HR-4950-119
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 35 - 0.
Sponsored by Erin Houchin (R-IN)
What it does
This bill would require the Federal Communications Commission to update its National Broadband Map within 180 days to add a layer showing the location of agricultural areas. The FCC would be required to consult with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, state representatives, and other relevant stakeholders when adding this layer.
Who benefits
Farmers, ranchers, and agricultural landowners who could better identify broadband gaps affecting their property; broadband providers and policymakers using the map to target rural infrastructure spending; state and local officials making broadband deployment decisions; the Department of Agriculture, whose data would be incorporated into a federal mapping tool.
Who is hurt
No group is meaningfully harmed; the FCC bears modest administrative and technical costs to update the map, and staff time would be required for interagency consultation, but no existing rights, funding, or business operations are restricted.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that accurate broadband maps are essential to directing billions of dollars in rural broadband funding, and that current maps often fail to reflect broadband needs specific to agricultural operations like precision farming equipment that relies on connectivity. They contend that adding an agricultural layer, developed in consultation with USDA and state stakeholders, would help policymakers and providers close coverage gaps in farming regions more precisely than existing population-based mapping alone.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that adding another data layer creates additional administrative burden and cost for the FCC without a dedicated funding mechanism or clear metric for success, potentially diverting staff attention from other mapping accuracy issues that have historically undermined the National Broadband Map. They contend that mandating a specific new layer by statute, rather than allowing the FCC to prioritize its own mapping improvements, may not meaningfully change broadband deployment outcomes if funding formulas are not also adjusted.
Constitutional context
This bill raises no significant constitutional question; it directs an executive agency to modify a data tool under Congress's Article I authority to regulate interstate communications via the Commerce Clause.
Checks and balances
Congress directs the FCC, an executive branch agency, to perform a specific mapping task, with the agency retaining discretion over implementation details and stakeholder consultation.
Historical precedent
The Broadband DATA Act of 2020 similarly directed the FCC to improve the accuracy and structure of its National Broadband Map, establishing the map this bill would further modify.