II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4821 

To require executive agencies to take steps to better meet the statutory 

deadline for processing communications use applications, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 29, 2024 

Mr. THUNE (for himself, Mr. LUJA ́N, and Mr. BARRASSO) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

To require executive agencies to take steps to better meet 

the statutory deadline for processing communications use 

applications, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Accelerating 

5 Broadband Permits Act’’. 


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2 

•S 4821 IS

1 SEC. 2. TRACKING AND IMPROVING PROCESSING TIMES 

2 FOR COMMUNICATIONS USE APPLICATIONS. 

3 Section 6409(b)(3) of the Middle Class Tax Relief 

4 and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455(b)(3)) is 

5 amended by adding at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘(E) TRACKING AND IMPROVING PROC7 ESSING TIMES.— 

8 ‘‘(i) DATA CONTROLS.—An executive 

9 agency shall develop controls to ensure 

10 that data is sufficiently accurate and com11 plete to track the processing time for each 

12 application described in subparagraph (A). 

13 ‘‘(ii) REQUIREMENT TO ANALYZE, AD14 DRESS, AND REPORT ON DELAY FAC15 TORS.—With respect to the factors that 

16 contribute to delays in processing applica17 tions described in subparagraph (A), an 

18 executive agency shall— 

19 ‘‘(I) analyze the factors as the 

20 delays are occurring; 

21 ‘‘(II) take actions to address the 

22 factors; and 

23 ‘‘(III) provide an annual report 

24 on the factors to— 


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•S 4821 IS

1 ‘‘(aa) the Committee on 

2 Commerce, Science, and Trans3 portation of the Senate; 

4 ‘‘(bb) the Committee on En5 ergy and Natural Resources of 

6 the Senate; 

7 ‘‘(cc) the Committee on En8 ergy and Commerce of the House 

9 of Representatives; 

10 ‘‘(dd) the Committee on 

11 Natural Resources of the House 

12 of Representatives; and 

13 ‘‘(ee) each committee of 

14 Congress with jurisdiction over 

15 the executive agency. 

16 ‘‘(iii) METHOD FOR ALERTING STAFF

17 TO AT-RISK APPLICATIONS.—An executive 

18 agency shall establish a method to alert 

19 employees of the executive agency to any 

20 application described in subparagraph (A) 

21 with respect to which the executive agency 

22 is at risk of failing to meet the 270-day 

23 deadline under that subparagraph.’’. 


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•S 4821 IS

1 SEC. 3. MINIMUM BROADBAND PROJECT COST. 

2 Section 41001(6)(A) of the FAST Act (42 U.S.C. 

3 4370m(6)(A)) is amended— 

4 (1) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end; 

5 (2) by redesignating clause (iv) as clause (v); 

6 and 

7 (3) by inserting after clause (iii) the following: 

8 ‘‘(iv)(I) is subject to NEPA; 

9 ‘‘(II) involves the construction of in10 frastructure for broadband; and 

11 ‘‘(III) is likely to require a total in12 vestment of more than $5,000,000; or’’. 

Æ 


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