116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1822 

AN ACT 

To require the Federal Communications Commission to issue 

rules relating to the collection of data with respect to 

the availability of broadband services, 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, 
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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Broadband Deploy3 ment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act’’ or the 

4 ‘‘Broadband DATA Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. BROADBAND DATA. 

6 The Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et 

7 seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 

8 ‘‘TITLE VIII—BROADBAND DATA 

9 ‘‘SEC. 801. DEFINITIONS. 

10 ‘‘In this title: 

11 ‘‘(1) BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS SERV12 ICE.—The term ‘broadband internet access service’ 

13 has the meaning given the term in section 8.1(b) of 

14 title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any suc15 cessor regulation. 

16 ‘‘(2) BROADBAND MAP.—The term ‘Broadband 

17 Map’ means the map created by the Commission 

18 under section 802(c)(1)(A). 

19 ‘‘(3) CELL EDGE PROBABILITY.—The term ‘cell 

20 edge probability’ means the likelihood that the min21 imum threshold download and upload speeds with 

22 respect to broadband internet access service will be 

23 met or exceeded at a distance from a base station 

24 that is intended to indicate the ultimate edge of the 

25 coverage area of a cell. 
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1 ‘‘(4) CELL LOADING.—The term ‘cell loading’ 

2 means the percentage of the available air interface 

3 resources of a base station that are used by con4 sumers with respect to broadband internet access 

5 service. 

6 ‘‘(5) CLUTTER.—The term ‘clutter’ means a 

7 natural or man-made surface feature that affects the 

8 propagation of a signal from a base station. 

9 ‘‘(6) FABRIC.—The term ‘Fabric’ means the 

10 Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric established 

11 under section 802(b)(1)(B). 

12 ‘‘(7) FORM 477.—The term ‘Form 477’ means 

13 Form 477 of the Commission relating to local tele14 phone competition and broadband reporting. 

15 ‘‘(8) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘Indian Tribe’ 

16 has the meaning given the term ‘Indian tribe’ in sec17 tion 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu18 cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 

19 ‘‘(9) MOBILITY FUND PHASE II.—The term 

20 ‘Mobility Fund Phase II’ means the second phase of 

21 the proceeding to provide universal service support 

22 from the Mobility Fund (WC Docket No. 10–90; 

23 WT Docket No. 10–208). 

24 ‘‘(10) PROPAGATION MODEL.—The term ‘prop25 agation model’ means a mathematical formulation 
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1 for the characterization of radio wave propagation as 

2 a function of frequency, distance, and other condi3 tions. 

4 ‘‘(11) PROVIDER.—The term ‘provider’ means a 

5 provider of fixed or mobile broadband internet access 

6 service. 

7 ‘‘(12) QUALITY OF SERVICE.—The term ‘qual8 ity of service’ means, with respect to broadband 

9 internet access service, the download and upload 

10 speeds (and, for relevant services, latency) with re11 spect to that service, as determined by, and to the 

12 extent otherwise collected by, the Commission. 

13 ‘‘(13) SHAPEFILE.—The term ‘shapefile’ means 

14 a digital storage format containing geospatial or lo15 cation-based data and attribute information— 

16 ‘‘(A) regarding the availability of 

17 broadband internet access service; and 

18 ‘‘(B) that can be viewed, edited, and 

19 mapped in geographic information system soft20 ware. 

21 ‘‘(14) STANDARD BROADBAND INSTALLA22 TION.—The term ‘standard broadband installa23 tion’— 

24 ‘‘(A) means the initiation by a provider of 

25 fixed broadband internet access service in an 
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1 area in which the provider has not previously 

2 offered that service, with no charges or delays 

3 attributable to the extension of the network of 

4 the provider; and 

5 ‘‘(B) includes the initiation of fixed 

6 broadband internet access service through rou7 tine installation that can be completed not later 

8 than 10 business days after the date on which 

9 the service request is submitted. 

