S. 277: Rural Telecommunications and Broadband Service Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-02-02 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-02-02 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Rural Telecommunications and Broadband Service Act of 2017

Plain summary

Rural Telecommunications and Broadband Service Act of 2017 This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to establish within the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) a Rural Telecommunications and Broadband Advisory Committee to: provide advice to the FCC, and reports to Congress, on the deployment of advanced and next-generation telecommunications services in rural areas, the advancement of universal service principles for nationwide access to affordable and quality telecommunications and information services, and other policies relating to telecommunications in rural areas; define what constitutes a rural area that has access to telecommunications and information technologies and services in accordance with universal service principles; and advise on the impact of FCC agenda items on the provision of such services in rural areas.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Rural Telecommunications and Broadband Service Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115s277.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/s>

Record fed-us-cong115-s277 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115