Referred in Senate — H.R. 7386

IIB

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 7386

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 21, 2026

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

AN ACT

To amend the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 to reauthorize the First Responder Network Authority, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

Section 1. Short title; table of contents

(a) Short title

This Act may be cited as the First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act of 2026.

(b) Table of contents

The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 2. Reauthorization of First Responder Network Authority

Section 6206 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1426) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (f), by striking the date that is 15 years after the date of enactment of this title and inserting September 30, 2037; and

(2)

in subsection (g)—

(A)

by striking Not later than 10 years after the date of the enactment of this Act and inserting Not later than 7 years after the date of the enactment of the First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act of 2026;

(B)

by striking 15-year sunset and inserting termination; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following: Such report shall also contain recommendations for Congress and the NTIA regarding preparations for the expiration of any contract between the First Responder Network Authority and the FirstNet contractor with respect to building, operating, or maintaining the nationwide public safety broadband network..

Sec. 3. Authority of NTIA over First Responder Network Authority

(a) In general

Subtitle B of title VI of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.) is amended—

(1)

in section 6204(a), by striking as an independent authority;

(2)

in section 6206—

(A)

by redesignating subsections (d), (e), (f), and (g) as subsections (e), (f), (g), and (h), respectively;

(B)

by inserting after subsection (c) the following:

(d) Actions subject to approval of NTIA
(1) In general
Any action taken by the First Responder Network Authority shall be subject to the approval of the NTIA.
(2) Manner of approval
(A) Prior approval
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the First Responder Network Authority may not take an action unless the NTIA has provided prior approval for such action.
(B) Actions for which prior approval not required
The First Responder Network Authority may take any of the following actions without prior approval by the NTIA:
(i)
Deploying emergency response capabilities and resources to emergencies and disasters.
(ii)
Setting strategic priorities and conducting planning activities with respect to the nationwide public safety broadband network.
(iii)
Maintaining and updating the First Responder Network Authority Strategic Plan and Roadmap or a similar document with respect to the growth, evolution, and advancement of the nationwide public safety broadband network.
(iv)
Establishing performance expectations and investment priorities with respect to the nationwide public safety broadband network.
(v)
Developing and adopting the annual budget of the First Responder Network Authority and outlining all network reinvestment decisions and task orders with respect to the nationwide public safety broadband network.
(vi)
Making written recommendations to the NTIA for action upon network reinvestment decisions and task orders with respect to the nationwide public safety broadband network.
(vii)
Managing the device and application ecosystem with respect to the nationwide public safety broadband network.
(viii)
Receiving reports from the Public Safety Advisory Committee or other advisory committees established by the First Responder Network Authority.
(ix)
Communicating with and conducting outreach to public safety entities and public safety professionals.
(x)
Reporting to and briefing Congress, in accordance with this subtitle.
(xi)
Such other actions as the NTIA may specify.
(C) Rule of construction
Nothing in this paragraph may be construed to alter the requirement of subsection (c) of section 6208 that fees may only be assessed under such section if approved by the NTIA.; and

(C)

in subsection (h) (as so redesignated), by striking subsection (f) and inserting subsection (g); and

(3)

in section 6208(d)—

(A)

by striking The First Responder Network Authority and inserting the following:

(1) In general
The First Responder Network Authority; and

(B)

by adding at the end the following:

(2) NTIA action on network reinvestment decisions and task orders
Not later than 60 days after the date on which the NTIA receives a written recommendation from the First Responder Network Authority for action upon a network reinvestment decision or task order with respect to the nationwide public safety broadband network, the NTIA shall take action upon such network reinvestment decision or task order.

(b) Conforming amendment

Section 6205(b)(2) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1425(b)(2)) is amended by striking If and inserting Subject to section 6206(d), if.

(c) Applicability

The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to—

(1)

except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, actions taken by the First Responder Network Authority on or after the date of the enactment of this Act; and

(2)

in the case of paragraph (2) of section 6208(d) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1428(d)), as added by this section, written recommendations received by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Sec. 4. Board of First Responder Network Authority

(a) Public safety professionals

Section 6204(b)(2)(A) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1424(b)(2)(A)) is amended by amending clause (iv) to read as follows:

(iv)
ensure that, on and after the date that is 3 years after the date of the enactment of the First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act of 2026, the Board includes not fewer than 5 individuals serving as State, local, or Tribal public safety professionals in the fields of fire response services, emergency medical services, emergency management services, law enforcement, or 9–1–1 services.

(b) Staggered terms

(1) In general

Section 6204(c)(2) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1424(c)(2)) is amended—

(A)

in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking 3 years and inserting not more than 3 years; and

(B)

by amending subparagraph (D) to read as follows:

(D) Staggered terms
In making appointments under subsection (b)(1)(D), the Secretary of Commerce shall ensure that the terms of office of individuals so appointed are staggered, as the Secretary considers appropriate to reduce the likelihood that the terms of office of more than 4 such individuals will expire at the same time.

