H.R. 2805

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2805 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2805

To direct the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and 
Information to develop a National Strategy to Close the Digital Divide, 
and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 9, 2025

Mr. Walberg (for himself and Mr. Peters) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and 
Information to develop a National Strategy to Close the Digital Divide, 
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 ``Proper Leadership to Align Networks 
for Broadband Act'' or the ``PLAN for Broadband Act''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL STRATEGY TO CLOSE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.

(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary, in consultation with 
the heads of the covered agencies, shall develop and submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a National Strategy to Close the 
Digital Divide to--
(1) support better management of Federal broadband programs 
to deliver on the goal of providing high-speed, affordable 
broadband internet access service to all individuals in the 
United States;
(2) synchronize interagency coordination among covered 
agencies for Federal broadband programs;
(3) synchronize interagency coordination regarding the 
process for approving the grant of an easement, right of way, 
or lease to, in, over, or on a building or any other property 
owned by the Federal Government for the right to install, 
construct, modify, or maintain infrastructure with respect to 
broadband internet access service; and
(4) reduce barriers, lower costs, and ease administrative 
burdens for State, local, and Tribal governments to participate 
in Federal broadband programs.
(b) Required Contents.--The Strategy shall--
(1) list all--
(A) Federal broadband programs; and
(B) programs that exist at the State and local 
levels that are directly or indirectly intended to 
increase the deployment of, access to, the 
affordability of, or the adoption of broadband internet 
access service;
(2) describe current, as of the date on which the Strategy 
is submitted, Federal efforts to coordinate Federal broadband 
programs;
(3) identify gaps and limitations, including laws, that 
hinder, or may hinder, coordination across Federal broadband 
programs;
(4) establish clear roles and responsibilities for the 
heads of the covered agencies, as well as clear goals, 
objectives, and performance measures, for--
(A) the management of all Federal broadband 
programs; and
(B) interagency coordination efforts with respect 
to Federal broadband programs;
(5) address the cost of the Strategy, the sources and types 
of resources and investments needed to carry out the Strategy, 
and where those resources and investments should be targeted 
based on balancing risk reductions with costs;
(6) address factors that increase the costs and 
administrative burdens for State, local, and Tribal governments 
with respect to participation in Federal broadband programs;
(7) recommend incentives, legislative solutions, and 
administrative actions to help State, local, and Tribal 
governments more efficiently--
(A) distribute, and effectively administer, funding 
received from Federal broadband programs; and
(B) resolve conflicts with respect to the funding 
described in subparagraph (A);
(8) recommend incentives, legislative solutions, and 
administrative actions to--
(A) improve the coordination and management of 
Federal broadband programs; and
(B) eliminate duplication with respect to Federal 
broadband programs;
(9) describe current, as of the date on which the Strategy 
is submitted, efforts by covered agencies to streamline the 
process for granting access to an easement, right of way, or 
lease to, in, over, or on a building or any other property 
owned by the Federal Government for the right to install, 
construct, modify, or maintain infrastructure with respect to 
broadband internet access service;
(10) identify gaps and limitations with respect to allowing 
regional, interstate, or cross-border economic development 
organizations to participate in Federal broadband programs; and
(11) address specific issues relating to closing the 
digital divide on Tribal lands.
(c) Public Consultation.--In developing the Strategy, the Assistant 
Secretary shall consult with--
(1) groups that represent consumers or the interests of the 
public, including economically or socially disadvantaged 
individuals;
(2) subject matter experts;
(3) providers of broadband internet access service;
(4) Tribal entities; and
(5) State and local agencies and entities.

