H.R. 6881: Emergency Broadband Connections Act of 2020

116th Congress · introduced 2020-05-14 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-05-14 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. 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

Emergency Broadband Connections Act of 2020

Plain summary

Emergency Broadband Connections Act of 2020 This bill establishes an emergency broadband benefit for certain households during the emergency period related to COVID-19, and it modifies the Lifeline program of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which reduces the cost of communications services for low-income consumers. Specifically, the bill requires a broadband service provider to provide a low-income household, upon request, with broadband internet service at a price that is discounted in an amount equal to the emergency broadband benefit for such household. The emergency broadband benefit is a monthly discount that is applied to the normal rate for internet service. Further, the bill establishes the Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund from which the FCC shall reimburse a provider in an amount equal to the emergency broadband benefit provided to a household. Providers that supply discounted connected devices (e.g., computers) to eligible households may also receive certain reimbursements from the fund. The bill requires service providers participating in the FCC's Lifeline program to provide an unlimited number of minutes and data during the emergency period. The bill also requires the FCC to make a grant to each state for connecting the state's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) database to the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier, so that receipt of SNAP benefits is reflected in the Lifeline verifier. The verifier determines consumer eligibility for the Lifeline program, and receipt of SNAP benefits automatically qualifies a household for Lifeline service.

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

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A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Emergency Broadband Connections Act of 2020

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33] reported raising $776,460 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr6881.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr6881 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116