SUCCESS for BEAD Act

This bill amends the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to require states and territories that received Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program grants to use any leftover funds after their final proposal is approved for competitive subgrants supporting projects related to artificial intelligence (AI)-supportive telecommunications infrastructure, workforce development, public safety, and national security. It also adds new definitions and requirements for Next Generation 9-1-1 and other infrastructure terms.

Sec. 3, BEAD subgrants for public safety, national security, workforce development, and meaningful use of AI-supportive telecommunications infrastructure: This section adds new definitions to the BEAD program, including terms for 9-1-1 emergency assistance, artificial intelligence, commonly accepted standards, emergency communications centers, interoperability, internet exchange points, and Next Generation 9-1-1. It also amends the permissible uses of BEAD grant funds to require that any remaining amounts after a state's final proposal is approved be used for a competitive subgrant program for eligible projects. Eligible projects include building lit or dark fiber, conduit systems, carrier-neutral internet exchange points, mobile wireless infrastructure, workforce development facilities, submarine cable systems, and Next Generation 9-1-1 systems. Subgrants cannot be used for data centers. States must prioritize projects that serve unserved areas, are critical for public safety or national security, develop a qualified workforce, support military or federal facilities, advance cybersecurity, or enhance backbone infrastructure. Subgrantees must generally provide a 25% match, which can be waived. The bill also requires a public challenge process for fiber projects to prevent overbuilding, and mandates coordination with the Assistant Secretary for Next Generation 9-1-1 projects. Additionally, it prohibits revising or rescinding a specific Buy America waiver for the BEAD program, and requires the Assistant Secretary to issue guidance within 30 days of enactment.