H.R. 8576 — Promoting Access to Broadband Act of 2026

This section establishes a competitive grant program administered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to enable states—including the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and Indian Tribes—to inform covered individuals (i.e., Lifeline-eligible but unenrolled individuals or those potentially eligible due to household or dependent benefits under 47 CFR 54.409) of their potential eligibility for, and provide information about, the Lifeline program (i.e., the FCC program under 47 CFR part 54 subpart E that subsidizes telecommunications and broadband services for low-income households). States must apply with data on covered individuals, an outreach plan involving state agencies, and an estimated reach percentage for eligible-but-not-enrolled individuals; the FCC must award grants to at least 25% of applicants, prioritizing those with higher numbers of covered individuals, higher estimated reach, and geographic diversity. Grant recipients must use funds to conduct outreach, disseminate application information (including the one-per-household limit), and partner with nonprofits experienced in digital inclusion for application assistance and product guidance; states may subaward funds to identified agencies, and the FCC must conduct pre-application outreach to states, issue implementing regulations within 30 days of enactment (exempt from Administrative Procedure Act notice-and-comment requirements), and enforce the program as a violation of the Communications Act of 1934.

This section directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish, not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, a grant program to eligible entities (i.e., states, the District of Columbia, territories, possessions, and federally recognized Indian Tribes that apply within 30 days of enactment). Grants fund establishing, renewing, reestablishing, maintaining, or amending connections between eligible entity databases—containing information on household benefits under programs they administer, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—and the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier to reflect such benefits therein and verify eligibility for the Lifeline program, which provides discounted telephone and broadband services to low-income households; the FCC must disburse funds not later than 120 days after program establishment, with such sums as necessary authorized to be appropriated.