Hudson Introduces Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08) has introduced the Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act, a bill to streamline the burdensome process of deploying broadband on federal lands.

"The bureaucratic process for approving and denying communication use on federal lands has delayed deployment of broadband to rural Americans. Access to broadband has never been more critical for North Carolinians as we fight this global health pandemic," said Rep. Hudson. "I look forward to advancing this legislation and clearing the backlog holding rural America back."

This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to submit a plan to Congress within 180 days of enactment describing how they would track the acceptance, processing, and disposal of requests for communications use authorizations on Federal real property, how they would implement that plan, any barriers to that plan, and how to increase transparency to requesting parties seeking a communications use authorization on Federal real property.

Rep. Hudson's legislation is part of a package of 26 bills announced this week by Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR) and Communications and Technology Republican Leader Robert Latta (R-OH) to streamline permitting processes across the county and bridge the digital divide in rural America.

"More than 21 million Americans could not access broadband before COVID-19, and the pandemic has made even more clear how vital these services are as Americans work, learn, and receive health care from home. I appreciate Rep. Hudson’s leadership in introducing the Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act. Republicans are leading the way to close the digital divide for all Americans," said Leader Walden.

Read more about the bills announced today here.

###