← Back to Bills
H.R. 7349House116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

Enhancing Administrative Reviews for Broadband Deployment Act

Sponsored by Bill FloresRep. Bill Flores (R-TX)
Introduced June 25, 2020

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 1:23 PM UTC

The bill directs the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to create a plan that ensures enough staff are available in their agencies to review requests for communications‑use authorizations—such as broadband towers—on public lands and National Forest lands. Within one year of the law’s enactment, each secretary must report to the relevant House and Senate committees about any administrative obstacles, possible rule changes, how they will prioritize reviews, and the staffing plan to speed up approvals. The goal is to make the review process for broadband deployment faster and more efficient.

Key Provisions

  • Secretaries must submit a report to designated congressional committees within one year assessing administrative barriers, potential regulatory revisions, prioritization methods, and a staffing plan for timely review of communications‑use authorizations on public and forest lands.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

3 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry.

Forestry and Horticulture Subcommittee

September 11, 2020

View full timeline
HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

June 25, 2020

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Natural Resources Committee

June 25, 2020

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.

Federal Lands Subcommittee

August 5, 2020

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry.

Forestry and Horticulture Subcommittee

September 11, 2020

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode
Latest
Raw Text PDF XML
Introduced in HouseIssued June 25, 2020

I

116th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 7349

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 25, 2020

Mr. Flores introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To require the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to provide a plan to ensure adequate staffing throughout organizational units of the Department of the Interior and Department of Agriculture to review communications use authorizations in a timely manner.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Enhancing Administrative Reviews for Broadband Deployment Act.

2.

Enabling administrative review

(a)

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Appropriate committees of Congress

The term appropriate committees of Congress means—

(A)

the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives;

(B)

the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives;

(C)

the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and

(D)

the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate.

(2)

Communications facility

The term communications facility includes—

(A)

any infrastructure, including any transmitting device, tower, or support structure, and any equipment, switches, wiring, cabling, power sources, shelters, or cabinets, associated with the licensed or permitted unlicensed wireless or wireline transmission of writings, signs, signals, data, images, pictures, and sounds of all kinds; and

(B)

any antenna or apparatus that—

(i)

is designed for the purpose of emitting radio frequency;

(ii)

is designed to be operated, or is operating, from a fixed location pursuant to authorization by the Commission or is using duly authorized devices that do not require individual licenses; and

(iii)

is added to a tower, building, or other structure.

(3)

Communications site

The term communications site means an area of covered land designated for communications uses.

(4)

Communications use

The term communications use means the placement and operation of communications facility.

(5)

Communications use authorization

The term communications use authorization means an easement, right-of-way, lease, license, or other authorization to locate or modify a communications facility on covered land by the Department concerned for the primary purpose of authorizing the occupancy and use of the covered land for communications use.

(6)

Covered land

The term covered land means—

(A)

public land administered by the Secretary of the Interior; and

(B)

National Forest System land.

(7)

Department concerned

The term Department concerned means the Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture.

(8)

Organizational unit

The term organizational unit means—

(A)

with respect to public land administered by the Secretary of the Interior—

(i)

a State office;

(ii)

a district office; or

(iii)

a field office; and

(B)

within the Forest Service—

(i)

a regional office;

(ii)

the headquarters;

(iii)

a management unit; or

(iv)

a ranger district office.

(9)

Secretary concerned

The term Secretary concerned means—

(A)

the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to public land; and

(B)

the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to National Forest System land.

(b)

Study required

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress—

(1)

providing an assessment on programmatic or administrative barriers to reviewing communications use authorizations by the Department concerned or organizational units of the Department concerned;

(2)

providing an assessment whether there are rules or regulations of the Department concerned that could be revised to improve the efficiency of reviewing a communications use authorization;

(3)

describing the process for prioritizing the review of a communications use authorization; and

(4)

providing a plan to ensure adequate staffing throughout organizational units of the Department concerned to review communications use authorizations in a timely manner.