1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Connecting Our Neighbors to Networks and Ensuring Competitive Telecommunications Act of 2023 or the CONNECT Act of 2023 . 2. ReConnect Program Title VI of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 ( 7 U.S.C. 950bb et seq. ) is amended by adding at the end the following: 607. ReConnect Program (a) Definition of ReConnect Program In this section, the term ReConnect Program means the broadband loan and grant pilot program authorized under section 779 of division A of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 ( Public Law 115–141 ; 132 Stat. 399) (or a successor provision of law that authorizes that program). (b) Technical assistance and applications support (1) Office of Technical Assistance (A) In general The Secretary shall establish under the ReConnect Program an Office of Technical Assistance (referred to in this paragraph as the Office ). (B) Staff The Office shall employ an appropriate number of staff dedicated to providing technical assistance with respect to ReConnect Program applications. (C) Duties The Office shall assist applicants for the ReConnect Program that serve not more than 20,000 subscribers with— (i) completing paperwork to be submitted to the Department of Agriculture; (ii) identifying Federal, State, or local agencies that will need to grant a permit or right-of-way with respect to a proposed project