· , 1 SECTION 6. Block Grant Program. - 2 (A) Establishment. - There is established within the NTC a Rural 3 Telecommunications Block Grant Program to provide grants on a competitive basis to 4 eligible entities to carry out activities under Section 4(E). 5 6 7 8 (B) Block Grants. - The Commissioner may provide a block grant to an eligible entity that submits a block grant application to the NTC for approval. (C) Eligible Activities. - A grant under this Section may only be used for an eligible activity. 9 (D) Regulations. - Not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the date of 10 enactment of this Act, the Commissioner shall promulgate regulations establishing 11 specific criteria for the competition conducted to select eligible entities to receive grants 12 under this Section for each fiscal year. 13 SECTION 7. Training and Technical Assistance Grants. - 14 (A) Notification and Criteria - The Council shall provide notice of the availability 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 of training and technical assistance grants and publish criteria for selecting recipients. (B) Grants. - The NCC and NTG may provide training and technical assistance grants to eligible entities with a demonstrated capacity to carry out eligible activities. (C) Use ofFunds. - A training and technical assistance grant shall be used to (I) develop a training program to facilitate local use and maintenance of new telecommunications technologies; (2) develop and implement 22 (a) 23 programs; 24 25 26 telecommunications and information technology work study (b) post-secondary telecommunications and information technologyrelated education, development, planning and management programs; and (c) a training program for telecommunications employees; 6