Congress·In Committee·H.R. 6503

Broadband for Americans through Responsible Streamlining (BARS) Act

Congress bill would speed broadband builds by exempting many projects from environmental and historic reviews

Dec 9, 2025·View on Congress.gov·Read full text

StalledNext up: A house committeeNo action in 7 months

The BARS Act is currently sitting in the House Energy and Commerce and Natural Resources committees. Nothing has happened with this bill since December 2025, and it is considered stalled. The bill must receive a vote in these committees before it can move forward.

Legislative Progress

House

No action since December 2025

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

This Congress bill would let many broadband and wireless projects skip federal environmental and historic-preservation reviews.
It covers things like adding or changing cell equipment on existing towers, putting new small wireless sites in streets, and some wireline upgrades on existing infrastructure.
It would also speed approvals on federal property by exempting some easements and rights-of-way when a similar easement already exists or the project is in a public right-of-way.
For some projects, if a Tribe receives a complete request form and does not respond within 45 days, the FCC and courts would presume the company tried in good faith and that the Tribe is not interested.
It keeps one key check in place: the FCC would still have to evaluate radiofrequency exposure under federal environmental law.

TelecommunicationsInfrastructureEnvironmentCivil Rights

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Negative Impacts(1)

Tribal Member

Hurts

Mixed Impacts(3)

Small Business Owner

Neutral

Gig Worker

Neutral

Farmer Rancher

Neutral

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Dec 9, 2025House

Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.

Dec 9, 2025

Introduced in House

The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.

No votes, news coverage, or related bills recorded for this bill yet.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Broadband for Americans through Responsible Streamlining (BARS) Act

Bill NumberHR 6503

Congress119th Congress

ChamberHouse of Representatives

Latest ActionReferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Data Sources

Congress.gov

Official legislative information

Read Full Bill Text

Sponsor

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.