Tina Smith (D-MN)
Community Connect Grant Program Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the ``Community Connect Grant Program Act of 2026,'' seeks to amend the Rural Electrification Act of 1936. Its primary purpose is to reauthorize the Community Connect Grant Program. The legislation updates specific transmission capacity requirements for downstream and upstream connections. It also modifies definitions regarding rural areas and broadband service requirements. Finally, it extends a specific date within the act to the year 2031.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +6
Does this get reliable internet to more people?
The bill raises required downstream and upstream transmission capacities to ensure better broadband connectivity.
- Scored +5
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
The bill enhances broadband standards and provides longer program longevity specifically for rural area development.
- Scored +5
Does this invest in rural communities?
The bill specifically targets rural areas by increasing broadband transmission standards and extending the program through 2031.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Updated Connectivity Standards: The bill increases the required transmission capacity for specific service levels. It changes the requirements from 10-Mbps to 25-Mbps in subparagraph (A) and from 1-Mbps to 3-Mbps in subparagraph (B) under Section 2, paragraph (1)(A).
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Enhanced Capacity Requirements: The bill establishes new specific transmission standards of a 100-Mbps downstream capacity and a 20-Mbps upstream capacity under Section 2, paragraph (1)(A).
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Expanded Service Area Considerations: The bill updates the definition of an eligible area to include any eligible broadband service that will be provided in the future in the eligible service area pursuant to enforceable commitments for network deployment applicable under another broadband funding program under Section 2, paragraph (1)(2).
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Program Longevity: The bill extends the date mentioned in subsection (g) from 2023 to 2031 under Section 2, paragraph (3).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts or burdens are explicitly stated in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill enhances broadband standards and provides longer program longevity specifically for rural area development. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Broadband expansion via grants can help reduce the digital divide for low-income households in rural areas. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Improved digital infrastructure can benefit middle-class rural residents.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Enhanced broadband speeds and capacity assist small businesses in rural areas to operate more effectively. Is this likely to create jobs? — Expanding broadband infrastructure through the reauthorized grant program can facilitate job growth in rural areas.
- Education And Technology
- Does this get reliable internet to more people? — The bill raises required downstream and upstream transmission capacities to ensure better broadband connectivity.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill specifically targets rural areas by increasing broadband transmission standards and extending the program through 2031.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Improved internet access can aid economic mobility and access to resources for low-income rural populations.
- 4/27/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.