10 ‘‘SEC. 802. BROADBAND MAPS. 

11 ‘‘(a) RULES.— 

12 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

13 after the date of enactment of this title, the Com14 mission shall issue final rules that shall— 

15 ‘‘(A) require the biannual collection and 

16 dissemination of granular data, as determined 

17 by the Commission— 

18 ‘‘(i) relating to the availability and 

19 quality of service with respect to terrestrial 

20 fixed, fixed wireless, satellite, and mobile 

21 broadband internet access service; and 

22 ‘‘(ii) that the Commission shall use to 

23 compile the maps created under subsection 

24 (c)(1) (referred to in this section as ‘cov-
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1 erage maps’), which the Commission shall 

2 make publicly available; and 

3 ‘‘(B) establish— 

4 ‘‘(i) processes through which the Com5 mission can verify the accuracy of data 

6 submitted under subsection (b)(2); 

7 ‘‘(ii) processes and procedures 

8 through which the Commission, and, as 

9 necessary, other entities or individuals sub10 mitting non-public or competitively sen11 sitive information under this title, can pro12 tect the security, privacy, and confiden13 tiality of that non-public or competitively 

14 sensitive information, including— 

15 ‘‘(I) information contained in the 

16 Fabric; 

17 ‘‘(II) the dataset created under 

18 subsection (b)(1)(A) supporting the 

19 Fabric; and 

20 ‘‘(III) the data submitted under 

21 subsection (b)(2); 

22 ‘‘(iii) the challenge process described 

23 in subsection (b)(5); and 

24 ‘‘(iv) the process described in section 

25 804(b). 
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1 ‘‘(2) OTHER DATA.—In issuing the rules under 

2 paragraph (1), the Commission shall develop a proc3 ess through which the Commission can collect 

4 verified data for use in the coverage maps from— 

5 ‘‘(A) State, local, and Tribal governmental 

6 entities that are primarily responsible for map7 ping or tracking broadband internet access 

8 service coverage for a State, unit of local gov9 ernment, or Indian Tribe, as applicable; 

10 ‘‘(B) third parties, if the Commission de11 termines that it is in the public interest to use 

12 such data in— 

13 ‘‘(i) the development of the coverage 

14 maps; or 

15 ‘‘(ii) the verification of data submitted 

16 under subsection (b); and 

17 ‘‘(C) other Federal agencies. 

18 ‘‘(3) UPDATES.—The Commission shall revise 

19 the rules issued under paragraph (1) to— 

20 ‘‘(A) reflect changes in technology; 

21 ‘‘(B) ensure the accuracy of propagation 

22 models, as further provided in subsection 

23 (b)(3); and 

24 ‘‘(C) improve the usefulness of the cov25 erage maps. 
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1 ‘‘(b) CONTENT OF RULES.— 

2 ‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT OF A SERVICEABLE LO3 CATION FABRIC REGARDING FIXED BROADBAND.— 

4 ‘‘(A) DATASET.— 

5 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Commission 

6 shall create a common dataset of all loca7 tions in the United States where fixed 

8 broadband internet access service can be 

9 installed, as determined by the Commis10 sion. 

11 ‘‘(ii) CONTRACTING.— 

12 ‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—Subject to 

13 subclauses (II) and (III), the Commis14 sion may contract with an entity with 

15 expertise with respect to geographic 

16 information systems (referred to in 

17 this subsection as ‘GIS’) to create and 

18 maintain the dataset under clause (i). 

