SUCCESS for BEAD Act

This bill amends the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to require states and territories that receive Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program grants to use any leftover funds after their final proposal is approved for a competitive subgrant program supporting projects related to AI-supportive telecommunications infrastructure, workforce development, public safety, and national security.

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 for 9-1-1 requests, artificial intelligence, commonly accepted standards, emergency communications centers, interoperability, internet exchange points, and Next Generation 9-1-1. It then requires eligible entities to use any remaining BEAD allocation to establish 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; planning workforce programs; data collection and mapping; permitting improvements; and any use the Assistant Secretary deems necessary. Subgrants cannot fund data centers primarily for processing and storing digital information. Priority must be given to projects in unserved or underserved areas, those critical for public safety or national security, workforce development, connectivity to federal facilities, cybersecurity, direct network interconnection, and backbone infrastructure enhancement. Subgrants may include up to 24 months of operations and maintenance expenses not exceeding 15% of the subgrant. A 25% matching contribution is required unless waived. Interstate projects are allowed. Fiber infrastructure projects must undergo a public challenge process to prevent overbuilding. The section also prohibits revising or rescinding a specific Buy America waiver issued in February 2024. The Assistant Secretary must issue implementing guidance within 30 days, coordinating with the Secretary of Labor on workforce provisions. Finally, it adds coordination requirements for Next Generation 9-1-1 projects, including duties for the Assistant Secretary and certification requirements for eligible entities.