The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN) to improve broadband availability across the nation.
“We must do more to support our communities in an age where internet connectivity is crucial to success,” Rep. Brooks said May 8 in support of the bill on the House floor.
Rep. Brooks on Feb. 25 introduced the ACCESS BROADBAND Act, which stands for Advancing Critical Connectivity Expands Service, Small Business Resources, Opportunities, Access, and Data Based on Assessed Need and Demand Act, H.R. 1328, with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY).
“The ACCESS BROADBAND ACT is an important step towards eliminating broadband access difficulties,” said the congresswoman.
If enacted, H.R. 1328 would establish an Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which would be directed to simplify access to federal resources and streamline the process for small businesses and local governments to apply for federal broadband assistance, according to a summary of the bill.
“This office would perform outreach to communities in every corner of our country to inform them of how they can best support internet access development,” explained Rep. Brooks. “It would also require the office to standardize applications for financial assistance or grants and work to create a single application for all federal broadband support programs.”
Additionally, the office would track in a central database the construction and use of and access to any broadband infrastructure built using any federal support, according to the text of the bill, and would be charged with developing one accounting mechanism used by any agency offering a federal broadband support program.
Among the 24 other members who joined Rep. Brooks, the lead original cosponsor of H.R. 1328, were cosponsors U.S. Reps. Bill Johnson (R-OH), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA).
The U.S. Senate on May 9 received H.R. 1328 for consideration and referred it to the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, which is also reviewing the same-named companion bill, S. 1046, introduced by U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV).