U.S. Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) introduced on Aug. 8 the House companion bill to the Broadband Buildout Accountability Act, which was reintroduced in the Senate in April.
The legislation, H.R. 5173, would increase transparency for the $42 billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Package (BIF) Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program grant awarded to the National Technology Information Administration (NTIA). The NTIA is currently exempted from transparency requirements under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), according to a release from Rep. Pfluger’s office.
Rep. Pfluger is the main sponsor of the House bill, which is also cosponsored by U.S. Reps. John Joyce (R-PA), Troy Balderson (R-OH) and Buddy Carter (R-GA).
“As a member of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, I have been working to help close the digital divide—which greatly affects our district and much of rural America,” Rep. Pfluger said. “I am proud to work with Senator Rick Scott in introducing the Broadband Buildout Accountability Act to provide greater transparency within the BEAD process and ensure that $42 billion taxpayer dollars are not subject to fraud, waste, or misuse.”
The Senate legislation, S. 1234, was reintroduced by U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) on April 20, with original cosponsors U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS), John Thune (R-SD), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Todd Young (R-IN), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).