[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 123 (Monday, July 23, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H6595-H6597]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PRECISION AGRICULTURE CONNECTIVITY ACT OF 2018
Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 4881) to require the Federal Communications Commission to
establish a task force for meeting the connectivity and technology
needs of precision agriculture in the United States, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4881
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 ``Precision Agriculture
Connectivity Act of 2018''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Precision agriculture technologies and practices allow
farmers to significantly increase crop yields, eliminate
overlap in operations, and reduce inputs such as seed,
fertilizer, pesticides, water, and fuel.
(2) These technologies allow farmers to collect data in
real time about their fields, automate field management, and
maximize resources.
(3) Studies estimate that precision agriculture
technologies can reduce agricultural operation costs by up to
25 dollars per acre and increase farm yields by up to 70
percent by 2050.
(4) The critical cost savings and productivity benefits of
precision agriculture cannot be realized without the
availability of reliable broadband Internet access service
delivered to the agricultural land of the United States.
(5) The deployment of broadband Internet access service to
unserved agricultural land is critical to the United States
economy and to the continued leadership of the United States
in global food production.
(6) Despite the growing demand for broadband Internet
access service on agricultural land, broadband Internet
access service is not consistently available where needed for
agricultural operations.
(7) The Federal Communications Commission has an important
role to play in the deployment of broadband Internet access
service on unserved agricultural land to promote precision
agriculture.
SEC. 3. TASK FORCE.
(a) Definitions.--In this section--
(1) the term ``broadband Internet access service''--
(A) means a mass-market retail service by wire or radio
that provides the capability to transmit data to and receive
data from all or substantially all Internet endpoints,
including any capabilities that are incidental to and enable
the operation of the communications service, but excluding
dial-up Internet access service; and
(B) also encompasses any service that the Commission finds
to be providing a functional equivalent of the service
described in subparagraph (A);
(2) the term ``Commission'' means the Federal
Communications Commission;
(3) the term ``Department'' means the Department of
Agriculture;
(4) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of
Agriculture; and
(5) the term ``Task Force'' means the Task Force for
Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision
Agriculture in the United States established under subsection
(b).
(b) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall establish the
Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology
Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States.
(c) Duties.--
(1) In general.--The Task Force shall consult with the
Secretary, or a designee of the Secretary, and collaborate
with public and private stakeholders in the agriculture and
technology fields to--
(A) identify and measure current gaps in the availability
of broadband Internet access service on agricultural land;
(B) develop policy recommendations to promote the rapid,
expanded deployment of broadband Internet access service on
unserved agricultural land, with a goal of achieving reliable
capabilities on 95 percent of agricultural land in the United
States by 2025;
(C) promote effective policy and regulatory solutions that
encourage the adoption of broadband Internet access service
on farms and ranches and promote precision agriculture;
(D) recommend specific new rules or amendments to existing
rules of the Commission that the Commission should issue to
achieve the goals and purposes of the policy recommendations
described in subparagraph (B);
(E) recommend specific steps that the Commission should
take to obtain reliable and standardized data measurements of
the availability of broadband Internet access service as may
be necessary to target funding support, from future programs
of the Commission dedicated to the deployment of broadband
Internet access service, to unserved agricultural land in
need of broadband Internet access service; and
(F) recommend specific steps that the Commission should
consider to ensure that the expertise of the Secretary and
available farm data are reflected in future programs of the
Commission dedicated to the infrastructure deployment of
broadband Internet access service and to direct available
funding to unserved agricultural land where needed.
(2) No duplicate data reporting.--In performing the duties
of the Commission under paragraph (1), the Commission shall
ensure that no provider of broadband Internet access service
is required to report data to the Commission that is, on the
day before the date of enactment of this Act, required to be
reported by the provider of broadband Internet access
service.
(3) Hold harmless.--The Task Force and the Commission shall
not interpret the phrase ``future programs of the
Commission'', as used in subparagraphs (E) and (F) of
paragraph (1), to include the universal service programs of
the Commission established under section 254 of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254).
