PLAN for Broadband Act

Key Points

• The bill requires the Department of Commerce to create a national strategy coordinating all federal broadband programs across 15 agencies, with the goal of getting affordable high-speed internet to every person in the country.
• The strategy must identify gaps, reduce barriers, and eliminate duplicate spending where multiple agencies fund the same area for the same broadband project. Agencies would be required to use a single shared map to track where funding is going.
• Within about 16 months of becoming law, an implementation plan must be developed with public input, setting consistent rules across all agencies for awarding broadband funding, tracking spending, and measuring results.
• The bill specifically calls for addressing broadband gaps on Tribal lands and making it easier for state, local, and Tribal governments to distribute and manage federal broadband funds without duplication.
• To speed up construction, the bill requires agencies to track permit processing times, take action on delays, and alert staff when applications risk missing the 270-day deadline. Broadband projects over $5 million are added to a federal permitting dashboard.
• A year after the implementation plan is submitted, the Government Accountability Office will study whether the strategy is actually working, check for duplicative awards, and recommend improvements.