H.R. 3119 — ReConnecting Rural America Act of 2025

This section revises Section 601 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb), which authorizes the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide grants, loans, and loan guarantees for broadband deployment in unserved rural areas, by striking subsections (a) through (f) and inserting new provisions as follows: (1) states the purpose of providing grants, loans, and combinations thereof for the construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to deliver broadband service (defined as technology capable of high-quality voice, data, graphics, and video transmission) in rural areas (generally, any area other than one described in 7 U.S.C. 1991(a)(13)(A)(i)-(ii), a city/town/incorporated area with >20,000 inhabitants, or certain excluded populations); (2) directs USDA to make such assistance available to eligible entities for projects that deliver at least 100 Mbps downstream and 100 Mbps upstream service in proposed service territories where at least 75% of households lack access to 100/20 Mbps service (with priority for territories where 90% lack such service; populations <10,000; outmigration areas with strategic plans; high low-income areas; isolated areas; projects using prevailing wages under 40 U.S.C. §§ 3141-3144, 3146-3147; precision agriculture applications; or experienced rural providers); (3) limits grant-only awards to projects serving Tribal organizations, colonias, persistent poverty counties, socially vulnerable communities (as determined by USDA), or territories where 90% of households lack 100/20 Mbps service; and (4) requires eligible entities to submit applications, commit to buildout within 5 years, and participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program (47 U.S.C. 1752(b)) or Lifeline program (47 C.F.R. pt. 54, subpt. E, or successor).