19 ‘‘(II) APPLICATION OF THE FED20 ERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION.—A 

21 contract into which the Commission 

22 enters under subclause (I) shall in all 

23 respects comply with applicable provi24 sions of the Federal Acquisition Regu25 lation. 
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1 ‘‘(III) LIMITATIONS.—With re2 spect to a contract into which the 

3 Commission enters under subclause 

4 (I)— 

5 ‘‘(aa) the entity with which 

6 the Commission enters into the 

7 contract shall be selected through 

8 a competitive bid process that is 

9 transparent and open; and 

10 ‘‘(bb) the contract shall be 

11 for a term of not longer than 5 

12 years, after which the Commis13 sion may enter into a new con14 tract— 

15 ‘‘(AA) with an entity, 

16 and for the purposes, de17 scribed in clause (i); and 

18 ‘‘(BB) that complies 

19 with the requirements under 

20 subclause (II) and this sub21 clause; and 

22 ‘‘(cc) the contract shall— 

23 ‘‘(AA) prohibit the enti24 ty described in item (aa) 

25 from selling, leasing, or oth-
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1 erwise disclosing for mone2 tary consideration any per3 sonally identifiable informa4 tion to any other entity 

5 other than for purposes au6 thorized under this title; and 

7 ‘‘(BB) require the enti8 ty described in item (aa) to 

9 include in any contract with 

10 any other entity a provision 

11 that prohibits that other en12 tity from engaging in an ac13 tion that is prohibited under 

14 subitem (AA). 

15 ‘‘(B) FABRIC.—The rules issued by the 

16 Commission under subsection (a)(1) shall estab17 lish the Broadband Serviceable Location Fab18 ric, which shall— 

19 ‘‘(i) contain geocoded information for 

20 each location identified under subpara21 graph (A)(i); 

22 ‘‘(ii) serve as the foundation upon 

23 which all data relating to the availability of 

24 fixed broadband internet access service col-
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1 lected under paragraph (2)(A) shall be re2 ported and overlaid; 

3 ‘‘(iii) be compatible with commonly 

4 used GIS software; and 

5 ‘‘(iv) at a minimum, be updated every 

6 6 months by the Commission. 

7 ‘‘(C) IMPLEMENTATION PRIORITY.—The 

8 Commission shall prioritize implementing the 

9 Fabric for rural and insular areas of the United 

10 States. 

11 ‘‘(2) COLLECTION OF INFORMATION.—The 

12 rules issued by the Commission under subsection 

13 (a)(1) shall include uniform standards for the re14 porting of broadband internet access service data 

15 that the Commission shall collect— 

16 ‘‘(A) from each provider of terrestrial 

17 fixed, fixed wireless, or satellite broadband 

18 internet access service, which shall include data 

19 that— 

20 ‘‘(i) documents the areas where the 

21 provider— 

22 ‘‘(I) has actually built out the 

23 broadband network infrastructure of 

24 the provider such that the provider is 

25 able to provide that service; and 
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1 ‘‘(II) could provide that service, 

2 as determined by identifying where 

3 the provider is capable of performing 

4 a standard broadband installation, if 

5 applicable; 

6 ‘‘(ii) includes information regarding 

7 download and upload speeds, at various 

8 thresholds established by the Commission, 

9 and, if applicable, latency with respect to 

10 broadband internet access service that the 

11 provider makes available; 

12 ‘‘(iii) can be georeferenced to the GIS 

13 data in the Fabric; 

14 ‘‘(iv) the provider shall report as— 

15 ‘‘(I) with respect to providers of 

16 fixed wireless broadband internet ac17 cess service— 

18 ‘‘(aa) propagation maps and 

19 propagation model details that— 

20 ‘‘(AA) satisfy standards 

21 that are similar to those ap22 plicable to providers of mo23 bile broadband internet ac24 cess service under subpara25 graph (B) with respect to 
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1 propagation maps and prop2 agation model details, taking 

3 into account material dif4 ferences between fixed wire5 less and mobile broadband 