(4) Consultation.--The Secretary, or a designee of the
Secretary, shall explain and make available to the Task Force
the expertise, data mapping information, and resources of the
Department that the Department uses to identify cropland,
ranchland, and other areas with agricultural operations that
may be helpful in developing the recommendations required
under paragraph (1).
(5) List of available federal programs and resources.--Not
later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Secretary and the Commission shall jointly submit to the
Task Force a list of all Federal programs or resources
available for the expansion of broadband Internet access
service on unserved agricultural land to assist the Task
Force in carrying out the duties of the Task Force.
(d) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The Task Force shall be--
(A) composed of not more than 15 voting members who shall--
(i) be selected by the Chairman of the Commission, in
consultation with the Secretary; and
(ii) include--
(I) agricultural producers representing diverse geographic
regions and farm sizes, including owners and operators of
farms of less than 100 acres;
(II) an agricultural producer representing tribal
agriculture;
(III) Internet service providers, including regional or
rural fixed and mobile broadband Internet access service
providers and telecommunications infrastructure providers;
(IV) representatives from the electric cooperative
industry;
(V) representatives from the satellite industry;
(VI) representatives from precision agriculture equipment
manufacturers, including drone manufacturers, manufacturers
of autonomous agricultural machinery, and manufacturers of
farming robotics technologies;
(VII) representatives from State and local governments; and
(VIII) representatives with relevant expertise in broadband
network data collection, geospatial analysis, and coverage
mapping; and
(B) fairly balanced in terms of technologies, points of
view, and fields represented on the Task Force.
(2) Period of appointment; vacancies.--
(A) In general.--A member of the Task Force appointed under
paragraph (1)(A) shall serve for a single term of 2 years.
(B) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Task Force--
(i) shall not affect the powers of the Task Force; and
(ii) shall be filled in the same manner as the original
appointment.
(3) Ex-officio member.--The Secretary, or a designee of the
Secretary, shall serve as an ex-officio, nonvoting member of
the Task Force.
(e) Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which
the Commission establishes the Task Force, and annually
thereafter, the Task Force shall submit to the Chairman of
the Commission a report, which shall be made public not later
than 30 days
[[Page H6596]]
after the date on which the Chairman receives the report,
that details--
(1) the status of fixed and mobile broadband Internet
access service coverage of agricultural land;
(2) the projected future connectivity needs of agricultural
operations, farmers, and ranchers; and
(3) the steps being taken to accurately measure the
availability of broadband Internet access service on
agricultural land and the limitations of current, as of the
date of the report, measurement processes.
(f) Termination.--The Commission shall renew the Task Force
every 2 years until the Task Force terminates on January 1,
2025.
SEC. 4. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.
No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this Act. This Act shall be carried out using
amounts otherwise authorized.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Lance) and the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have
5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert
extraneous material in the Record on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud, today, to rise in support of H.R. 4881,
authored by my colleagues, Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection
Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta and Congressman Dave Loebsack.
New and exciting technologies are improving efficiency in nearly
every sector of our economy. Rural America should not be left behind.
The bill before us today focuses on the broadband needs of rural
economies, our farmers and ranchers, to help take advantage of
precision agriculture with improved internet access, GPS, and emerging
technologies.
Cutting-edge innovation like the Internet of Things, drones, and
self-driving machines can assist in monitoring crops, reading soil, and
more. Precision agriculture connects rural communities to the 21st
century economy.
This bill is a prime example of how the Energy and Commerce Committee
is leading the way to close the digital divide. I thank Mr. Latta and
Mr. Loebsack for their good work on this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 4881, the Precision Agriculture
Connectivity Act of 2018.
Access to broadband internet service is essential for participating
in modern American life for both individuals and businesses. Farmers
are no different. For them, a reliable, high-speed internet connection
has become a necessity for managing their businesses efficiently.
