H.R. 5419

119 HR 5419 EH: Enhancing Administrative Reviews for Broadband Deployment Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
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 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 IB
 119th CONGRESS  2d Session
 H. R. 5419
 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 AN ACT
To direct the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a plan for ensuring timely review of broadband land use authorizations, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Enhancing Administrative Reviews for Broadband Deployment Act  .
2.
Ensuring timely review of broadband land use authorizations
(a)
Study and report
(1)
Study
The Secretaries concerned shall each conduct, with respect to the relevant covered department, a study to determine—
(A)
if there are programmatic or administrative barriers to the timely review of requests for broadband land use authorizations;
(B)
if there are revisions to rules or regulations that could be implemented to improve efficiency with respect to reviewing requests for broadband land use authorizations; and
(C)
if there are processes for prioritizing the review of requests for broadband land use authorizations.
(2)
Report
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretaries concerned shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that—
(A)
describes the results of the studies conducted under paragraph (1), including any barriers, revisions, or processes identified under subparagraphs (A) through (C) of such paragraph; and
(B)
includes a plan for providing, with respect to the organizational units of the relevant covered departments, the staffing necessary to ensure timely review of broadband land use authorizations.
(b)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
Appropriate congressional committees
The term  appropriate congressional committees  means the—
(A)
Committees on Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; and
(B)
Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Environment and Public Works of the Senate.
(2)
Broadband land use authorization
The term  broadband land use authorization  means an easement, right-of-way, lease, license, or other authorization—
(A)
provided by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture;
(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 covered land for communications use.
(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)
Covered land
The term  covered land  means—
(A)
public lands; and
(B)
National Forest System land.
(6)
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) ).
(7)
Organizational unit
The term  organizational unit  means—
(A)
with respect to the Department of the Interior—
(i)
a State office of the Bureau of Land Management;
(ii)
a district office of the Bureau of Land Management; or
(iii)
a field office of the Bureau of Land Management; and
(B)
with respect to the Department of Agriculture—
(i)
a regional office of the Forest Service;
(ii)
a management unit of the Forest Service; or
(iii)
a ranger district office of the Forest Service.
(8)
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 ).
(9)
Relevant covered department
The term  relevant covered department  means—
(A)
with respect to the Secretary of the Interior, the Department of the Interior; and
(B)
with respect to the Secretary of Agriculture, the Department of Agriculture.
(10)
Secretaries concerned
The term  Secretaries concerned  means—
(A)
the Secretary of the Interior; and
(B)
the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
    Passed the House of Representatives March 3, 2026.  Kevin F. McCumber,  Clerk.