6 internet access service; and 

7 ‘‘(BB) reflect the 

8 speeds and latency of the 

9 service provided by the pro10 vider; or 

11 ‘‘(bb) a list of addresses or 

12 locations that constitute the serv13 ice area of the provider, except 

14 that the Commission— 

15 ‘‘(AA) may only permit, 

16 and not require, a provider 

17 to report the data using that 

18 means of reporting; and 

19 ‘‘(BB) in the rules 

20 issued under subsection 

21 (a)(1), shall provide a meth22 od for using that means of 

23 reporting with respect to 

24 Tribal areas; and 
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1 ‘‘(II) with respect to providers of 

2 terrestrial fixed and satellite 

3 broadband internet access service— 

4 ‘‘(aa) polygon shapefiles; or 

5 ‘‘(bb) a list of addresses or 

6 locations that constitute the serv7 ice area of the provider, except 

8 that the Commission— 

9 ‘‘(AA) may only permit, 

10 and not require, a provider 

11 to report the data using that 

12 means of reporting; and 

13 ‘‘(BB) in the rules 

14 issued under subsection 

15 (a)(1), shall provide a meth16 od for using that means of 

17 reporting with respect to 

18 Tribal areas; and 

19 ‘‘(v) the Commission determines is ap20 propriate with respect to certain tech21 nologies in order to ensure that the 

22 Broadband Map is granular and accurate; 

23 and 

24 ‘‘(B) from each provider of mobile 

25 broadband internet access service, which shall 
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1 include propagation maps and propagation 

2 model details that indicate the current (as of 

3 the date on which the information is collected) 

4 fourth generation Long-Term Evolution (com5 monly referred to as ‘4G LTE’) mobile 

6 broadband internet access service coverage of 

7 the provider, which shall— 

8 ‘‘(i) take into consideration the effect 

9 of clutter; and 

10 ‘‘(ii) satisfy— 

11 ‘‘(I) the requirements of hav12 ing— 

13 ‘‘(aa) a download speed of 

14 not less than 5 megabits per sec15 ond and an upload speed of not 

16 less than 1 megabit per second 

17 with a cell edge probability of not 

18 less than 90 percent; and 

19 ‘‘(bb) cell loading of not less 

20 than 50 percent; and 

21 ‘‘(II) any other parameter that 

22 the Commission determines to be nec23 essary to create a map under sub24 section (c)(1)(C) that is more precise 

25 than the map produced as a result of 
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1 the submissions under the Mobility 

2 Fund Phase II information collection. 

3 ‘‘(3) UPDATE OF REPORTING STANDARDS FOR

4 MOBILE BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS SERVICE.— 

5 For the purposes of paragraph (2)(B), if the Com6 mission determines that the reporting standards 

7 under that paragraph are insufficient to collect accu8 rate propagation maps and propagation model de9 tails with respect to future generations of mobile 

10 broadband internet access service technologies, the 

11 Commission shall immediately commence a rule 

12 making to adopt new reporting standards with re13 spect to those technologies that— 

14 ‘‘(A) shall be the functional equivalent of 

15 the standards required under paragraph (2)(B); 

16 and 

17 ‘‘(B) allow for the collection of propagation 

18 maps and propagation model details that are as 

19 accurate and granular as, or more accurate and 

20 granular than, the maps and model details col21 lected by the Commission under paragraph 

22 (2)(B). 

23 ‘‘(4) CERTIFICATION AND VERIFICATION.— 

24 With respect to a provider that submits information 

25 to the Commission under paragraph (2)— 
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1 ‘‘(A) the provider shall include in each sub2 mission a certification from a corporate officer 

3 of the provider that the officer has examined 

4 the information contained in the submission 

5 and that, to the best of the officer’s actual 

6 knowledge, information, and belief, all state7 ments of fact contained in the submission are 

8 true and correct; and 

9 ‘‘(B) the Commission shall verify the accu10 racy and reliability of the information in ac11 cordance with measures established by the 

12 Commission. 

13 ‘‘(5) CHALLENGE PROCESS.— 

14 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In the rules issued 

15 under subsection (a), and subject to subpara16 graph (B), the Commission shall establish a 

