S. 5015 – Broadband MAP Act of 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated July 21, 2026 at 2:22 AM UTC

The Broadband MAP Act of 2026 directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to examine how it updates the national broadband availability maps. Within 120 days of the law’s enactment, the FCC must begin a rulemaking that reviews the mapping process and the existing challenge procedure. The goal is to ensure the maps more accurately reflect where broadband service can be provided and to improve how the maps are used for funding and policy decisions.

Key Provisions

The FCC must initiate a rulemaking within 120 days to review and evaluate the processes for updating broadband maps, including the challenge process.
In the rulemaking, the FCC must consider the fairness and burdens of any proposed map changes, how changes affect funding decisions that rely on the maps, and the impact on broadband providers.
The FCC must also take into account its ongoing efforts related work, such as restoring serviceable locations and improving the challenge process.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

July 16, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

July 16, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

July 16, 2026

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about S. 5015 on the floor

2 Democrats

Sen. Jack ReedD-RI · Jul 16, 2026

Mr. President, today, I am introducing the Disaster Relief Fairness Act, along with Senator Whitehouse. This bill would approve major disaster declarations requested under the Trump administration…

Mr. President, today, I am introducing the Disaster Relief Fairness Act, along with Senator Whitehouse. This bill would approve major disaster declarations requested under the Trump administration for incidents that meet or exceed FEMA's damage thresholds. I wish that this bill was not needed, but it is because President Trump has chosen to block disaster assistance based on political partisanship.

According to the Urban Institute, roughly 84 percent of disaster requests from States that voted for President Trump in 2024 have been approved under this administration, compared to just 42 percent from States that voted for Kamala Harris. Further, POLITOCO reported that Republican-led States have waited 39 days on average for a decision compared to the 80-day average for Democratic-led states.

This winter, Rhode Island was struck by the largest blizzard in State history. Over 3 feet of snow fell on the State in a 24-hour period--the highest 1-day snowfall on record for Rhode Island. The storm hit Rhode Island with the

intensity of a category 2 hurricane, with heavy winds up to 74 miles per hour. It caused widespread power outages and tragically resulted in two fatalities and hundreds of emergency room visits. Local businesses faced prolonged closures due to disruptions to transportation, utilities, and public services across the State.

Following the storm, the State of Rhode Island worked with FEMA to develop a preliminary damage assessment of the storm's impact. The assessment found over $19 million in damages, amounting to more than nine times the threshold required for a major disaster declaration. Under any other administration, this disaster declaration would have been approved on the merits, given its historic nature and FEMA's own damage assessment. However, after months of waiting, on July 2, 2026, President Trump denied the request from Rhode Island with no explanation. On the same day Trump denied Rhode Island's request, he also denied requests from New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts that all reportedly exceeded FEMA's damage thresholds. Yet, that same week, he approved disaster aid for six Republican-led States.

Disaster aid and helping communities recover from deadly storms should never be political. Yet President Trump's record proves that he cannot be trusted to adjudicate disaster money fairly without invoking his own partisan biases. The Disaster Relief Fairness Act would address that problem by granting all disaster declarations requested between January 20, 2025 and January 20, 2029 that meet the Federal requirements and thresholds for assistance. This will help ensure that States and Tribes get the relief they need--regardless of who they voted for--and allow them to fully recover from disasters.

I urge my colleagues to join Senator Whitehouse and me in supporting this legislation.

Sen. Alex PadillaD-CA · Jul 16, 2026

Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of my legislation to require a study on how to improve the resiliency of manufactured homes in areas that are at high risk of natural hazards and weather…

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued July 16, 2026

II

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5015

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 16, 2026

Mr. Thune (for himself, Mr. Fetterman, and Mrs. Fischer) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

A BILL

To require the Federal Communications Commission to review and evaluate the processes for updating maps that depict the extent of the availability of broadband internet access service in the United States, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Broadband Mapping Accurate Providers Act of 2026 or the Broadband MAP Act of 2026.

2.

Mapping process review and evaluation

(a)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Broadband internet access service

The term broadband internet access service has the meaning given the term in section 8.1(b) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation.

(2)

Broadband maps

The term broadband maps means the maps created under section 802(c)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 642(c)(1)).

(3)

Broadband serviceable location

The term broadband serviceable location means an area in the United States where a provider of broadband internet access service provides, or could provide, broadband internet access service.

(4)

Challenge process

The term challenge process means the challenge process established pursuant to section 802(b)(5) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 642(b)(5)).

(5)

Commission

The term Commission means the Federal Communications Commission.

(b)

Requirement

Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall initiate a rulemaking to review and evaluate the processes for updating the broadband maps, including the challenge process.

(c)

Considerations

In the rulemaking initiated under subsection (b), the Commission shall consider—

(1)

the relative equities and burdens of any proposed changes to the broadband maps;

(2)

the impact of any proposed changes with respect to the use of the broadband maps when making funding decisions;

(3)

the impact of any changes proposed in that rulemaking on providers of broadband internet access service; and

(4)

ongoing Commission efforts relating to broadband mapping, the restoration of broadband serviceable locations, and the challenge process.