H.R. 6920 — SUCCESS for BEAD Act

This section sets forth congressional findings that (1) grant funds allocated to an eligible entity under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (47 U.S.C. 1702) remaining after the entity's final proposal is approved should be used to enhance and sustain approved broadband deployment projects; (2) strengthening U.S. telecommunication infrastructure, including high-capacity fiber and network interconnection, and developing a targeted workforce are essential to deploying artificial intelligence technologies; (3) federal broadband investments to modernize and harden U.S. networks, including 9–1–1 networks, are vital for public safety and national security; and (4) China's investments in artificial intelligence and advanced network infrastructure and workforce training present a geopolitical and technological challenge to U.S. leadership.

This section amends the definitions applicable to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program by adding terms for (1) "9–1–1 request for emergency assistance" (i.e., any communication sent to request emergency aid); (2) "artificial intelligence" (adopting the definition from the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020); (3) "commonly accepted standards" (i.e., consensus-based technical standards for interoperability); (4) "emergency communications center" (i.e., a facility or public safety answering point that processes 9–1–1 requests and dispatches responders); (5) "interoperability" (i.e., capability to exchange 9–1–1 data across centers without proprietary interfaces); (6) "internet exchange point" (i.e., neutral infrastructure for direct network interconnections, including for AI systems); and (7) "Next Generation 9–1–1" (i.e., IP-based system for secure, interoperable handling of all 9–1–1 request types); redesignating existing subparagraphs accordingly; striking a clause and making conforming changes in subsection (c)(5)(C) on reallocations due to application failures; replacing "approvals" with "approves" in subsection (e)(4)(A)(i); and striking paragraphs (3) through (6) of subsection (f).