17 user-friendly challenge process through which 

18 consumers, State, local, and Tribal govern19 mental entities, and other entities or individuals 

20 may submit coverage data to the Commission to 

21 challenge the accuracy of— 

22 ‘‘(i) the coverage maps; 

23 ‘‘(ii) any information submitted by a 

24 provider regarding the availability of 

25 broadband internet access service; or 
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1 ‘‘(iii) the information included in the 

2 Fabric. 

3 ‘‘(B) CONSIDERATIONS; VERIFICATION; RE4 SPONSE TO CHALLENGES.—In establishing the 

5 challenge process required under subparagraph 

6 (A), the Commission shall— 

7 ‘‘(i) consider— 

8 ‘‘(I) the types of information that 

9 an entity or individual submitting a 

10 challenge should provide to the Com11 mission in support of the challenge; 

12 ‘‘(II) the appropriate level of 

13 granularity for the information de14 scribed in subclause (I); 

15 ‘‘(III) the need to mitigate the 

16 time and expense incurred by, and the 

17 administrative burdens placed on, en18 tities or individuals in— 

19 ‘‘(aa) challenging the accu20 racy of a coverage map; and 

21 ‘‘(bb) responding to chal22 lenges described in item (aa); 

23 ‘‘(IV) the costs to consumers and 

24 providers resulting from a 

25 misallocation of funds because of a re-
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1 liance on outdated or otherwise inac2 curate information in the coverage 

3 maps; 

4 ‘‘(V) any lessons learned from 

5 the challenge process established 

6 under Mobility Fund Phase II, as de7 termined from comments solicited by 

8 the Commission; and 

9 ‘‘(VI) the need for user-friendly 

10 challenge submission formats that will 

11 promote participation in the challenge 

12 process; 

13 ‘‘(ii) include a process for verifying 

14 the data submitted through the challenge 

15 process in order to ensure the reliability of 

16 that data; 

17 ‘‘(iii) allow providers to respond to 

18 challenges submitted through the challenge 

19 process; and 

20 ‘‘(iv) develop an online mechanism, 

21 which— 

22 ‘‘(I) shall be integrated into the 

23 coverage maps; 

24 ‘‘(II) allows for an entity de25 scribed in subparagraph (A) to submit 
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1 a challenge under the challenge proc2 ess; 

3 ‘‘(III) makes challenge data 

4 available in both geographic informa5 tion system and non-geographic infor6 mation system formats; and 

7 ‘‘(IV) clearly identifies the areas 

8 in which broadband internet access 

9 service is available, and the upload 

10 and download speeds at which that 

11 service is available, as reported to the 

12 Commission under this section. 

13 ‘‘(C) USE OF CHALLENGES.—The rules 

14 issued to establish the challenge process under 

15 subparagraph (A) shall include— 

16 ‘‘(i) a process for the speedy resolu17 tion of challenges; and 

18 ‘‘(ii) a process for the regular and ex19 peditious updating of the coverage maps 

20 and granular data disseminated by the 

21 Commission as challenges are resolved. 

22 ‘‘(D) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not earlier 

23 than 1 year, and not later than 18 months, 

24 after the date on which the rules issued under 

25 subsection (a)(1) take effect, the Commission 
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1 shall, after an opportunity for notice and com2 ment, submit to the Committee on Commerce, 

3 Science, and Transportation of the Senate and 

4 the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 

5 House of Representatives a report that— 

6 ‘‘(i) evaluates the challenge process 

7 described in subparagraph (A); and 

8 ‘‘(ii) considers whether the Commis9 sion should commence an inquiry on the 

10 need for other tools to help— 

11 ‘‘(I) identify potential inaccura12 cies in the data relating to broadband 

13 internet access service that providers 

14 report; and 

15 ‘‘(II) improve the accuracy of the 

16 data described in subclause (I). 

