[Report No. 119–439, Parts I and II]
February 27, 2025
Mr. Evans of Colorado (for himself and Ms. Craig) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
January 12, 2026
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources
March 26, 2026
Additional sponsor: Mr. Vindman
March 26, 2026
Reported from the Committee on Energy and Commerce
March 26, 2026
Committee on Agriculture discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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.
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).