Expanding Appalachia’s Broadband Access Act

Evaluate satellite broadband for Appalachian economic development. This bill would require the Government Accountability Office to study whether the Appalachian Regional Commission can use low-orbit satellite service in broadband projects and to report to Congress within one year. The study must review satellite broadband capacity for business use, examine economic development outcomes where satellite service has been used, and analyze the cost-effectiveness of satellite deployment compared with other broadband approaches.