17 ‘‘(6) REFORM OF FORM 477 PROCESS.— 

18 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 

19 days after the date on which the rules issued 

20 under subsection (a) take effect, the Commis21 sion shall— 

22 ‘‘(i) reform the Form 477 broadband 

23 deployment service availability collection 

24 process of the Commission— 
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1 ‘‘(I) to achieve the purposes of 

2 this title; and 

3 ‘‘(II) in a manner that— 

4 ‘‘(aa) enables the compari5 son of data and maps produced 

6 before the implementation of this 

7 title with data and coverage 

8 maps produced after the imple9 mentation of this title; and 

10 ‘‘(bb) maintains the public 

11 availability of data relating to the 

12 deployment of broadband internet 

13 access service; and 

14 ‘‘(ii) harmonize reporting require15 ments and procedures regarding the de16 ployment of broadband internet access 

17 service that are in effect on the day before 

18 the date on which the rules issued under 

19 subsection (a)(1) take effect with those re20 quirements and procedures in those rules. 

21 ‘‘(B) CONTINUED COLLECTION AND RE22 PORTING.—On and after the date on which the 

23 Commission carries out subparagraph (A), the 

24 Commission shall continue to collect and pub25 licly report subscription data that the Commis-
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1 sion collected through the Form 477 broadband 

2 deployment service availability process, as in ef3 fect on July 1, 2019. 

4 ‘‘(7) SHARING DATA WITH NTIA.—The Commis5 sion shall establish a process to make the data col6 lected under paragraph (2) available to the National 

7 Telecommunications and Information Administra8 tion. 

9 ‘‘(c) MAPS.—The Commission shall— 

10 ‘‘(1) after consultation with the Federal Geo11 graphic Data Committee established under section 

12 753(a) of the Geospatial Data Act of 2018, create— 

13 ‘‘(A) the Broadband Map, which shall de14 pict— 

15 ‘‘(i) the extent of the availability of 

16 broadband internet access service in the 

17 United States, without regard to whether 

18 that service is fixed broadband internet ac19 cess service or mobile broadband internet 

20 access service, which shall be based on 

21 data collected by the Commission from all 

22 providers; and 

23 ‘‘(ii) the areas of the United States 

24 that remain unserved by providers; 
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1 ‘‘(B) a map that depicts the availability of 

2 fixed broadband internet access service, which 

3 shall be based on data collected by the Commis4 sion from providers under subsection (b)(2)(A); 

5 and 

6 ‘‘(C) a map that depicts the availability of 

7 mobile broadband internet access service, which 

8 shall be based on data collected by the Commis9 sion from providers under subsection (b)(2)(B); 

10 ‘‘(2) use the maps created under paragraph 

11 (1)— 

12 ‘‘(A) to determine the areas in which ter13 restrial fixed, fixed wireless, mobile, and sat14 ellite broadband internet access service is and is 

15 not available; and 

16 ‘‘(B) when making any new award of fund17 ing with respect to the deployment of 

18 broadband internet access service; 

19 ‘‘(3) update the maps created under paragraph 

20 (1) not less frequently than biannually using the 

21 most recent data collected from providers under sub22 section (b)(2); 

23 ‘‘(4) consult with— 

24 ‘‘(A) the Secretary of Agriculture to enable 

25 the Secretary of Agriculture to consult the 
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1 maps created under paragraph (1) when consid2 ering the awarding of funds for the deployment 

3 of broadband internet access service under any 

4 program administered by the Administrator of 

5 the Rural Utilities Service; and 

6 ‘‘(B) the National Telecommunications and 

7 Information Administration to enable the Ad8 ministration to consult the maps created under 

9 paragraph (1) when considering the awarding 

10 of funds for the deployment of broadband inter11 net access service under any future program ad12 ministered by the Administration; 

13 ‘‘(5) make available to any Federal agency, 

14 upon request, the maps created under paragraph 

15 (1); and 

16 ‘‘(6) make public at an appropriate level of 

17 granularity— 

18 ‘‘(A) the maps created under paragraph 

19 (1); and 

20 ‘‘(B) the data collected by the Commission 

21 with respect to the availability of broadband 

22 internet access service and the quality of service 

23 with respect to broadband internet access serv24 ice. 
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1 ‘‘(d) DELAYED EFFECTIVE DATE FOR QUALITY OF

2 SERVICE RULES.—Any requirement of a rule issued under 

3 subsection (a)(1) that relates to quality of service shall 

4 take effect not earlier than the date that is 180 days after 

5 the date on which the Commission issues that rule. 

