I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3162 
To improve broadband data collection, mapping, and validation to support 
the effective deployment of broadband services to all areas of the United 
States, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 6, 2019 
Mrs. RODGERS of Washington (for herself, Mr. O’HALLERAN, Mr. MCKINLEY, 
Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire, Mr. WITTMAN, and Mr. BUTTERFIELD) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on En-
ergy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To improve broadband data collection, mapping, and valida-
tion to support the effective deployment of broadband 
services to all areas of the United States, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Broadband Data Im-
provement Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS SERVICE.— 
The term ‘‘broadband internet access service’’ has 
the meaning given the term in section 8.1 of title 47, 
Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regu-
lation. 
(2) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Federal Communications Commission. 
(3) FEDERAL
AGENCY.—The term ‘‘Federal 
agency’’ means— 
(A) the Commission; 
(B) the Department of Agriculture; 
(C) the Department of Commerce; 
(D) the Department of the Interior; 
(E) the Federal Trade Commission; 
(F) the National Economic Council; and 
(G) the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy. 
(4) FORM 477.—The term ‘‘Form 477’’ means 
Form 477 of the Commission relating to local tele-
phone competition and broadband reporting. 
(5) NATIONAL
BROADBAND
MAP.—The term 
‘‘National Broadband Map’’ means the map devel-
oped and maintained by the Commission with re-
spect to the availability of broadband internet access 
service. 
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(6) PROPAGATION MODEL.—The term ‘‘propa-
gation model’’ means an empirical mathematical for-
mulation for the characterization of radio wave prop-
agation as a function of frequency, distance, and 
other conditions. 
(7) PROVIDER.—The term ‘‘provider’’ means a 
provider of broadband internet access service. 
(8) SHAPEFILE.—The term ‘‘shapefile’’ means 
a digital storage format containing geospatial or lo-
cation-based data and attribute information— 
(A) regarding the availability of broadband 
internet access service; and 
(B) that can be viewed, edited, and 
mapped in geographic information system soft-
ware. 
(9) STANDARD
BROADBAND
INSTALLATION.— 
The term ‘‘standard broadband installation’’— 
(A) means the initiation of new wireline 
broadband internet access service with no 
charges or delays attributable to the extension 
of the network of the provider; and 
(B) includes the initiation of service that 
requires only routine installation that can be 
completed not later than 10 business days after 
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the date on which the service request is sub-
mitted. 
(10) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ has the mean-
ing given the term in section 3 of the Communica-
tions Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153). 
SEC. 3. NEW DATA SUBMISSION AND PUBLIC FEEDBACK 
PROCESSES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall issue 
a rule to establish— 
(1) a reporting requirement under which each 
provider shall, not less frequently than biannually, 
submit to the Commission accurate and granular in-
formation regarding the geographic availability of 
broadband internet access service provided by the 
provider; and 
(2) a framework for an ongoing challenge proc-
ess through which a provider or a member of the 
public may submit information challenging the accu-
racy of the information reflected on the National 
Broadband Map. 
(b) REPORTING REQUIREMENT CONDITIONS.—The 
reporting requirement established by the Commission 
under subsection (a)(1) shall— 
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(1) require information regarding the service 
area of each provider to be— 
(A) submitted in shapefile format, or an-
other geospatial format as the Commission may 
prescribe, to achieve the level of reporting speci-
ficity required under paragraph (2) of this sub-
section; and 
(B) before making each submission re-
quired under subsection (a)(1), certified— 
(i) as adhering to such reporting 
standards as the Commission may pre-
scribe; 
(ii) on a form to be prescribed by the 
Commission; and 
(iii) by an officer of the provider; 
(2) allow for an understanding by the Commis-
sion and the general public of speeds and service de-
livery types of broadband internet access service that 
are available through— 
(A) a standard broadband installation for 
fixed wireline services; and 
(B) standardized and tested propagation 
models with respect to— 
(i) fixed wireless and satellite services; 
and 
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(ii) mobile services, with defined fac-
tors for signal strength, cell edge prob-
ability, and cell loading; 
(3) define uniform mandatory standards for the 
reporting of broadband internet access service cov-
erage for each delivery type with respect to 
broadband internet access service in order to— 
(A) ensure the accuracy and granularity of 
the data submitted; and 
(B) require each provider to employ con-
sistent reporting methods across all States in 
which the provider provides service; 
(4) update or replace the Form 477 broadband 
deployment service availability data collection proc-
ess of the Commission; and 
(5) eliminate all duplicative reporting require-
ments and procedures regarding the availability of 
broadband internet access service that are in exist-
ence as of the date on which the Commission estab-
lishes the requirement. 
