PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text: CR S1828-1830)
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Mar 25, 2021
Computer and Internet Access Equity Act
This bill increases broadband service support for low-income consumers, establishes a grant program to provide internet safety education or training, and provides a tax credit for certain computer and education costs.
Specifically, the bill modifies the broadband service support program known as Lifeline, which assists low-income consumers with access to telecommunications and broadband services, to (1) increase the amount of the payments that a provider of Lifeline services may receive for each low-income consumer to whom the provider supplies such services, (2) allow consumers with higher incomes to qualify for participation in the program, and (3) allow a broadband service provider to receive Lifeline support for providing such service to a low-income consumer without being designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
The bill also requires the Federal Communications Commission to establish a grant program to develop and implement internet education and training programs for low-income individuals.
Further, the bill provides a refundable tax credit, not to exceed $2,000 ($4,000 in the case of a joint return) in a taxable year or $10,000 in a lifetime ($20,000 in the case of a joint return), for amounts paid or incurred for computers, printers, and other education-related technology. The Department of the Treasury must establish a program for making advance payments of such credit to eligible individuals.
People & committees
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] · D–IL
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text: CR S1828-1830)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Jan 3, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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