Enhancing Administrative Reviews for Broadband Deployment Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5419) to direct the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a plan for ensuring timely review of communications use authorizations, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to add extraneous material on H.R. 5419, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5419, the Enhancing Administrative Reviews for Broadband Deployment Act, introduced by Representative Kean.

In today's economy, broadband is a necessity, not a luxury. An affordable connection to high-speed internet is critical, particularly for rural communities that rely on the internet for telehealth appointments, public safety updates, and online learning. Yet in too many rural and Tribal communities, reliable broadband is still costly, rare, or even nonexistent.

Building networks across rural America presents many challenges due to low population density, vast distances, and rugged terrain. To reach these areas, broadband developers must install infrastructure on Federal lands managed by the Department of the Interior or the U.S. Forest Service. Too often the Federal permitting process adds unnecessary costs and years of delay, sometimes taking 5 to 10 years to complete a single broadband project.

That is because broadband providers seeking to connect households and businesses face layered permitting requirements, redundant reviews, and spotty coordination among Federal land management agencies when applying for broadband land-use authorizations. This uncertainty drives up costs and causes rural areas to lag behind urban and suburban areas in connectivity, exacerbating the digital divide.

H.R. 5419 takes a practical approach to this problem. Representative Kean's legislation recognizes that funding alone cannot connect our rural communities when the permitting process is still broken. This bill focuses on fixing what is actually delaying broadband deployment by requiring agencies to identify and report on permitting bottlenecks, coordination deficiencies, and bureaucratic redundancies that impede the efficient processing of broadband land-use authorizations.

This bill is an important first step in making the Federal Government a better partner in getting modern infrastructure to the communities that need it most.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Kean for his leadership on this issue. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5419, and I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on Agriculture,

Washington, DC, February 17, 2026.

Hon. Bruce Westerman,

Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,

Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: This letter confirms our mutual

understanding regarding H.R. 5419, the ``Enhancing

Administrative Reviews for Broadband Deployment Act.'' Thank

you for collaborating with the Committee on Agriculture on

the matters within our jurisdiction.

The Committee on Agriculture will forego any further

consideration of this bill. However, by foregoing

consideration at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction

over any subject matter contained in this or similar

legislation. The Committee on Agriculture also reserves the

right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of

conferees, should it become necessary, and ask that you

support such a request.

We would appreciate a response to this letter confirming

this understanding with respect to H.R. 5419 and request a

copy of our letters on this matter be published in the

Congressional Record during Floor consideration.

Sincerely,

Glenn ``GT'' Thompson,

Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Kean), the lead sponsor of this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5419 is a bill that cuts red tape, streamlines approvals, and accelerates broadband access by addressing the permitting barriers that slow broadband development on Federal lands. By identifying areas to improve coordination, reduce onerous reviews, and strengthen the permitting processing at the Federal level, this bill will help close the digital divide that exists in rural and Tribal communities.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support Representative Kean's legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5419 directs the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service to evaluate policies, rules, and regulations related to the siting and permitting of broadband infrastructure on public lands. This bill is a commonsense step to help update and modernize our broadband infrastructure.

Public lands host a lot of communications infrastructure that Americans rely on every day to connect our smartphones, laptops, and televisions. Broadband isn't just for entertainment. It is what people use to do their jobs, access healthcare, and file their taxes.

Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Oregon recently received Federal approval to move forward with the largest broadband infrastructure investment in our State's history. This will connect over 100,000 unserved and underserved Oregonian households and businesses to affordable, high-speed, and reliable internet services.

However, in States like Oregon and in districts like the one I have the honor to represent with large amounts of Federal land, broadband infrastructure projects often require additional levels of permitting and coordination across local, State, and Federal Government.

H.R. 5419 will help us look for opportunities to address any broadband permitting barriers and update the rules in a measured and responsible way.

This bill will help balance two critical obligations: building out the infrastructure we need for vital technology and upholding our commitment to the health and stewardship of our public lands. We can and must meet both obligations.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from New Jersey (Mr. Kean) for introducing this bill. I urge my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 5419, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in favor of my legislation, H.R. 5419, the Enhancing Administrative Reviews for Broadband Deployment Act.

Even as our world increasingly relies on the internet to access daily needs, communities across the country still lack a reliable wireless connection, especially in the most rural and Tribal communities.

The process of obtaining permits to improve broadband and communications infrastructure in these areas is often duplicative, inconsistent between agencies, and can set projects back by years.

Outdated bureaucratic processes, inefficiencies, and delays should not stand between American communities and access to a reliable internet connection.

My legislation directs an interagency review of the procedures used by the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture to process permitting requests for communications infrastructure. This will allow Congress to direct smart and targeted reforms to improve efficiency, timeliness, and help accelerate access to the internet.

For government to work at its best and most responsive, we must invite regular reevaluation of its procedures, judge what works and what doesn't, and implement process improvements so that the Federal Government can better serve American people into the future. This legislation does just that.

H.R. 5419 ensures a coordinated interagency approach to making the government run more efficiently so our Federal Government is an active participant in, not an obstacle to, bridging the digital divide.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the partnership of Chairman Westerman and bipartisan colleagues as this bill passed through the House Committee on Natural Resources earlier this month. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.