    [House Report 119-486]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

    119th Congress    }                                    { Rept. 119-486
                            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
     2d Session       }                                    {    Part 1

    ======================================================================

      FACILITATING THE DEPLOYMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE WITH GREATER INTERNET
                    TRANSACTIONS AND LEGACY APPLICATIONS ACT

                                    _______

                    February 4, 2026.--Ordered to be printed

                                    _______

     Mr. Guthrie, from the Committee on Energy and Commerce, submitted the
                                   following

                                  R E P O R T

                            [To accompany H.R. 1588]

        The Committee on Energy and Commerce, to whom was referred
    the bill (H.R. 1588) to require the Assistant Secretary of
    Commerce for Communications and Information to report to
    Congress on any barriers to establishing online portals to
    accept, process, and dispose of certain Form 299s, and for
    other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably
    thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.

                                    CONTENTS

                                                                       Page
    Purpose and Summary..............................................     2
    Background and Need for Legislation..............................     2
    Committee Action.................................................     3
    Committee Votes..................................................     3
    Oversight Findings and Recommendations...........................     5
    New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures     5
    Congressional Budget Office Estimate.............................     5
    Federal Mandates Statement.......................................     5
    Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............     5
    Duplication of Federal Programs..................................     5
    Related Committee and Subcommittee Hearings......................     5
    Committee Cost Estimate..........................................     6
    Earmark, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff Benefits.......     6
    Advisory Committee Statement.....................................     6
    Applicability to Legislative Branch..............................     6
    Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation...................     6
    Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............     7

                              PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

        H.R. 1588, the ``Facilitating the Deployment of
    Infrastructure with Greater Internet Transactions And Legacy
    (DIGITAL) Applications Act,'' was introduced by Representatives
    Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI) on
    February 26, 2025. It would require the Assistant Secretary of
    Commerce for Communications and Information to report to
    Congress on any barriers faced by certain agencies to establish
    online portals to accept, process, and dispose of applications
    to deploy communications facilities on federal property.

                      BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

        The United States faces a persistent digital divide.
    According to the Federal Communications Commission,
    approximately 5.8 million homes and businesses lack access to
    fixed broadband at 25 Mbps download/3 Mbps upload, while 31
    percent of the geographic area of the United States lacks 4G
    LTE mobile broadband coverage at speeds of 5 Mbps/1 Mbps.\1\
    Many of these unserved locations are near property owned by the
    federal government. This federal property is managed by
    agencies such as the Department of Interior and Department of
    Agriculture, and their subagencies. Thus, these agencies are
    responsible for reviewing applications for broadband deployment
    on this federal property.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\Fed. Commc'n. Comm'n., FCC National Broadband Map, https://
    broadbandmap.fcc.gov/home (last updated Sept. 3, 2025).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Unfortunately, these federal agencies have historically
    taken a significant amount of time to review applications to
    deploy broadband on federal property, and the process is often
    opaque to the parties involved.\2\ As one stakeholder stated,
    ``[t]he existing federal permitting process takes too long . .
    . and is an impediment to the ability of broadband providers to
    meet the needs of their consumers and communities.''\3\ Today,
    ``there is no transparency'' where applications are in the
    review process.\4\ Agencies ``just move real slow''\5\ and can
    go silent ``for long stretches of time regarding the status of
    applications or what else might be needed to deem an
    application `complete,''' followed by ``serial requests for
    additional information that could have been caught earlier or
    avoided altogether with better guidance and communication
    upfront.''\6\ The uncertainty surrounding permit reviews makes
    it difficult to plan builds, ultimately delaying deployment.\7\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\Breaking Barriers: Streamlining Permitting to Expedite Broadband
    Deployment, Hearing before the Sub. on Commc'n. and Tech., H. Comm. on
    Energy and Commerce, 118th Cong. (2023) (``Permitting Hearing'')
    (Testimony of Michael Saperstein).
        \3\Id. (Written Testimony of Louis Finkel at 1).
        \4\Id. (Testimony of Michael Saperstein).
        \5\Id. (Testimony of Louis Finkel).
        \6\Id. (Written Testimony of Michael Romano at 7).
        \7\Id. (Testimony of Michael Romano).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Online portals would help communications providers by
    offering transparency into the federal permitting process.
    Portals would allow applicants to track their applications
    through the review process so they know where the application
    is in the process, whether more information is needed, and how
    close the agency is to making a final decision. Stakeholders
    testified that portals would provide ``clarity, accountability,
    and transparency with respect to permitting on federal
    lands.''\8\ They would ``allow applicants to know where they
    are in the process.''\9\ They would be a ``simple fix'' that
    would ``allow more predictability in the overall build
    cycle.\10\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \8\Id. (Testimony of Michael Saperstein).
        \9\Id. (Testimony of Louis Finkel).
        \10\Id. (Testimony of Michael Saperstein).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                COMMITTEE ACTION