(c) CHALLENGE PROCESS CONDITIONS.—The frame-
work for the challenge process established by the Commis-
sion under subsection (a)(2) shall include an ongoing 
schedule for the periodic— 
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(1) receipt, analysis, and resolution of feedback 
received through the process; and 
(2) updating of the National Broadband Map, 
which shall be completed— 
(A) in an expeditious manner; and 
(B) in response to the feedback described 
in paragraph (1). 
(d) NATIONAL BROADBAND MAP.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to feedback received 
through the challenge process, the framework for 
which is established under subsection (a)(2), a Fed-
eral agency shall use the National Broadband Map 
to determine— 
(A) the extent of the availability of 
broadband internet access service; and 
(B) the areas of the United States that re-
main unserved by providers. 
(2) CHALLENGE NOTICE OF OPPORTUNITY.— 
Before awarding funding that supports the develop-
ment of broadband internet access services and that 
is based on the information reflected on the National 
Broadband Map, a Federal agency shall provide no-
tice of an opportunity for public feedback to chal-
lenge or update the information on the map that— 
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(A) aligns with the schedule established 
under subsection (c); or 
(B) provides a separate public feedback op-
portunity under rules that may be established 
by the Federal agency. 
SEC. 4. DATA VALIDATION AND SUBMISSION ASSISTANCE. 
(a) SELECTED PROVIDER.— 
(1) SELECTION OF PROVIDER.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall 
use competitive procedures to enter into a con-
tract with an entity to provide the services de-
scribed in paragraph (2). 
(B) COMMISSION DISCRETION.—The Com-
mission may— 
(i) determine— 
(I) the period in which an entity 
selected under subparagraph (A) shall 
serve in that capacity; and 
(II) whether to grant an exten-
sion with respect to the period de-
scribed in subclause (i), including the 
length of that extension; and 
(ii) with respect to the contract de-
scribed in subparagraph (A), include— 
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(I) a provision relating to liq-
uidated damages; and 
(II) any other reasonable provi-
sion to ensure that the contract is 
sound and enforceable. 
(2) RESPONSIBILITIES.—Subject to section 
106(h)(2) of the Broadband Data Improvement Act 
(47 U.S.C. 1304(h)(2)), the entity selected under 
paragraph (1) shall, in consultation with, and under 
the supervision of, the Commission— 
(A) provide— 
(i) geographic information system 
data processing assistance to providers 
that require that assistance in order to 
comply with the reporting requirements es-
tablished by the Commission under section 
3(a)(1); 
(ii) support for the facilitation of the 
challenge process, the framework for which 
is established by the Commission under 
section 3(a)(2); and 
(iii) independent data validation serv-
ices, including in-field verification of the 
availability of broadband internet access 
service reported by providers, to the Com-
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mission to ensure the accuracy and con-
tinual 
refinement 
of 
the 
National 
Broadband Map; 
(B) execute data-sharing agreements, as 
may be requested, with providers to facilitate 
the exchange of information needed to create 
shapefiles, or any other such depiction as the 
Commission may prescribe, of the availability of 
broadband internet access service for the pur-
poses of carrying out subsection (d); 
(C) analyze the information exchanged 
under subparagraph (B) to produce depictions 
of the availability of fixed broadband internet 
access service and mobile broadband internet 
access service in compliance with the require-
ments established under section 3(a)(1), for any 
providers that are eligible for the assistance de-
scribed in subparagraph (A)(i); 
(D) provide the depictions of service avail-
ability under subparagraph (C) to the Commis-
sion for— 
(i) the internal use of the Commis-
sion; and 
(ii) incorporation in the National 
Broadband Map; 
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(E) support collaboration between the 
Commission and other Federal agencies to— 
(i) track, map, and validate how funds 
made available through Federal grants, 
loans, or other financial awards or incen-
