WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the House passed the bipartisan Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act (S.1822 ) by unanimous consent, which will improve efforts to collect more accurate internet availability data, boost connectivity, and make sure our limited resources are used to deploy broadband in communities that need it most. It passed out of the Senate in December 2019 and is now one step closer to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
Following the passage of S.1822, Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Republican Leader Bob Latta (R-OH) released the following statement:
“While our way of life is becoming more reliant on technologies, 19 million Americans - including one-fourth of people in rural areas - still do not have access to broadband services. We cannot expand broadband to communities who lack adequate access without understanding exactly where those communities are, which is why this effort is so important. This bipartisan bill will help us assess the availability of internet across our country and take the necessary steps to improve connectivity for all Americans, regardless of their zip code. Importantly, this bill will also make sure we do not repeat past mistakes by better directing our limited resources to the communities who need them most. We look forward to our Senate colleagues taking swift action on this bill and President Trump signing it into law," Walden and Latta said.
Background:
The Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act (S. 1822 ) would improve broadband mapping by requiring the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to issue new rules on and establish a process for the collection and dissemination of broadband availability data.
This bill includes initiatives from two bipartisan House efforts to improve broadband mapping and the accuracy of data collected, including:
H.R. 4229, the “Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act" or the “Broadband DATA Act," introduced by Energy and Commerce Reps. Bob Latta (R-OH) and Dave Loebsack (D-IA): This legislation requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to issue new rules to require the collection and dissemination of granular broadband availability data and to establish a process to verify the accuracy of such data, and more.
H.R. 4227, the “Mapping Accuracy Promotion Services Act" or the “MAPS Act," introduced by Energy and Commerce Reps. Billy Long (R-MO) and A. Donald McEachin (D-VA): This legislation specifies that it is unlawful for a person to willfully, knowingly, or recklessly submit inaccurate broadband service data.
The Energy and Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over the FCC.
