Sponsors (2)
The bill improves broadband data, coordination, and targeting—likely speeding deployment and reducing waste—but does so at the cost of additional reporting, IT integration, and administrative burdens for agencies and governments, with some recommendations possibly constrained by short statutory deadlines.
State and local governments will be able to coordinate broadband projects to reduce redundant builds and save grant funds, improving deployment speed and coverage for underserved communities.
Rural and otherwise unserved communities will get more accurate broadband maps and expanded programmatic data, improving targeting of federal funding to areas without service.
Taxpayers could receive better value from federal broadband investments because improved transparency and use of the Broadband Funding Map can reduce duplicate funding and wasted spending.
State and local governments and federal agencies will face increased administrative burdens from expanded data collection and compliance, requiring staff time and resources to meet new standards.
Taxpayers and agencies may incur costs to update and integrate mapping systems and IT tools (e.g., FCC tools, the Broadband Funding Map) and to implement any new reporting or data-submission standards.
Short statutory deadlines for initiating and completing reviews may limit the depth of analysis, producing recommendations that require further follow-up and reducing near-term effectiveness.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Requires the FCC (with NTIA) to collect and improve federal Broadband Funding Map data and directs GAO to study agency compliance and map effectiveness.
Introduced July 31, 2025 by Debra Fischer · Last progress July 31, 2025
Requires the FCC, working with NTIA, to collect and standardize federal program data for the federal Broadband Funding Map, open a formal inquiry into the map’s functionality and data quality, and complete that inquiry on a set schedule. Directs the Government Accountability Office to study whether eligible federal agencies are submitting required program data, evaluate interagency coordination and FCC authority, and report findings to Congress within 180 days to help reduce redundant broadband spending and improve federal investment decisions.