Prioritizing Rural Broadband Affordability Act
Sponsored By: Representative McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6]
Introduced
Summary
Affordability becomes a formal test for deciding which rural households and service territories count as "unserved" for federal broadband rules. This bill would require the Secretary to consider whether broadband is affordable when making those unserved determinations.
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- Households: Places where broadband is available but too expensive could be counted as "unserved" in federal unserved determinations. This targets areas where cost, not just availability, blocks service.
- Rural communities and providers: A service territory’s affordability would factor into whether it is labeled unserved. That could change which areas get priority for future federal actions tied to the Rural Electrification Act.
- Federal decision making: The Secretary must apply affordability tests at both the household and territory levels. The change would take effect one year after enactment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Prioritize affordable broadband in rural areas
This bill would require the Agriculture Secretary to consider broadband affordability when deciding if a household is "unserved." It would also require considering affordability for a proposed service territory. If enacted, these changes would take effect one year after enactment. This could make rural and low-income households more likely to be prioritized for rural broadband programs that use the "unserved" label. The bill does not create new funding.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6]
MD • D
Cosponsors
Bresnahan
PA • R
Sponsored 3/27/2026
Riley (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 4/2/2026
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
PA • R
Sponsored 4/9/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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