6 ‘‘SEC. 803. ENFORCEMENT. 

7 ‘‘It shall be unlawful for an entity or individual to 

8 willfully and knowingly, or recklessly, submit information 

9 or data under this title that is materially inaccurate or 

10 incomplete with respect to the availability of broadband 

11 internet access service or the quality of service with re12 spect to broadband internet access service. 

13 ‘‘SEC. 804. IMPROVING DATA ACCURACY. 

14 ‘‘(a) AUDITS.—The Commission shall conduct reg15 ular audits of information submitted to the Commission 

16 by providers under section 802(b)(2) to ensure that the 

17 providers are complying with this title. 

18 ‘‘(b) CROWDSOURCING.— 

19 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall de20 velop a process through which entities or individuals 

21 in the United States may submit specific informa22 tion about the deployment and availability of 

23 broadband internet access service in the United 

24 States on an ongoing basis so that the information 

25 may be used to verify and supplement information 
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1 provided by providers of broadband internet access 

2 service for inclusion in the maps created under sec3 tion 802(c)(1). 

4 ‘‘(2) COLLABORATION.—As part of the efforts 

5 of the Commission to facilitate the ability of entities 

6 and individuals to submit information under para7 graph (1), the Commission shall— 

8 ‘‘(A) prioritize the consideration of data 

9 provided by data collection applications used by 

10 consumers that the Commission has deter11 mined— 

12 ‘‘(i) are highly reliable; and 

13 ‘‘(ii) have proven methodologies for 

14 determining network coverage and network 

15 performance; 

16 ‘‘(B) not later than 1 year after the date 

17 of enactment of this title, conclude a process 

18 that tests the feasibility of partnering with Fed19 eral agencies that operate delivery fleet vehicles, 

20 including the United States Postal Service, to 

21 facilitate the collection and submission of infor22 mation described in that paragraph; and 

23 ‘‘(C) not later than 14 months after the 

24 date of enactment of this title, publish on the 

25 website of the Commission, and submit to the 
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1 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Trans2 portation of the Senate and the Committee on 

3 Energy and Commerce of the House of Rep4 resentatives, a report regarding the testing de5 scribed in subparagraph (B), which shall in6 clude— 

7 ‘‘(i) a determination regarding wheth8 er the partnerships with Federal agencies 

9 described in that subparagraph are able to 

10 facilitate the collection and submission of 

11 information described in paragraph (1); 

12 and 

13 ‘‘(ii) any steps that the Commission 

14 plans to take to facilitate the partnerships 

15 described in that subparagraph. 

16 ‘‘(c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO INDIAN TRIBES.— 

17 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 

18 the Commission shall hold workshops for Tribal gov19 ernments in each of the 12 Bureau of Indian Affairs 

20 regions to provide technical assistance with the col21 lection and submission of data under section 

22 802(a)(2). 

23 ‘‘(2) ANNUAL REVIEW.—Each year, the Com24 mission, in consultation with Indian Tribes, shall re-
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1 view the need for continued workshops required 

2 under paragraph (1). 

3 ‘‘(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO SMALL SERVICE

4 PROVIDERS.—The Commission shall establish a process 

5 through which a provider that has fewer than 100,000 ac6 tive broadband internet access service connections may re7 quest and receive assistance from the Commission with re8 spect to geographic information system data processing to 

9 ensure that the provider is able to comply with the require10 ments under section 802(b) in a timely and accurate man11 ner. 

