H.R. 1681 · Where this bill is now
In the Senate
Passed the House Apr 20, 2026. Received Apr 21, 2026; no Senate vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summarySpeeds up broadband permits on federal lands
Ever wondered why it takes so long to put cell towers and internet equipment on public lands. This bill creates a federal team whose job is to make those permission requests move faster. The team will meet regularly to set goals and hold agencies accountable for reviewing broadband projects quicker.
How it affects you
This mainly affects companies that want to build broadband and cell networks in areas with federal land. The faster reviews could mean internet and cell service reaches rural areas sooner, though the summary doesn't specify how quickly or where changes would happen first.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Feb 27, 2025)
Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act
This bill establishes an interagency strike force to support federal land management agencies' review of requests for communications use authorizations. (A communications use authorization is required to modify or locate communications facilities on public lands.)
The strike force must (1) conduct periodic calls with strike force members to ensure that each agency prioritizes the review of requests for communications use authorizations, (2) establish goals for the review of the requests, and (3) monitor and facilitate agency accountability for meeting the established goals.
The bill specifies that the strike force must include the head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the head of each federal land management agency, and other members designated by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior. The bill also requires the strike force to report to Congress regarding its effectiveness.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 1681
AN ACT
Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act
Sponsor: Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO-8) · Introduced Feb 27, 2025 · Science, Technology, Communications · 4 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Apr 21, 2026: “Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.”
How Congress voted
Official roll callsHouse · On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass · Apr 20, 2026
Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass Passed 384–9
| Party | Yes | No | Didn’t vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 199 | 0 | 14 |
| Independents | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Republicans | 184 | 9 | 23 |
9 members voted against most of their party: 9 Republicans voted No.
Congress votes on whole bills and amendments, not on single sections.
Sections
The wording of this bill hasn’t changed across its 4 official versions.