2022: Fitzpatrick Voted To Provide $1.5 Billion Over Two Years For 5G
Network Deployment. In July 2022, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted to concur with the Senate amendment to the
Chips and Science Act, which would "provide $54.2 billion in
supplemental appropriations for semiconductor research and manufacturing
and 5G network deployment and authorize federal investment in a wide
range of scientific research and development programs over five years."
The vote was on a motion to concur. The House concurred with the Senate
by a vote of 243-187, thus the bill was sent to the President. [House
Vote 404, 7/28/22;
Congressional Quarterly,
7/28/22; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
4346]
2024: Fitzpatrick Voted To Expand Broadband Service Grants To Rural
America. In March 2024, Fitzpatrick voted for , according to
Congressional Quarterly, "the bill (HR 1752), as amended, that would
expand the ability of the Economic Development Administration to support
the deployment of high-speed broadband internet by authorizing EDA to
award grants for broadband projects to public-private partnerships and
consortiums, and by allowing grant recipients to use in-kind donations
to meet non-federal cost-sharing requirements. It would require EDA,
when reviewing grant applications, to seek information from other
federal agencies regarding any existing broadband services, or planned
services, for deployment in the grant application area. The bill also
would stipulate that grant funding could be used for broadband planning,
technical assistance, training, the acquisition or development of land
and the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, expansion or
improvement of facilities used to provide broadband internet service.
The EDA could provide credit toward the non-federal cost-share of a
project over its useful life. HR 1752 is the Eliminating Barriers to
Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility (E-BRIDGE) Act." The vote
was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 375 to 20.
[House Vote 79, 3/11/24;
Congressional Quarterly,
3/11/24; Congressional Actions,
H.R.
1752]
2021: Fitzpatrick Voted To Provide Grants To Improve High-Speed
Broadband Service. In November 2021, Fitzpatrick voted for the
Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility Act
which would, according to Congressional Quarterly, "allow the Commerce
Department to provide grants for projects to improve high-speed
broadband service. It would make public-private entities and consortiums
formed for the purpose of providing, extending, expanding or improving
high-speed broadband service eligible for the grants. Among other
provisions, it would require the department, in reviewing grant
applications, to request information from other federal agencies
regarding existing levels of broadband service in a project's proposed
service areas; require grant recipients to vest any property acquired or
improved with grant funds in a public partner or nonprofit for the life
of the project; and allow the department to provide credit toward the
nonfederal share of project costs." The vote was on passage. The House
passed the bill by a vote of 410-16. [House Vote 361,
11/4/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 11/4/21;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3193]