Facilitating DIGITAL Applications Act
Bill: H.R.1156 | Sponsor: Rep. McKinley, David B. (R-WV)
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Facilitating the Deployment of Infrastructure with Greater Internet Transactions And Legacy Applications Act or the Facilitating DIGITAL Applications Act
This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to submit a report every 60 days describing whether the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture have established online portals for the acceptance, processing, and disposal of a Form 299, as well as any barriers to the establishment of such portals. Form 299 is the application form for the right to install, construct, modify, or maintain a communications facility on federal real property. Both departments shall notify the NTIA not later than three business days after establishing their online portals.

To require the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and 
    Information to report to Congress every 60 days on barriers to 
    implementation by the Department of Interior and Department of 
 Agriculture of an online portal to accept, process, and dispose of an 
 application for the placement of communications facilities on certain 
                             Federal lands.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Facilitating the Deployment of 
Infrastructure with Greater Internet Transactions And Legacy 
Applications Act'' or the ``Facilitating DIGITAL Applications Act''.

SEC. 2. BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ONLINE PORTAL FOR FORM 299.

    (a) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
        ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
                House of Representatives;
                    (B) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House 
                of Representatives;
                    (C) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation of the Senate; and
                    (D) the Committee on Environment and Public Works 
                of the Senate.
            (2) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary'' 
        means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications 
        and Information.
            (3) Communications facility.--The term ``communications 
        facility'' includes--
                    (A) any infrastructure, including any transmitting 
                device, tower, or support structure, and any equipment, 
                switch, wiring, cabling, power source, shelter, or 
                cabinet, associated with the licensed or permitted 
                unlicensed wireless or wireline transmission of any 
                writing, sign, signal, data, image, picture, and sound 
                of any kind; and
                    (B) any antenna or apparatus that--
                            (i) is designed for the purpose of emitting 
                        radio frequency;
                            (ii) is designed to be operated, or is 
                        operating, from a fixed location pursuant to 
                        authorization by the Commission or is using a 
                        duly authorized device that does not require an 
                        individual license; and
                            (iii) is added to a tower, building, or 
                        other structure.
            (4) Communications use.--The term ``communications use'' 
        means the placement and operation of a communications facility.
            (5) Communications use authorization.--The term 
        ``communications use authorization'' means an easement, right-
        of-way, lease, license, or other authorization to locate or 
        modify a communications facility on covered land by the 
        Department concerned for the primary purpose of authorizing the 
        occupancy and use of the covered land for communications use.
            (6) Covered land.--The term ``covered land'' means--
                    (A) public land administered by the Secretary of 
                the Interior; and
                    (B) National Forest System land.
            (7) Department concerned.--The term ``Department 
        concerned'' means the Department of the Interior or the 
        Department of Agriculture.
            (8) Form 299.--The term ``Form 299'' means the form 
        established under section 6409(b)(2)(A) of the Middle Class Tax 
        Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455(b)(2)(A)), 
        or any successor form.
            (9) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned'' 
        means--
                    (A) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to 
                land administered by such Secretary; and
                    (B) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to 
                National Forest System land.
    (b) Barriers to Implementation.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, and every 60 days thereafter until 
        the notification described in paragraph (2), the Assistant 
        Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees in 
        Congress a report that--
                    (A) describes whether the Department concerned has 
                established an online portal for the acceptance, 
                processing, and disposal of a Form 299; and
                    (B) describes any barrier to the establishment of 
                an online portal for the acceptance, processing, and 
                disposal of a Form 299.
            (2) Notification described.--The Secretary concerned shall 
        notify the Assistant Secretary not later than 3 business days 
        after the Department concerned has established an online portal 
        for the acceptance, processing, and disposal of a Form 299.
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