Broadband Internet for Small Ports Act

Key Points

• This bill helps rural areas get better high-speed internet by focusing on small ports and harbors. It makes these locations a top priority for federal loans and grants to help move goods more efficiently through inland waters and coastal terminals.
• Farmers and ranchers would also see benefits. The plan fast-tracks internet projects on croplands so that people can use modern farming technology to manage their fields and livestock more effectively.
• The government could pay for a large portion of these projects. Most grants would cover half the cost, but for very remote or needy areas, the government could pay up to 75 percent of the total bill to ensure these communities are not left behind.
• To get internet built faster, the rules for environmental and historical reviews would change. The government could set aside money for a project before all the paperwork is finished, as long as the reviews happen later.
• Companies that receive this money must prove they are doing the work. They would have to provide exact GPS locations for every new or upgraded internet connection within 30 days of finishing the job to ensure taxpayer money is used correctly.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.