tives for the development of broadband in-
frastructure have been expended to im-
prove the availability of broadband internet 
access service; and 
(ii) ensure transparency and account-
ability with respect to the expenditures de-
scribed in clause (i), taking into account 
existing accountability measures, such as 
requiring the deployment of broadband in-
frastructure to be reported on a geocoded 
or other location-specific basis; 
(F) develop and implement an online 
mechanism to be integrated into the National 
Broadband Map, which shall solicit and collect 
feedback submitted by the public and providers 
through the challenge process, the framework 
for which is established under section 3(a)(2); 
and 
(G) in consultation with the Commission, 
establish an ongoing data validation and 
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verification process, including selective in-per-
son field validation activities, that shall— 
(i) be guided by intelligence collected 
through the receipt of public feedback, the 
acquisition and analysis of third-party 
datasets, or other methods the entity may 
develop; and 
(ii) advise the Commission regarding 
the continual refinement of the National 
Broadband Map. 
(b) PUBLIC COMMENT REQUIRED.—With respect to 
the selection of an entity under subsection (a), the Com-
mission shall seek comment from the public, providers, 
and other relevant stakeholders regarding the experience 
and capabilities of organizations that are qualified to be 
so selected. 
(c) TERMINATION FOR CAUSE; SELECTION OF NEW 
ENTITY.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Commission may, by 
order, terminate for cause an entity selected under 
subsection (a). 
(2) NEW ENTITY.—If the Commission issues a 
termination order under paragraph (1)(A), the Com-
mission shall, not later than 120 days after the date 
on which the Commission issues that order, select a 
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new qualified entity to carry out subsection (a) in 
the same manner as provided in that subsection, in-
cluding by seeking comment as provided in sub-
section (b). 
(d) PROVIDER REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall imple-
ment a process through which a provider may re-
quest geographic information system data processing 
assistance from the entity selected under subsection 
(a). 
(2) CONDITIONS
FOR
APPROVAL.—The entity 
selected under subsection (a) shall grant a request 
for assistance submitted by a provider under para-
graph (1)— 
(A) if the provider has more than 100,000 
broadband connections— 
(i) upon a demonstration of need by 
the provider; and 
(ii) after review and approval by the 
Commission; and 
(B) if the provider has not more than 
100,000 broadband connections, automatically, 
subject to the availability of funds. 
(e) NO REGULATORY AUTHORITY.—Nothing in this 
section may be construed to grant an entity selected under 
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subsection (a) any regulatory jurisdiction with respect to, 
or oversight authority over, providers or information tech-
nology. 
SEC. 5. ENFORCEMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—It shall be unlawful for a person 
to willfully and knowingly submit information or data 
under this Act that is inaccurate with respect to the avail-
ability of broadband internet access service. 
(b) PENALTY.—Any person that violates subsection 
(a) shall be subject to an appropriate penalty, as deter-
mined by the Commission, under— 
(1) the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
U.S.C. 151 et seq.), including section 501 of that 
Act (47 U.S.C. 501); and 
(2) the rules of the Commission. 
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Com-
mission to carry out this Act the following amounts: 
(1)(A) For fiscal year 2020, $55,000,000, not 
less than $34,500,000 of which shall be made avail-
able to carry out section 4. 
(B) The amounts made available under sub-
paragraph (A) shall remain available until expended. 
(2)(A) For each of fiscal years 2021 through 
2026, $50,000,000, not less than $29,500,000 of 
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which shall be made available in each such fiscal 
year to carry out section 4. 
(B) The amounts made available under sub-
paragraph (A) shall remain available until expended. 
Æ 
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