I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5919 

To require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct an assessment to identify 

locations in National Parks in which there is the greatest need for 

broadband internet access service and areas in National Parks in which 

there is the greatest need for cellular service, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 11, 2023 

Mr. CURTIS introduced the following bill 

OCTOBER 25, 2023 

Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct an assessment to identify locations in National Parks in which 

there is the greatest need for broadband internet access 

service and areas in National Parks in which there is 

the greatest need for cellular service, 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 ‘‘Connect Our Parks 

5 Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS SERVICE AND CEL2 LULAR SERVICE ASSESSMENT AND PLAN3 NING IN NATIONAL PARKS. 

4 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

5 (1) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CON6 GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con7 gress’’ means— 

8 (A) the Committee on Energy and Natural 

9 Resources of the Senate; 

10 (B) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 

11 and Transportation of the Senate; 

12 (C) the Committee on Natural Resources 

13 of the House of Representatives; and 

14 (D) the Committee on Energy and Com15 merce of the House of Representatives. 

16 (2) BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS SERVICE.— 

17 The term ‘‘broadband internet access service’’ has 

18 the meaning given the term in section 8.1(b) of title 

19 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor reg20 ulation). 

21 (3) CELLULAR SERVICE.—The term ‘‘cellular 

22 service’’ has the meaning given the term in section 

23 22.99 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or a 

24 successor regulation). 

25 (4) NATIONAL PARK.—The term ‘‘National 

26 Park’’ means a unit of the National Park System. 


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1 (5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

2 the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di3 rector of the National Park Service. 

4 (b) ASSESSMENT.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 

6 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

7 shall complete an assessment of National Parks to 

8 identify— 

9 (A) locations in National Parks in which 

10 there is the greatest need for broadband inter11 net access service, based on the considerations 

12 described in paragraph (2)(A); and 

13 (B) areas in National Parks in which there 

14 is the greatest need for cellular service, based 

15 on the considerations described in paragraph 

16 (2)(B). 

17 (2) CONSIDERATIONS.— 

18 (A) BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS SERV19 ICE.—For purposes of identifying locations in 

20 National Parks under paragraph (1)(A), the 

21 Secretary shall consider, with respect to each 

22 National Park, the availability of broadband 

23 internet access service in— 

24 (i) housing; 


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1 (ii) administrative facilities and re2 lated structures; 

3 (iii) lodging; 

4 (iv) developed campgrounds; and 

5 (v) any other location within the Na6 tional Park in which broadband internet 

7 access service is determined to be nec8 essary by the superintendent of the Na9 tional Park. 

10 (B) CELLULAR SERVICE.—For purposes of 

11 identifying areas in National Parks under para12 graph (1)(B), the Secretary shall consider, with 

13 respect to each National Park, the availability 

14 of cellular service in any developed area within 

15 the National Park that would increase— 

16 (i) the access of the public to emer17 gency services and traveler information 

18 technologies; or 

19 (ii) the communications capabilities of 

20 National Park Service employees. 

21 (3) REPORT.—On completion of the assessment 

22 under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to 

23 the appropriate committees of Congress, and make 

24 available on the website of the Department of the 


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1 Interior, a report describing the results of the as2 sessment. 

3 (c) PLAN.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after 

5 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

6 shall develop a plan, based on the results of the as7 sessment completed under subsection (b) and subject 

8 to paragraph (4)— 

9 (A) to install broadband internet access 

10 service infrastructure in certain locations in Na11 tional Parks; and 

12 (B) to install cellular service equipment 

13 and infrastructure in certain areas of National 

14 Parks. 

15 (2) CONSULTATION.—In developing the plan 

16 under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult 

17 with— 

18 (A) affected Indian Tribes; and 

19 (B) local stakeholders that the super20 intendent of the applicable National Park deter21 mines to be appropriate. 

22 (3) REQUIREMENTS.—The plan developed 

23 under paragraph (1) shall— 

24 (A) provide for avoiding or minimizing im25 pacts to— 


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1 (i) National Park viewsheds; 

2 (ii) cultural and natural resources; 

3 (iii) the visitor experience; 

4 (iv) other resources or values of the 

5 National Park; and 

6 (v) historic properties and the 

7 viewsheds of historic properties; 

8 (B) provide for infrastructure providing 

9 broadband internet access service or cellular 

10 service to be located in— 

11 (i) previously disturbed or developed 

12 areas; or 

13 (ii) areas zoned for uses that would 

14 support the infrastructure; 

15 (C) provide for the use of public-private 

16 partnerships— 

17 (i) to install broadband internet ac18 cess service or cellular service equipment; 

19 and 

20 (ii) to provide broadband internet ac21 cess service or cellular service; 

22 (D) be technology neutral; and 

23 (E) in the case of broadband internet ac24 cess service, provide for broadband internet ac25 cess service of at least— 


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1 (i) a 100–Mbps downstream trans2 mission capacity; and 

3 (ii) a 20–Mbps upstream transmission 

4 capacity. 

5 (4) LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding paragraph 

6 (1), a plan developed under that paragraph shall not 

7 be required to address broadband internet access 

8 service or cellular service in any National Park with 

9 respect to which the superintendent of the National 

10 Park determines that there is adequate access to 

11 broadband internet access service or cellular service, 

12 as applicable. 

Æ 


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