12 ‘‘(e) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO STATE, LOCAL, 

13 AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS AND CONSUMERS.—The 

14 Commission shall provide technical assistance to con15 sumers and State, local, and Tribal governmental entities 

16 with respect to the challenge process established under 

17 section 802(b)(5), which shall include— 

18 ‘‘(1) detailed tutorials and webinars; and 

19 ‘‘(2) the provision of staff of the Commission to 

20 provide assistance, as needed, throughout the en21 tirety of the challenge process. 

22 ‘‘(f) GAO ASSESSMENT OF FABRIC SOURCE DATA.— 

23 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of 

24 the United States shall conduct an assessment of 

25 key data sources that are used for purposes of the 
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1 Fabric to identify and geocode locations where fixed 

2 broadband internet access service can be installed in 

3 order for the Comptroller General to develop rec4 ommendations for how the quality and completeness 

5 of those data sources can be improved as data 

6 sources for the Fabric. 

7 ‘‘(2) SOURCES INCLUDED.—For the purposes of 

8 the assessment conducted under paragraph (1), the 

9 key data sources described in that paragraph shall 

10 include— 

11 ‘‘(A) any relevant sources of Federal data, 

12 including the National Address Database ad13 ministered by the Department of Transpor14 tation; 

15 ‘‘(B) State- and county-level digitized par16 cel data; and 

17 ‘‘(C) property tax attribute recording. 

18 ‘‘(3) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 

19 date of enactment of this title, the Comptroller Gen20 eral of the United States shall submit to the Com21 mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 

22 the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Com23 merce of the House of Representatives a report that 

24 contains the recommendations developed under para25 graph (1). 
31 

†S 1822 ES

1 ‘‘SEC. 805. COST. 

2 ‘‘(a) USF.—The Commission may not use funds 

3 from the universal service programs of the Commission es4 tablished under section 254, and the regulations issued 

5 under that section, to pay for any costs associated with 

6 this title. 

7 ‘‘(b) OTHER FUNDS.—The Commission may recover 

8 costs associated with this title under section 9 to the ex9 tent provided for in an appropriation Act, as required 

10 under subsection (a) of that section. 

11 ‘‘SEC. 806. OTHER PROVISIONS. 

12 ‘‘(a) OMB.—Notwithstanding any other provision of 

13 law, the initial rule making required under section 

14 802(a)(1) shall be exempt from review by the Office of 

15 Management and Budget. 

16 ‘‘(b) PRA.—Chapter 35 of title 44, United States 

17 Code (commonly known as the ‘Paperwork Reduction 

18 Act’) shall not apply to the initial rule making required 

19 under section 802(a)(1). 

20 ‘‘(c) EXECUTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES.—Except as 

21 provided in section 802(b)(1)(A)(ii), the Commission— 

22 ‘‘(1) including the offices of the Commission, 

23 shall carry out the responsibilities assigned to the 

24 Commission under this title; and 

25 ‘‘(2) may not delegate any of the responsibil26 ities assigned to the Commission under this title to 
32 

†S 1822 ES

1 any third party, including the Universal Service Ad2 ministrative Company. 

3 ‘‘(d) REPORTING.—Each fiscal year, the Commission 

4 shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

5 Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on En6 ergy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a re7 port that summarizes the implementation of this title and 

8 associated enforcement activities conducted during the 

9 previous fiscal year. 

10 ‘‘(e) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—If the Commission, 

11 before the date of enactment of this title, has taken an 

12 action that, in whole or in part, implements this title, the 

13 Commission shall not be required to revisit such action 

14 to the extent that such action is consistent with this 

15 title.’’. 

Passed the Senate December 19, 2019. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1822 

AN ACT 

To require the Federal Communications Commisservices, and for other purposes. data with respect to the availability of broadband sion to issue rules relating to the collection of