To require the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to establish an interagency strike force to increase prioritization by the Department of the Interior and Department of Agriculture by senior management of the Department of the Interior and Department of Agriculture, or an organizational unit of reviews for communications use authorizations.

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1049 To require the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to establish an interagency strike force to increase prioritization by the Department of the Interior and Department of Agriculture by senior management of the Department of the Interior and Department of Agriculture, or an organizational unit of reviews for communications use authorizations. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 15, 2021 Mr. DUNCAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com- mittee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently de- termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To require the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Commu- nications and Information to establish an interagency strike force to increase prioritization by the Department of the Interior and Department of Agriculture by senior management of the Department of the Interior and De- partment of Agriculture, or an organizational unit of reviews for communications use authorizations. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:25 Mar 16, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1049.IH H1049 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 1049 IH SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 1 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Expediting Federal 2 Broadband Deployment Reviews Act’’. 3 SEC. 2. STRIKE FORCE. 4 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 5 (1) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CON- 6 GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con- 7 gress’’ means— 8 (A) the Committee on Energy and Com- 9 merce of the House of Representatives; 10 (B) the Committee on Natural Resources 11 of the House of Representatives; 12 (C) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 13 and Transportation of the Senate; and 14 (D) the Committee on Environment and 15 Public Works of the Senate. 16 (2) ASSISTANT SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Assist- 17 ant Secretary’’ means the Assistant Secretary of 18 Commerce for Communications and Information. 19 (3) COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY.—The term 20 ‘‘communications facility’’ includes— 21 (A) any infrastructure, including any 22 transmitting device, tower, or support structure, 23 and any equipment, switches, wiring, cabling, 24 power sources, shelters, or cabinets, associated 25 with the licensed or permitted unlicensed wire- 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:25 Mar 16, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1049.IH H1049 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 1049 IH less or wireline transmission of writings, signs, 1 signals, data, images, pictures, and sounds of 2 all kinds; and 3 (B) any antenna or apparatus that— 4 (i) is designed for the purpose of 5 emitting radio frequency; 6 (ii) is designed to be operated, or is 7 operating, from a fixed location pursuant 8 to authorization by the Commission or is 9 using duly authorized devices that do not 10 require individual licenses; and 11 (iii) is added to a tower, building, or 12 other structure. 13 (4) COMMUNICATIONS USE.—The term ‘‘com- 14 munications use’’ means the placement and oper- 15 ation of a communications facility. 16 (5) COMMUNICATIONS USE AUTHORIZATION.— 17 The term ‘‘communications use authorization’’ 18 means an easement, right-of-way, lease, license, or 19 other authorization to locate or modify a commu- 20 nications facility on covered land by the Department 21 concerned for the primary purpose of authorizing 22 the occupancy and use of the covered land for com- 23 munications use. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:25 Mar 16, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1049.IH H1049 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 1049 IH (6) COVERED LAND.—The term ‘‘covered land’’ 1 means— 2 (A) public land administered by the Sec- 3 retary of the Interior; and 4 (B) National Forest System land. 5 (7) DEPARTMENT CONCERNED.—The term 6 ‘‘Department concerned’’ means the Department of 7 the Interior or the Department of Agriculture. 8 (8) ORGANIZATION UNIT.—The term ‘‘organiza- 9 tional unit’’ means— 10 (A) with respect to public land adminis- 11 tered by the Secretary of the Interior— 12 (i) a State office; 13 (ii) a district office; or 14 (iii) a field office; and 15 (B) within the Forest Service— 16 (i) a regional office; 17 (ii) the headquarters; 18 (iii) a management unit; or 19 (iv) a ranger district office. 20 (9) STRIKE FORCE.—The term ‘‘Strike Force’’ 21 means the interagency strike force established in 22 subsection (b)(1). 23 (b) STRIKE FORCE.— 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:25 Mar 16, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1049.IH H1049 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 1049 IH (1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days 1 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Assist- 2 ant Secretary shall establish an interagency strike 3 force to increase prioritization by the Department 4 concerned, senior management of the Department 5 concerned, or an organizational unit of reviews for 6 communications use authorizations. 7 (2) DUTIES.—In carrying out the prioritization 8 under paragraph (1), the Strike Force shall— 9 (A) conduct periodic calls between mem- 10 bers of the Strike Force relating to requests for 11 communications use authorizations; and 12 (B) monitor and facilitate accountability of 13 the Department concerned and organizational 14 units to meet objective and reasonable goals for 15 the review of requests for communications use 16 authorizations. 17 (3) MEMBERS.—The Strike Force shall be com- 18 posed of such representatives of Departments con- 19 cerned as the Assistant Secretary considers appro- 20 priate, in addition to— 21 (A) the Assistant Secretary; 22 (B) a representative of the Department 23 concerned; 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:25 Mar 16, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1049.IH H1049 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 1049 IH (C) senior management of the Department 1 concerned; and 2 (D) the head of each organizational unit. 3 (4) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 4 270 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 5 Strike Force shall submit to the appropriate com- 6 mittees of Congress a report on the effectiveness of 7 the Strike Force in increasing the prioritization of 8 reviews for communications use authorization re- 9 quests. 10 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:25 Mar 16, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1049.IH H1049 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS