversight role. A number of committees, including the House Committee on Energy and Commerce; the House Committee on Agriculture; the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; and the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have jurisdiction over the ARRA broadband programs in NTIA and RUS. \nAs the ARRA broadband projects move toward completion, the primary issue for Congress is how to ensure that the money is being spent wisely and will most effectively provide broadband service to areas of the nation that need it most, while at the same time minimizing any unwarranted disruption to private sector broadband deployment. A rising concern is whether all projects will be completed by the September 30, 2015, deadline. If not, all unspent monies will be returned to the U.S. Treasury for deficit reduction. Congress will also be assessing how the broadband stimulus projects fit into the overall goals of the National Broadband Plan.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R41775", "sha1": "a63ba34a111d685e0ba14445a7f5254654776bcc", "filename": "files/20150804_R41775_a63ba34a111d685e0ba14445a7f5254654776bcc.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R41775", "sha1": "5784e7ae79a5df64ac59bb00e575759d23323c51", "filename": "files/20150804_R41775_5784e7ae79a5df64ac59bb00e575759d23323c51.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 2111, "name": "Telecommunications and Media Convergence" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc818733/", "id": "R41775_2014Oct29", "date": "2014-10-29", "retrieved": 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"files/20131209_R41775_fb892798d1e3b09d27313f615913e6a4154e32dc.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc811801/", "id": "R41775_2013May17", "date": "2013-05-17", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Background and Issues for Congressional Oversight of ARRA Broadband Awards", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20130517_R41775_33325da1fe66b3306b86d8a2b7e164163c3ac67d.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20130517_R41775_33325da1fe66b3306b86d8a2b7e164163c3ac67d.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc805726/", "id": "R41775_2013Jan04", "date": "2013-01-04", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Background and Issues for Congressional Oversight of ARRA Broadband Awards", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20130104_R41775_4574bdb3d0d74bcd5943ce002506c371893013ca.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20130104_R41775_4574bdb3d0d74bcd5943ce002506c371893013ca.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc806501/", "id": "R41775_2012Mar14", "date": "2012-03-14", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Background and Issues for Congressional Oversight of ARRA Broadband Awards", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20120314_R41775_6b1f5fb1015374ad3f0ec455f22315d7c004fee9.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20120314_R41775_6b1f5fb1015374ad3f0ec455f22315d7c004fee9.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc809037/", "id": "R41775_2011Oct12", "date": "2011-10-12", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Background and Issues for Congressional Oversight of ARRA Broadband Awards", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20111012_R41775_51c9d6857c9c2ea50d27c68b03e8d9af9e5a39e5.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20111012_R41775_51c9d6857c9c2ea50d27c68b03e8d9af9e5a39e5.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc822728/", "id": "R41775_2011Apr19", "date": "2011-04-19", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Background and Issues for Congressional Oversight of ARRA Broadband Awards", "summary": "This report examines federal funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for broadband projects across the nation. These projects are intended to expand broadband availability and adoption in unserved and underserved areas, which in turn is believed to contribute to increased future economic development in those areas.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20110419_R41775_325f5e8ea9a069d9a1f0a6e768051b4336fdfc6b.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20110419_R41775_325f5e8ea9a069d9a1f0a6e768051b4336fdfc6b.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Telecommunication", "name": "Telecommunication" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Grants-in-aid", "name": "Grants-in-aid" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Federal aid to rural areas", "name": "Federal aid to rural areas" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Rural economic development", "name": "Rural economic development" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Appropriations" ] }