All Roll Calls
Yes: 384 • No: 9
119-hr-1681119th CongressWALLET
Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act
Sponsored By: Representative Evans, Gabe [R-CO-8]
Passed House
Summary
Prioritizes federal reviews of communications projects on public and National Forest lands. This bill would create an interagency strike force to ensure the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service prioritize review of easements, rights-of-way, leases, licenses, and other authorizations to locate or modify communications facilities on covered land.
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- Federal land managers (the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service) would have to prioritize reviews of communications use authorizations and meet objective review goals set by the strike force.
- Applicants seeking authorizations to place or modify communications facilities on public lands or National Forest System land would receive prioritized review of their easements, leases, licenses, or rights-of-way.
- The Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information must establish the strike force within 180 days and submit a report on the strike force's effectiveness to the specified congressional committees within 270 days.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Lead official and report recipients named
This bill would name the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to set up the strike force and send its report. It would direct that report to the House Committees on Energy and Commerce, Natural Resources, and Agriculture. It would also send it to the Senate Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; and Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. This would clarify who is in charge and who gets updates.
Faster broadband permits on public lands
This bill would create an interagency strike force within 180 days. It would push the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service, including their local offices, to put permit reviews first. Reviews would cover permissions like easements, rights‑of‑way, leases, or licenses to place or upgrade communications facilities, as defined by federal law. The focus would be public lands and National Forest System land. The strike force would set review goals, hold regular calls, and track progress. The Assistant Secretary would report to Congress on results within 270 days after enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Evans, Gabe [R-CO-8]
CO • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2]
MN • D
Sponsored 2/27/2025
Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]
VA • D
Sponsored 4/29/2025
Roll Call Votes
house vote • 4/20/2026
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass
Yes: 384 • No: 9