Farmers use it to collect realtime data on crops, buy equipment, verify
weather forecasts, and check grain and feed prices.
Studies estimate that the use of broadband in precision agriculture
can increase crop yields by 70 percent by the year 2050 and
significantly reduce operation costs. Yet many people living in this
country still do not have reliable high-speed internet service.
The Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act of 2018 would help
facilitate the deployment of broadband to agricultural land by
establishing a task force, led by the Federal Communication Commission
in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture. The task force will
identify and measure gaps in the availability of broadband on
agricultural lands.
It will also develop policy recommendations to promote the rapid
expanded deployment of broadband on unserved agricultural lands and
promote effective policy and regulatory solutions to encourage the
adoption of broadband on farms and ranches.
Moreover, the task force will recommend specific steps that the FCC
should take to obtain reliable and standardized data on the
availability of broadband and make sure that such data is reflected in
future FCC broadband infrastructure programs.
H.R. 4881 is a bipartisan, commonsense bill, and I want to thank the
authors, Mr. Loebsack and Mr. Latta, for the very hard work they have
put into this measure. I urge my colleagues to support it today.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Latta), the sponsor of the legislation and the distinguished
chairman of the Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee.
Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4881, the Precision
Agriculture Connectivity Act, as amended, to help improve high-speed
broadband access for our Nation's farmers.
I represent the largest farm income-producing district in the State
of Ohio; therefore, I am fortunate to visit farms across the region and
learn about new technologies, like the Internet of Things equipment,
that are helping to improve farm productivity and sustainability.
But the unfortunate reality is that lack of high-speed broadband in
rural areas, specifically in farm communities, hinders the use of
advanced technologies in agriculture operations. That is why I
introduced H.R. 4881, along with my friend, the gentleman from Iowa
(Mr. Loebsack).
Our bill would require the Federal Communications Commission to
establish a task force, in collaboration with the Department of
Agriculture, to review the connectivity and technology needs of
precision agriculture in the United States.
I believe by combining minds from these two expert agencies, along
with relevant private stakeholders, the task force will be able to
offer tangible solutions that will promote rapid, expanded deployment
of broadband in unserved areas, creating a pathway for precision
agriculture in our rural farmlands.
{time} 1430
The true benefits of precision agriculture cannot be realized without
the availability of reliable broadband internet access service. For
example, with broadband, farmers can use connected tractors and other
advanced technologies to collect field data in realtime to help with
crop management. This type of technology helps farmers maximize
resources, which can reduce costs and increase crop yields by up to 70
percent by 2050, helping to maintain America's long-term leadership in
global food production.
Two farming seasons ago, I drove a tractor with GPS capabilities. My
mom was raised on a farm in northwest Ohio, and, early on, my
grandfather still used a team of horses. My grandfather would be amazed
at how straight the furrows I made that day were, thanks to the
connected tractor. I never touched the steering wheel. Because of
broadband, the connected tractor was able to go down an entire row,
without human control, and place fertilizer in furrows within one inch
of where those seeds would be planted in the spring. It is technology
like this that helps farmers maximize resources and promote
environmentally sustainable practices.
My bill will encourage this type of technology by bringing much-
needed broadband to rural, agricultural areas.
Not only do I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4881, but I would
also like to quote the support of FCC Commissioner Carr. He said:
In my time on the Commission, I have seen firsthand the
difference that broadband connectivity makes for America's
farmers and ranchers.
He goes on to say:
. . . running agriculture operations today requires expertise
in agronomy, technology, and data analytics. Bringing all of
those skills together to improve crop yields and efficiency
increasingly requires a high-speed broadband connection. So I
am pleased to see this bill move forward and hope that it
becomes law.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his handling of the bill
today, and I urge support of the bill.
Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support passage of this bill,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I hope that everyone supports this bill, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr.
[[Page H6597]]
Lance) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4881,
as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________