(2) Applicability

The amendments made by this subsection shall apply with respect to appointments made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Sec. 5. Associate Administrator

(a) In general

Section 6204 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1424) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(h) Associate Administrator
(1) In general
The First Responder Network Authority shall have an Associate Administrator, who shall be a career appointee (as defined in section 3132(a) of title 5, United States Code) in the Senior Executive Service and who shall be appointed by the Assistant Secretary from among 3 individuals nominated by the Board. The Assistant Secretary shall make such appointment under the merit procedures applicable to appointing such career appointees under subchapter II of chapter 31 of such title 5.
(2) Duties
The Associate Administrator shall do the following:
(A)
Subject to the direction of the Board and approval by the Assistant Secretary under section 6206(d), manage the staff and operations of the First Responder Network Authority in order to ensure that the duties and responsibilities of the First Responder Network Authority are carried out.
(B)
Serve as a liaison between the Board and the Assistant Secretary, including with respect to ensuring compliance by the First Responder Network Authority with section 6206(d).
(3) Annual performance reviews
The NTIA, in consultation with the Chair of the Board and any committee of the Board relating to governance and risk, shall conduct an annual performance review of the Associate Administrator.

(b) Continuation in office

The individual serving as the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the First Responder Network Authority on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act may serve as the Associate Administrator under subsection (h) of section 6204 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1424), as added by subsection (a), on and after such date of enactment without the need for appointment under such subsection (h).

Sec. 6. Components of nationwide public safety broadband network

Section 6202(b) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1422(b)) is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking and initially consists of and inserting and consists of such technologies and services as necessary to enable secure, interoperable, resilient, and prioritized broadband communications for public safety entities, including.

Sec. 7. Flexibility in establishing fee amounts

Section 6208(b) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1428(b)) is amended—

(1)

by inserting (or other period specified by the First Responder Network Authority) after for each fiscal year; and

(2)

by striking the fiscal year involved and inserting such fiscal year (or other period).

Sec. 8. Reports to Congress on First Responder Network Authority

(a) Additional matters to be included in First Responder Network Authority audit report

Section 6209(b)(2) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1429(b)(2)) is amended—

(1)

in subparagraph (B), by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon;

(2)

in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(D)
an evaluation of the performance of the FirstNet contractor under the contract in building, operating, and maintaining the nationwide public safety broadband network.

(b) Annual reports to Congress

Subtitle B of title VI of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.), as amended by the preceding provisions of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following:

6214. Annual reports on First Responder Network Authority
(a) Report on network matters
The NTIA shall submit to Congress an annual report that includes information on cyberattacks, cyber defense efforts, and unscheduled service outages of all causes with respect to the nationwide public safety broadband network. Each such annual report—
(1)
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a classified annex; and
(2)
at the request of the Board, shall include a statement from the Board with respect to such information.
(b) Report on adoption rates
The NTIA shall submit to Congress an annual report on adoption rates, by profession and geographic area, with respect to the nationwide public safety broadband network that, at the request of the Board, shall include a statement from the Board with respect to such adoption rates.

(c) Annual briefing

6215. Annual briefings on First Responder Network Authority
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the NTIA shall provide to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a briefing on activities with respect to the First Responder Network Authority that, at the request of the Board, shall include the participation of the Chair of the Board (or a designee thereof).

Sec. 9. Business continuity and disaster recovery plan

6216. Business continuity and disaster recovery plan
(a) In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, and every 5 years thereafter, the FirstNet contractor shall submit to the NTIA for approval, and to the Board for review, a business continuity and disaster recovery plan to ensure rapid restoration of the nationwide public safety broadband network following an outage resulting from a natural disaster or other emergency.
(b) Timing of approval or request for resubmission
Not later than 180 days after the date on which the NTIA receives a plan submitted under this section, the NTIA, in consultation with the Board, shall—
(1)
approve such plan; or
(2)
provide to the FirstNet contractor a written notice of—
(A)
the reasoning for not approving such plan; and
(B)
the timeframe and process, as determined by the NTIA, for resubmitting such plan for approval.

Sec. 10. Outage notifications

6217. Outage notifications
In the case of any unscheduled service outage with respect to the nationwide public safety broadband network—
(1)
as soon as practicable, but not later than 30 minutes, after the FirstNet contractor has confirmed such outage, the FirstNet contractor shall notify the First Responder Network Authority of such outage; and
(2)
the FirstNet contractor shall provide to the departments and agencies that use such network a network status tool that provides timely information on such outage.

Sec. 11. Submission to Congress of FirstNet contract

6218. Submission to Congress of FirstNet contract
Not later than 7 days after receiving a request, in writing, from the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, or from the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, the Assistant Secretary shall submit to such Committee any contract between the First Responder Network Authority and the FirstNet contractor with respect to building, operating, or maintaining the nationwide public safety broadband network.

Sec. 12. Definitions

Section 6001 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1401) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating paragraphs (15) through (33) as paragraphs (16) through (34), respectively; and

(2)

by inserting after paragraph (14) the following:

(15) FirstNet contractor
The term FirstNet contractor means the entity that, under contract with the First Responder Network Authority, builds, operates, and maintains the nationwide public safety broadband network.