I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6046 
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to streamline the deployment 
of telecommunications or broadband service facilities in the public rights- 
of-way and the rights-of-way of railroad carriers, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 17, 2025 
Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania (for himself, Mr. LANDSMAN, and Mr. PETERS) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on En-
ergy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to streamline 
the deployment of telecommunications or broadband serv-
ice facilities in the public rights-of-way and the rights- 
of-way of railroad carriers, 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 and Tele-
communications RAIL Act’’. 
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SEC. 
2. 
DEPLOYMENT 
OF 
TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
OR 
BROADBAND SERVICE FACILITIES IN PUBLIC 
RIGHTS-OF-WAY AND RAILROAD RIGHTS-OF- 
WAY. 
Title VII of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
U.S.C. 601 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘SEC. 723. DEPLOYMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS OR 
BROADBAND SERVICE FACILITIES IN PUBLIC 
RIGHTS-OF-WAY AND RAILROAD RIGHTS-OF- 
WAY. 
‘‘(a) NOTIFICATION
OF WORK
BY PROVIDERS
IN 
PUBLIC RIGHTS-OF-WAY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—If a State or local govern-
ment has authorized a provider to place or modify 
telecommunications or broadband service facilities in 
a public right-of-way, and the facilities will be placed 
or modified in an area where the public right-of-way 
intersects with a railroad corridor, the provider— 
‘‘(A) shall submit to the relevant railroad 
carrier a written notification that the placement 
or modification has been authorized by the 
State or local government; and 
‘‘(B) is not required to submit an applica-
tion to the railroad carrier under subsection (b) 
with respect to the placement or modification. 
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‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—A notification submitted 
under paragraph (1) shall contain the following in-
formation with respect to the placement or modifica-
tion described in such paragraph: 
‘‘(A) The location of the placement or 
modification. 
‘‘(B) The proposed date of commencement 
of work with respect to the placement or modi-
fication. 
‘‘(C) The anticipated duration of the work. 
‘‘(D) The entry and exit points that will be 
used with respect to the performance of the 
work. 
‘‘(E) The contact information of the pro-
vider. 
‘‘(3) SCHEDULING.—Following the submission 
of a notification under paragraph (1)— 
‘‘(A) the provider shall schedule a date in 
coordination with the railroad carrier for the 
placement or modification of the facilities to 
which the notification applies; and 
‘‘(B) the placement or modification de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) shall commence— 
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‘‘(i) not earlier than the date that is 
15 days after the date on which the notifi-
cation is submitted; and 
‘‘(ii) not later than— 
‘‘(I) the date that is 30 days 
after the date on which the notifica-
tion is submitted; or 
‘‘(II) such other date as mutually 
agreed upon by the provider and the 
railroad carrier. 
‘‘(4) PAYMENT NOT REQUIRED.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A provider is not re-
quired to pay a railroad carrier with respect to 
the placement or modification of telecommuni-
cations or broadband service facilities in a pub-
lic right-of-way as authorized by a State or 
local government. 
‘‘(B) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing 
in subparagraph (A) may be construed to affect 
any requirement, pursuant to an authorization 
by a State or local government for a provider 
to place or modify telecommunications or 
broadband service facilities in a public right-of- 
way, for the provider to make any payment to 
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any entity with respect to the placement or 
modification. 
‘‘(b) APPLICATION TO PLACE OR MODIFY TELE-
COMMUNICATIONS OR BROADBAND SERVICE FACILITIES 
IN RAILROAD RIGHTS-OF-WAY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to place or modify 
telecommunications or broadband service facilities in 
the right-of-way of a railroad carrier, a provider 
shall submit to the railroad carrier a written applica-
tion that contains the following information: 
‘‘(A) Engineering design plans, construc-
tion plans, and (if applicable) bore plans with 
respect to the placement or modification. 
‘‘(B) The location of the placement or 
modification. 
‘‘(C) The proposed date of commencement 
of work with respect to the placement or modi-
fication. 
‘‘(D) The anticipated duration of the work. 
‘‘(E) The entry and exit points that will be 
used with respect to the performance of the 
work. 
‘‘(F) The contact information of the pro-
vider. 
‘‘(2) DECISION.— 
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