Expediting Federal Broad- Band Deployment Reviews Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1681) to require the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to establish an interagency strike force to ensure that certain Federal land management agencies, including the organizational units of such agencies, prioritize the review of requests for communications use authorizations, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1681
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act''. SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF INTERAGENCY STRIKE FORCE.
(a) Interagency Strike Force.--
(1) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall establish an interagency strike force to ensure that each Federal land management agency, including each organizational unit of the agency, prioritizes the review of requests for communications use authorizations.
(2) Members.--The strike force shall be composed of--
(A) the Assistant Secretary;
(B) the head of each Federal land management agency;
(C) a designee of the Secretary of Agriculture, other than the Chief of the Forest Service; and
(D) a designee of the Secretary of the Interior, other than the Director of the Bureau of Land Management.
(3) Duties.--The duties of the strike force shall include--
(A) conducting periodic calls between the members of the strike force to ensure that each Federal land management agency, including each organizational unit of the agency, prioritizes the review of requests for communications use authorizations;
(B) establishing objective and reasonable goals for the review of requests for communications use authorizations; and
(C) monitoring, and facilitating the accountability of, each Federal land management agency, including each organizational unit of the agency, with respect to meeting such goals.
(4) Report to congress.--Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the effectiveness of the strike force in ensuring that each Federal land management agency, including each organizational unit of the agency, prioritizes the review of requests for communications use authorizations.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives;
(B) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives;
(C) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate;
(D) the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate;
(E) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives; and
(F) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate.
(2) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary'' means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information.
(3) Communications facility.--The term ``communications facility'' has the meaning given the term ``communications facility installation'' in section 6409(d) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455(d)).
(4) Communications use.--The term ``communications use'' means the placement and operation of a communications facility.
(5) Communications use authorization.--The term ``communications use authorization'' means an easement, right-of-way, lease, license, or other authorization--
(A) provided by a Federal land management agency;
(B) to locate or modify a communications facility on covered land; and
(C) for the primary purpose of authorizing the occupancy and use of such land for communications use.
(6) Covered land.--The term ``covered land'' means--
(A) public lands; and
(B) National Forest System land.
(7) Federal land management agency.--The term ``Federal land management agency'' means each of the following:
(A) The Bureau of Land Management.
(B) The Forest Service.
(8) National forest system.--The term ``National Forest System'' has the meaning given that term in section 11(a) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609(a)).
(9) Organizational unit.--The term ``organizational unit'' means--
(A) with respect to the Bureau of Land Management--
(i) a State office;
(ii) a regional office;
(iii) a district office; or
(iv) a field office; and
(B) with respect to the Forest Service--
(i) a regional office;
(ii) a management unit; or
(iii) a ranger district office.
(10) Public lands.--The term ``public lands'' has the meaning given that term in section 103 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702).
(11) Strike force.--The term ``strike force'' means the interagency strike force established under subsection (a)(1).
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Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1681, the Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act, sponsored by Representatives Evans and Craig.
This legislation establishes an interagency strike force to help prioritize permitting reviews for deploying broadband on Federal lands.
Broadband has become an essential part of everyday life. We need broadband for work, to stay connected with loved ones, and even for healthcare and education. However, too many Americans still lack access to broadband. Thus, Congress has provided billions of dollars to ensure that every American gets connected.
Deploying on Federal lands is a critical part of closing the digital divide. Many unserved communities are near Federal lands, and thus broadband providers must transverse these lands to reach these unserved homes and businesses.
Unfortunately, deploying broadband on Federal lands can be burdensome, particularly when it comes to the permitting process. Providers have testified that this complicated process moves slowly, and they are often left in the dark on the status of their applications. As a result, unserved communities are left without the broadband they need as providers wait for agencies to approve their permits.
We need to reform the broadband permitting process. Not only do we need to streamline how we review permits, we need to ensure the agencies that manage Federal lands prioritize these reviews. H.R. 1681, the Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act, will help ensure this happens.
H.R. 1681 directs the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to create an interagency strike force that includes the head of each Federal land management agency to ensure that they are prioritizing the review of broadband-permitting applications. In addition to holding periodic calls, the strike force will establish goals for the review of the requests, and monitor and hold each agency accountable for these goals.
This strike force is necessary to expedite the permitting process so that every American has access to broadband.
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Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Evans) to speak on the bill.
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Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. McClellan) for her support of this important legislation. I, too, urge a ``yes'' vote on this important bill, H.R. 1681, for immediate approval.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
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