S. 323 — what changed

In general— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary, in consultation with the covered agencies, shall develop and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a National Strategy to Synchronize Federal Broadband Programs to—

support better management of Federal broadband programs to deliver on the goal of providing access to high-speed, affordable broadband internet access service to all individuals in the United States, while ensuring that funding for Federal broadband programs is used in the most efficient and fiscally responsible manner;

synchronize interagency coordination among covered agencies for Federal broadband programs;

synchronize interagency coordination regarding the process for approving the grant of any permit, easement, right of way, or lease to, in, over, or on a building or any other property owned by the Federal Government for the right to install, construct, modify, or maintain infrastructure with respect to broadband internet access service; and

reduce unnecessary barriers, eliminate unnecessary costs, and ease administrative burdens to participate in Federal broadband programs.

Requirements— The Strategy shall—

list all—

Federal broadband programs; and

programs that exist at the State and local levels that are directly or indirectly intended to increase the deployment of, access to, the affordability of, or the adoption of broadband internet access service;

describe current, as of the date on which the Strategy is submitted, Federal efforts to coordinate Federal broadband programs;

identify gaps and limitations, including laws, regulations, and covered agency policies and practices, that hinder, or may hinder, coordination across Federal broadband programs;

establish clear roles and responsibilities for the covered agencies, as well as clear goals, objectives, and performance measures, for—

the management of all Federal broadband programs; and

interagency coordination efforts with respect to Federal broadband programs;

address the cost of the Strategy, the sources and types of resources and investments needed to carry out the Strategy, and where those resources and investments should be targeted based on balancing risk reductions with costs;

address factors that increase the costs and administrative burdens of participation in Federal broadband programs, including with respect to access to infrastructure necessary for deployment of broadband internet access service;

report information on the effectiveness of each Federal broadband program in terms of how many locations received broadband internet access service or other assistance under each Federal broadband program;

address the extent to which covered agency policies and practices do or do not establish a technologically neutral program;

recommend incentives, legislative solutions, and administrative actions to help State, local, and Tribal governments more efficiently—

distribute, and effectively administer, funding received from Federal broadband programs and avoid duplication of—

existing infrastructure with respect to broadband internet access service; and

funded projects with respect to broadband internet access service or such projects otherwise subject to enforceable deployment obligations;

resolve conflicts with respect to the funding described in subparagraph (A);

use the Deployment Locations Map as a key resource in carrying out subparagraphs (A) and (B); and

recommend incentives, legislative solutions, and administrative actions to—

improve the coordination and management of Federal broadband programs; and

eliminate duplication with respect to Federal broadband programs and non-Federal programs with respect to broadband internet access service;

describe current, as of the date on which the Strategy is submitted, efforts by covered agencies, Federal land management agencies, and State, local, and Tribal governments to streamline the process for granting a permit or access to an easement, right of way, or lease to, in, over, or on a building or any other property owned or controlled by a government for the right to install, construct, modify, or maintain infrastructure with respect to broadband internet access service;

identify gaps and limitations with respect to allowing regional, interstate, or cross-border economic development organizations to participate in Federal broadband programs;