H.R. 1731

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1731 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1731

To amend the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 to 
establish a uniform fee schedule applicable to the processing of forms 
for the consideration of applications for the placement of 
communications facilities on certain buildings and other property owned 
by the Federal Government, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 27, 2025

Mr. Palmer (for himself and Mr. Ryan) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce, 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 amend the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 to 
establish a uniform fee schedule applicable to the processing of forms 
for the consideration of applications for the placement of 
communications facilities on certain buildings and other property owned 
by the Federal Government, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Standard Fees to Expedite Evaluation 
and Streamlining Act'' or the ``Standard FEES Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF UNIFORM FEE SCHEDULE APPLICABLE TO THE 
PROCESSING OF CERTAIN FORMS.

(a) In General.--Section 6409 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and 
Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
``(d) Common Fee Schedule.--
``(1) In general.--The Administrator of General Services 
shall establish a uniform schedule of fees applicable to the 
processing of the forms described under subsections (b)(2) and 
(c)(3).
``(2) Fee guidelines.--The schedule of fees established 
under paragraph (1) shall be--
``(A) based on the direct costs incurred by an 
agency in processing a form described under subsection 
(b)(2) or (c)(3); and
``(B) competitively neutral with respect to any fee 
established for the processing of a form for a similar 
use of the building or other property owned by the 
Federal Government.
``(3) Exceptions.--The Administrator of General Services 
may establish exceptions to the schedule of fees established 
under paragraph (1)--
``(A) that are competitively neutral with respect 
to the categories of individuals or entities to be 
granted the exception;
``(B) in consideration of the public benefit of--
``(i) granting an easement, right-of-way, 
or lease described under subsection (b)(1); or
``(ii) entering into a contract for the 
placement of a communications facility 
installation under subsection (c)(1); and
``(C) in the interest of expanding the deployment 
of broadband internet access service, as defined in 
section 8.1(b) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations 
(or any successor regulation).
``(4) Adoption by executive agencies.--
``(A) In general.--The head of each executive 
agency shall adopt by regulation--
``(i) fees that correspond to the schedule 
established by the Administrator under 
paragraph (2); and
``(ii) any exceptions to such schedule 
established by the Administrator under 
paragraph (3).
``(B) Exceptions.--The head of an executive agency 
may only grant an exception pursuant to subparagraph 
(A)(ii) on a case-by-case basis.
``(5) Use of fees collected.--Any fee collected by an 
executive agency under this section shall only be available to 
the extent, and in such amounts, as are provided in advance in 
appropriation Acts, to the agency to cover the costs of 
processing the forms described under subsections (b)(2) and 
(c)(3).
``(6) Relationship to other statutes.--Any fee chargeable 
under this subsection shall supercede any other fee applicable 
to the processing of a form described under subsection (b)(2) 
or (c)(3) that is chargeable under another statute.''.
(b) Deadlines.--
(1) For the administrator of general services.--Not later 
than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator of General Services shall establish the schedule 
of fees required by section 6409(d) of the Middle Class Tax 
Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455(d)), as 
added by subsection (a).
(2) For executive agencies.--Not later than 120 days after 
the Administrator of General Services establishes the schedule 
of fees described under paragraph (1), the head of an executive 
agency required to adopt the fees and exceptions required by 
section 6409(d)(4) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job 
Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455(d)(4)), as added by 
subsection (a), shall establish such fees and exceptions.
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