SEC. 3. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

(a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date on which 
the Assistant Secretary submits the Strategy to the appropriate 
committees of Congress under section 2(a), the Assistant Secretary 
shall develop and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress an 
implementation plan for the Strategy.
(b) Required Contents.--The Implementation Plan shall, at a 
minimum--
(1) provide a plan for implementing the roles, 
responsibilities, goals, objectives, and performance measures 
for the management of Federal broadband programs and 
interagency coordination efforts identified in the Strategy;
(2) provide a plan for holding the covered agencies 
accountable for the roles, responsibilities, goals, objectives, 
and performance measures identified in the Strategy;
(3) describe the roles and responsibilities of the covered 
agencies, and the interagency mechanisms, to coordinate the 
implementation of the Strategy;
(4) provide a plan for regular meetings among the heads of 
the covered agencies to coordinate the implementation of the 
Strategy and improve coordination among Federal broadband 
programs and for permitting processes for infrastructure with 
respect to broadband internet access service;
(5) provide a plan for regular engagement with interested 
members of the public to evaluate Federal broadband programs, 
permitting processes for infrastructure with respect to 
broadband internet access service, and progress in implementing 
the Strategy;
(6) with respect to the awarding of Federal funds or 
subsidies to support the deployment of broadband internet 
access service, provide a plan for the adoption of--
(A) common data sets regarding those awards, 
including a requirement that covered agencies use the 
maps created under title VIII of the Communications Act 
of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 641 et seq.); and
(B) applications regarding those awards, as 
described in section 903(e) of the ACCESS BROADBAND Act 
(47 U.S.C. 1307(e));
(7) provide a plan to monitor and reduce waste, fraud, and 
abuse in Federal broadband programs, including wasteful 
spending resulting from fragmented, overlapping, and 
unnecessarily duplicative programs;
(8) require consistent obligation and expenditure reporting 
by covered agencies for Federal broadband programs, which shall 
be consistent with section 903(c)(2) of the ACCESS BROADBAND 
Act (47 U.S.C. 1307(c)(2));
(9) provide a plan to increase awareness of, and 
participation and enrollment in, Federal broadband programs 
relating to the affordability and adoption of broadband 
internet access service; and
(10) describe the administrative and legislative action 
that is necessary to carry out the Strategy.
(c) Public Comment.--Not later than 30 days after the date on which 
the Assistant Secretary submits the Strategy to the appropriate 
committees of Congress under section 2(a), the Assistant Secretary 
shall seek public comment regarding the development and implementation 
of the Implementation Plan.

SEC. 4. BRIEFINGS AND IMPLEMENTATION.

(a) Briefing.--Not later than 21 days after the date on which the 
Assistant Secretary submits the Implementation Plan to the appropriate 
committees of Congress under section 3(a), the Assistant Secretary, and 
appropriate representatives from the covered agencies involved in the 
formulation of the Strategy, shall provide a briefing on the 
implementation of the Strategy to the appropriate committees of 
Congress.
(b) Implementation.--
(1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary shall--
(A) implement the Strategy in accordance with the 
terms of the Implementation Plan; and
(B) not later than 90 days after the date on which 
the Assistant Secretary begins to implement the 
Strategy, and not less frequently than once every 90 
days thereafter until the date on which the 
Implementation Plan is fully implemented, brief the 
appropriate committees of Congress on the progress in 
implementing the Implementation Plan.
(2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection may 
be construed to affect the authority or jurisdiction of the 
Federal Communications Commission or confer upon the Assistant 
Secretary or any executive agency the power to direct the 
actions of the Federal Communications Commission, either 
directly or indirectly.

SEC. 5. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE STUDY AND REPORT.

(a) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall 
conduct a study that shall--
(1) examine the efficacy of the Strategy and the 
Implementation Plan in closing the digital divide; and
(2) make recommendations regarding how to improve the 
Strategy and the Implementation Plan.
(b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which the 
Assistant Secretary submits the Implementation Plan to the appropriate 
committees of Congress under section 3(a), the Comptroller General 
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the 
results of the study conducted under subsection (a).

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
House of Representatives.
(2) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary'' 
means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications 
and Information.
(3) Covered agencies.--The term ``covered agencies'' 
means--
(A) the Federal Communications Commission;
(B) the Department of Agriculture;
(C) the National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration;
(D) the Department of Health and Human Services;
(E) the Appalachian Regional Commission;
(F) the Delta Regional Authority;
(G) the Economic Development Administration;
(H) the Department of Education;
(I) the Department of the Treasury;
(J) the Department of Transportation;
(K) the Institute of Museum and Library Services;
(L) the Northern Border Regional Commission;
(M) the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development; and
(N) the Department of the Interior.
(4) Federal broadband program.--The term ``Federal 
broadband program'' means any program administered by a covered 
agency that is directly or indirectly intended to increase the 
deployment of, access to, the affordability of, or the adoption 
of broadband internet access service.
(5) Implementation plan.--The term ``Implementation Plan'' 
means the implementation plan developed under section 3(a).
(6) State.--The term ``State'' means each State of the 
United States, the District of Columbia, and each commonwealth, 
territory, or possession of the United States.
(7) Strategy.--The term ``Strategy'' means the National 
Strategy to Close the Digital Divide developed under section 
2(a).
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