S. 4821 – Accelerating Broadband Permits Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 6:09 PM UTC

The Accelerating Broadband Permits Act directs federal agencies to better track and speed up the processing of communications‑use (broadband) permit applications, aiming to meet the statutory 270‑day deadline. It also sets reporting requirements and defines criteria for larger broadband projects, affecting agencies that issue these permits and Congress committees overseeing them.

Key Provisions

Require agencies to create data controls and tracking systems to monitor processing times for each communications‑use application.
Mandate agencies to analyze delay factors, take corrective actions, and issue annual reports on these factors to several Senate and House committees.
Establish a system to alert agency staff when an application is at risk of missing the 270‑day deadline.
Amend the FAST Act to specify that broadband projects likely needing over $5 million, subject to NEPA and involving infrastructure construction, meet a minimum cost threshold.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

July 29, 2024

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

July 29, 2024

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

July 29, 2024

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about S. 4821 on the floor

1 Republican1 Democrat

Sen. John ThuneR-SD · Jul 29, 2024

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Sen. Richard J. DurbinD-IL · Jul 29, 2024

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Sen. John ThuneR-SD · Jul 29, 2024

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued July 29, 2024

II

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 4821

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 29, 2024

Mr. Thune (for himself, Mr. Luján, and Mr. Barrasso) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

A BILL

To require executive agencies to take steps to better meet the statutory deadline for processing communications use applications, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Accelerating Broadband Permits Act.

2.

Tracking and improving processing times for communications use applications

Section 6409(b)(3) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455(b)(3)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(E)

Tracking and improving processing times

(i)

Data controls

An executive agency shall develop controls to ensure that data is sufficiently accurate and complete to track the processing time for each application described in subparagraph (A).

(ii)

Requirement to analyze, address, and report on delay factors

With respect to the factors that contribute to delays in processing applications described in subparagraph (A), an executive agency shall—

(I)

analyze the factors as the delays are occurring;

(II)

take actions to address the factors; and

(III)

provide an annual report on the factors to—

(aa)

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

(bb)

the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate;

(cc)

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

(dd)

the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives; and

(ee)

each committee of Congress with jurisdiction over the executive agency.

(iii)

Method for alerting staff to at-risk applications

An executive agency shall establish a method to alert employees of the executive agency to any application described in subparagraph (A) with respect to which the executive agency is at risk of failing to meet the 270-day deadline under that subparagraph.

.

3.

Minimum broadband project cost

Section 41001(6)(A) of the FAST Act (42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A)) is amended—

(1)

in clause (iii), by striking or at the end;

(2)

by redesignating clause (iv) as clause (v); and

(3)

by inserting after clause (iii) the following:

(iv)

(I)

is subject to NEPA;

(II)

involves the construction of infrastructure for broadband; and

(III)

is likely to require a total investment of more than $5,000,000; or

.