H.R. 5419

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To direct the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a plan for ensuring timely review of communications use authorizations, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · September 17, 2025 · Sponsor: Mr. Kean

Table of contents

• H.R. 5419
  • SEC. 1. Short title
  • SEC. 2. Ensuring timely review of communications use authorizations

SEC. 1. Short title

• This Act may be cited as the Enhancing Administrative Reviews for Broadband Deployment Act.

SEC. 2. Ensuring timely review of communications 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—
      • if there are programmatic or administrative barriers to the timely review of requests for communications use authorizations;
      • if there are revisions to rules or regulations that could be implemented to improve efficiency with respect to reviewing requests for communications use authorizations; and
      • if there are processes for prioritizing the review of requests for communications 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—
      • 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
      • includes a plan for providing, with respect to the organizational units of the relevant covered departments, the staffing necessary to ensure timely review of communications use authorizations.
• (b) Definitions
  • In this section:
    • The term appropriate congressional committees means—
    • The term communications facility,communications facility installation has the meaning given the term in section 6409(d) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (). 47 U.S.C. 1455(d)
    • The term communications use means the placement and operation of a communications facility.
    • The term communications use authorization means an easement, right-of-way, lease, license, or other authorization—
    • The term covered land means—
    • 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)
    • The term organizational unit means—
    • 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
    • The term relevant covered department means—
    • The term Secretaries concerned means—