H.R. 5419

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5419 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5419

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 4, 2026

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

AN ACT

To direct the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of 
Agriculture to develop a plan for ensuring timely review of broadband 
land use authorizations, 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 ``Enhancing Administrative Reviews for 
Broadband Deployment Act''.

SEC. 2. ENSURING TIMELY REVIEW OF BROADBAND LAND USE AUTHORIZATIONS.

(a) Study and Report.--
(1) Study.--The Secretaries concerned shall each conduct, 
with respect to the relevant covered department, a study to 
determine--
(A) if there are programmatic or administrative 
barriers to the timely review of requests for broadband 
land use authorizations;
(B) if there are revisions to rules or regulations 
that could be implemented to improve efficiency with 
respect to reviewing requests for broadband land use 
authorizations; and
(C) if there are processes for prioritizing the 
review of requests for broadband land use 
authorizations.
(2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretaries concerned shall jointly 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report 
that--
(A) describes the results of the studies conducted 
under paragraph (1), including any barriers, revisions, 
or processes identified under subparagraphs (A) through 
(C) of such paragraph; and
(B) includes a plan for providing, with respect to 
the organizational units of the relevant covered 
departments, the staffing necessary to ensure timely 
review of broadband land use authorizations.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
``appropriate congressional committees'' means the--
(A) Committees on Natural Resources, Agriculture, 
and Energy and Commerce of the House of 
Representatives; and
(B) Committees on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation and Environment and Public Works of the 
Senate.
(2) Broadband land use authorization.--The term ``broadband 
land use authorization'' means an easement, right-of-way, 
lease, license, or other authorization--
(A) provided by the Secretary of the Interior or 
the Secretary of Agriculture;
(B) to locate or modify a communications facility 
on covered land; and
(C) for the primary purpose of authorizing the 
occupancy and use of such covered land for 
communications use.
(3) Communications facility.--The term ``communications 
facility'' has the meaning given the term ``communications 
facility installation'' in section 6409(d) of the Middle Class 
Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455(d)).
(4) Communications use.--The term ``communications use'' 
means the placement and operation of a communications facility.
(5) Covered land.--The term ``covered land'' means--
(A) public lands; and
(B) National Forest System land.
(6) National forest system.--The term ``National Forest 
System'' has the meaning given that term in section 11(a) of 
the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 
1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609(a)).
(7) Organizational unit.--The term ``organizational unit'' 
means--
(A) with respect to the Department of the 
Interior--
(i) a State office of the Bureau of Land 
Management;
(ii) a district office of the Bureau of 
Land Management; or
(iii) a field office of the Bureau of Land 
Management; and
(B) with respect to the Department of Agriculture--
(i) a regional office of the Forest 
Service;
(ii) a management unit of the Forest 
Service; or
(iii) a ranger district office of the 
Forest Service.
(8) Public lands.--The term ``public lands'' has the 
meaning given that term in section 103 of the Federal Land 
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702).
(9) Relevant covered department.--The term ``relevant 
covered department'' means--
(A) with respect to the Secretary of the Interior, 
the Department of the Interior; and
(B) with respect to the Secretary of Agriculture, 
the Department of Agriculture.
(10) Secretaries concerned.--The term ``Secretaries 
concerned'' means--
(A) the Secretary of the Interior; and
(B) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through 
the Chief of the Forest Service.

Passed the House of Representatives March 3, 2026.

Attest:

KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,

Clerk.