S. 3259: Recovering Excess Communications Appropriations while Protecting Telecommunications Upgrad… (119th Congress) Bill Summary

The bill titled the "Recovering Excess Communications Appropriations while Protecting Telecommunications Upgrades, Reinvestment, and Expansion Act," also known as the "RECAPTURE Act," proposes amendments to the existing Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The primary focus of this bill is on the remaining funds under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program.

Key Provisions of the Bill

The main provisions of the bill include:

The bill seeks to require that any remaining funds from the BEAD Program be redirected towards reducing the federal deficit.
It specifies that, of the remaining funds allocated to eligible entities for broadband projects, those funds designated for specific purposes must still be made available for those intended uses.
However, any remaining funds that have not been earmarked for specific purposes will be deposited into the general fund of the Treasury to be used exclusively for deficit reduction.

Amendments to Existing Law

The bill amends specific sections of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, particularly focusing on:

Clarifying that the Assistant Secretary has the authority to reallocate funds only in cases where there have been application failures.
Changing the language to ensure that funds not specifically designated can only be used for deficit reduction, rather than being allocated to other eligible entities.

These technical corrections and amendments are intended to streamline the process and clarify how funds are managed under the BEAD Program.

Overall Impact

By implementing these changes, the bill aims to ensure that surplus funds within the broadband funding framework contribute to reducing the national deficit instead of allowing those funds to remain unallocated or misused. It reflects a shift in fiscal responsibility related to government appropriations within the telecommunications sector.