Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act of 2018

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4824) to allow certain State permitting authority to encourage expansion of broadband service to rural communities, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

H.R. 4824, introduced by John Curtis of Utah, is the Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act of 2018. The bill, which I have cosponsored, provides much-needed efficiency to the broadband permitting process on Federal lands to ensure underserved communities receive this vital utility.

Approximately 40 percent of rural Americans do not have access to broadband internet. Without adequate and consistent internet access, people are unable to effectively communicate, gain access to vital information services, and increasingly participate in the American workforce.

Currently, providers who wish to install broadband infrastructure in existing utility and road rights-of-way on Federal land are frequently required to obtain approval from multiple Federal and State agencies. If the infrastructure crosses Indian Country, the Bureau of Indian Affairs is involved. This cumbersome process also includes extensive environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act.

H.R. 4824 streamlines broadband permitting in existing rights-of-way, saving time and money in broadband deployment. Specifically, this bill authorizes a program to enhance the permitting process for broadband internet projects in each of the Bureau of Land Management's State offices.

H.R. 4824 also authorizes the Bureau and the U.S. Forest Service to enter into agreements with States and Tribes to allow those entities to carry out environmental reviews for broadband projects within existing rights-of-way on Federal land. This coordinated approach should help alleviate unnecessary delays in permit processing and encourage providers and States to pursue broadband deployment projects, particularly in rural areas.

Congressman Curtis should be commended for his work on this bill and his efforts to have it considered by the House today.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on Natural Resources,

Washington, DC, August 1, 2018.

Hon. K. Michael Conaway,

Chairman, Committee on Agriculture,

Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: I write regarding H.R. 4824, the Rural

Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act of 2018, which was

primarily referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and

additionally referred to your committee. The Natural

Resources Committee ordered the bill favorably reported by

voice vote on June 6, 2018, and my staff has shared with your

staff a draft bill report, a copy of the bill as ordered

reported and the cost estimate prepared by the Congressional

Budget Office.

I ask that you allow your committee to be discharged from

further consideration of the bill so that it may be quickly

scheduled by the Majority Leader. I agree that this discharge

in no way affects your jurisdiction over the subject matter

of the bill, and it will not serve as precedent for future

referrals. In addition, should a conference on the bill be

necessary, I would support your request to have your

committee be represented on the conference committee.

Finally, I would be pleased to include this letter and your

response in the report for the bill and in the Congressional

Record during debate on the bill to document our agreement.

Thank you very much for your consideration of my request,

and I look forward to bringing H.R. 4824 to the Floor soon.

Sincerely,

Rob Bishop,

Chairman,

Committee on Natural Resources.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis).

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased the House is considering my bill today, H.R. 4824, the Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act of 2018.

I want to express my appreciation to Senator Orrin Hatch, who introduced the bill in the Senate, as well Chairman Rob Bishop for moving the bill through the Natural Resources Committee.

I would also like to thank various stakeholders that have taken part in the process creating this bill. Additionally, I would like to thank the 12 Members who joined me on this important bill as cosponsors, including my good friend from Montana (Mr. Gianforte).

The need to give greater access to high-speed broadband services for rural communities is broadly supported, evidenced by the diverse coalition of stakeholders supporting my commonsense legislation, including NTCA, WTA, the American Library Association, the Utah Education and Telehealth Network, the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development, the Utah Rural Broadband Association, and the Navajo Nation, to name just a few.

The purpose of my bill is simple: We need to do a better job connecting our rural and remote communities with greater access to broadband and high-speed internet. I believe that increasing access to broadband services in rural areas, like many places in my home State of Utah, is an important first step to help bridge the digital divide and to provide an enhanced quality of life for these areas. This infrastructure is critical to ensure schools, hospitals, libraries, and small businesses have access to modern-day internet speeds. This legislation will provide economic development opportunities for small businesses and residents in our rural towns.

Currently, the permitting process for a broadband project across Federal lands can take many years, in some cases, as much as 8 or 9 years. In my view, this is completely unacceptable. My bill improves and speeds up the permitting process on Federal lands, while also safeguarding and enforcing current-day Federal environmental laws.

I have visited three different Native American Tribes since my election to Congress and have learned some of the unique problems facing these communities. I was proud to work with several Native American Tribes, including the Navajo Nation in my district, to ensure Tribal governments can utilize these new programs established within my bill.

I was touched by a letter of support I received this week from President Begaye, the president of the Navajo Nation. I have visited the Navajo Nation three times since coming to Congress, and I hope this bill passes so that, on my next visit, we can celebrate the passage of this bill together.

My bill is a big win for Americans living in rural communities, especially Utahns, and I encourage my House colleagues to join me in voting in support of H.R. 4824. I hope the Senate will also quickly take up this measure and send it to the President's desk.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Expanding broadband access in rural America and communities adjacent to public lands is a bipartisan priority on the Natural Resources Committee.

I want to thank Representative Curtis for working with committee Democrats to improve this bill since it was introduced.

H.R. 4824 gives States the primary responsibility for issuing environmental review permits for broadband projects in those areas that already have rights-of-way for existing infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and trails.

At markup, Representative Curtis amended the bill to address several concerns brought forward by Native American stakeholders and committee Democrats. This includes guarantees that Tribal governments are consulted and can participate in the development of memoranda of understanding for projects that cross their land. This is a critical improvement.

The bill we are considering today also removes language that would have broadly exempted certain projects from any environmental reviews and eliminated public comment periods.

However, there are still a number of outstanding issues that I hope can be addressed as this bill makes its way through the legislative process in the Senate. For example, I believe that we should continue to perfect language that allows for public comment periods and strengthens the ability of our Federal land management agencies to enforce any MOU that is signed with a State government.

We would also like to continue discussions in order to ensure that everyday citizens receive protection under the Equal Access to Justice Act, a law that ensures all citizens have the ability to participate in government decisionmaking.

I believe these are commonsense changes that won't hamper rural broadband development. I do not oppose passage of the legislation through the House at this time, but I look forward to continued bipartisan and bicameral work on the remaining issues.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.