Rural Broadband Window of Opportunity Act
This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prioritize the processing of applications for certain rural broadband expansion projects that are located in areas with the shortest construction seasons (e.g., areas with long winters and heavy snowfall).
Specifically, the FCC must prioritize processing such applications for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) Phase II auction, which aims to facilitate the provision of broadband service to areas that are partially served. (The RDOF program's first phase, which is focused on broadband service for wholly unserved areas, is underway.)
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 46 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 46
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to prioritize the
timely processing of certain long-form applications in the Rural
Digital Opportunity Fund Phase II auction.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 3, 2025
Mr. Bergman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to prioritize the
timely processing of certain long-form applications in the Rural
Digital Opportunity Fund Phase II auction.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Broadband Window of
Opportunity Act''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to level the playing field for service
providers participating in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund that are
disadvantaged by short construction seasons.
SEC. 3. APPLICATION PROCESSING PRIORITIZATION.
With respect to the long-form applicants of the Rural Digital
Opportunity Fund Phase II auction provided for in the Report and Order
in the matter of Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and Connect America
Fund adopted by the Federal Communications Commission (in this section
referred to as the ``Commission'') on January 30, 2020 (FCC 20-5), the
Commission shall prioritize the timely processing of long-form
applications and any subsequent paperwork (in this section referred to
as the ``applications'') submitted by the long-form applicants as
follows: The Commission shall prioritize the timely processing of
applications which are proposing to provide service in geographic areas
which the Commission determines to have the shortest construction
seasons (such as in areas characterized by long winters with heavy
snowfall).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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