Bill > HR1681

This bill establishes an interagency strike force led by the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to streamline and expedite broadband infrastructure deployment reviews on federal lands. The strike force will include heads of federal land management agencies, specifically the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service, and will be responsible for conducting periodic calls, establishing reasonable review goals for communications use authorizations, and monitoring agency performance in processing these requests. Within 180 days of enactment, the strike force must be created, and within 270 days, the Assistant Secretary must submit a report to key congressional committees about the strike force's effectiveness. A "communications use authorization" is defined as a formal permission (like an easement or license) to place or modify communications facilities on public lands or National Forest System lands. The bill aims to accelerate the review process for broadband infrastructure projects by creating a collaborative oversight mechanism across different federal agencies, potentially helping to improve broadband access in areas currently underserved by high-speed internet infrastructure.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1681/all-info