HR 5419 United States House · 119th Congress

Enhancing Administrative Reviews for Broadband Deployment Act

Summary
Enhancing Administrative Reviews for Broadband Deployment Act This bill requires the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service to study and report on any barriers to and staffing needs for completing timely reviews of requests for communications use authorizations. (These are requests for easements, rights-of-way, leases, licenses, or other authorizations to locate or modify a transmitting device, support structure, or other communications facility on public lands or National Forest System land.)
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Sep 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
President
Introduced Sep 17, 2025 Last action Mar 4, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House Engrossed in House · 4 edits · Mar 3, 2026
MODERATE
The bill was renamed from focusing on 'communications use authorizations' to 'broadband land use authorizations,' narrowing its scope specifically to broadband-related permitting on federal lands. The Agriculture Committee was added as a recipient of the required report, and the Bureau of Land Management's regional office level was removed from the list of covered offices. These changes reflect a more targeted approach to broadband deployment review.
SCOPE

The term 'communications use authorizations' was replaced throughout with 'broadband land use authorizations,' narrowing the bill's focus from all communications-related permitting to specifically broadband deployment on federal lands.

The Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives was added as a recipient of the required study report, reflecting the expanded relevance of agricultural lands (Forest Service) to broadband deployment.

The Bureau of Land Management 'regional office' level was removed from the list of covered organizational units, leaving only state, district, and field offices. This narrows which BLM administrative levels are subject to the staffing plan requirement.

DEFINITION

A new defined term 'broadband land use authorization' was added as the primary defined term (position 2), while 'communications facility' and 'communications use' were renumbered to positions 3 and 4. The definition of broadband land use authorization carries over the substance of the old 'communications use authorization' definition.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
18
Key actions
6
Committee
8
Amendments
4
Mar 4, 2026
Committee
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
upper
Mar 3, 2026
Introduced
The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
lower
Mar 3, 2026
Introduced
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2352)
lower
Mar 3, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2352)
lower
Mar 3, 2026
Introduced
Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
lower
Feb 24, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee on Agriculture discharged.
lower
Feb 24, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-516, Part I.
lower
Feb 11, 2026
Introduced
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
lower
Feb 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
lower
Feb 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee on Federal Lands Discharged
lower
Dec 11, 2025
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee Hearings Held
lower
Dec 4, 2025
Committee
Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
lower
Sep 17, 2025
Committee
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
lower
Sep 17, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Thomas H. Kean, Jr.
Thomas H. Kean, Jr.
RRepublican
NJ
7