        On March 5, 2025, the Subcommittee on Communications and
    Technology held a hearing entitled, ``Fixing Biden's Broadband
    Blunder.'' The Subcommittee received testimony from:
               Grant Spellmeyer, President and CEO, ACA
            Connects
               Tim Donovan, President and CEO, Competitive
            Carriers Association
               Greg Hale, CEO, LTC Connect
               Sarah Morris, Former Acting Deputy
            Administrator, National Telecommunications and
            Information Administration
        On September 18, 2025, the Subcommittee on Communications
    and Technology held a hearing on H.R. 1588. The Subcommittee
    received testimony from:
               Jonathan Spalter, President and CEO,
            USTelecom--The Broadband Association
               Patrick Halley, President and CEO, Wireless
            Infrastructure Association
               Staci Pies, Senior Vice President of
            Government Affairs and Policy, INCOMPAS
               Drew Garner, Director of Policy Engagement,
            Benton Institute for Broadband & Society
        On November 18, 2025, the Subcommittee on Communications
    and Technology met in open markup session and forwarded H.R.
    1588, without amendment, to the full Committee by a voice vote.
    On December 3, 2025, the full Committee on Energy and Commerce
    met in open markup session and ordered H.R. 1588, without
    amendment, favorably reported to the House by a record vote of
    50 yeas and 0 nays.

                                COMMITTEE VOTES

        Clause 3(b) of rule XIII requires the Committee to list the
    record votes on the motion to report legislation and amendments
    thereto. The following reflects the record votes taken during
    the Committee consideration:
    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                     OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

        Pursuant to clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
    rule XIII, the Committee held a hearing and made findings that
    are reflected in this report.

       NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY, AND TAX EXPENDITURES

        Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII, the Committee
    finds that H.R. 1588 would result in no new or increased budget
    authority, entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or
    revenues.

                      CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE

        Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII, at the time this
    report was filed, the cost estimate prepared by the Director of
    the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the
    Congressional Budget Act of 1974 was not available.

                           FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

        The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal
    mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
    Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform
    Act.

             STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

        Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general
    performance goal or objective of this legislation is to
    expedite broadband deployment by streamlining the permitting
    process at the federal, state, and local level.

                        DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

        Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII, no provision of
    H.R. 1588 is known to be duplicative of another Federal
    program, including any program that was included in a report to
    Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139 or the
    most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.

                  RELATED COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEE HEARINGS

        Pursuant to clause 3(c)(6) of rule XIII, the following
    related hearing was used to develop or consider H.R. 1588:
               On March 5, 2025, the Subcommittee on
            Communications and Technology held a hearing entitled,
            ``Fixing Biden's Broadband Blunder.'' The Subcommittee
            received testimony from:
                       Grant Spellmeyer, President and
                    CEO, ACA Connects
                       Tim Donovan, President and CEO,
                    Competitive Carriers Association
                       Greg Hale, CEO, LTC Connect
                       Sarah Morris, Former Acting
                    Deputy Administrator, National
                    Telecommunications and Information
                    Administration
               On September 18, 2025, the Subcommittee on
            Communications and Technology held a hearing on H.R.
            1665. The title of the hearing was ``Examining
            Solutions to Expedite Broadband Permitting.'' The
            Subcommittee received testimony from:
                       Jonathan Spalter, President and
                    CEO, USTelecom--The Broadband Association
                       Patrick Halley, President and
                    CEO, Wireless Infrastructure Association;
                       Patrick Halley, President and
                    CEO, Wireless Infrastructure Association; and,
                       Drew Garner, Director of Policy
                    Engagement, Benton Institute for Broadband &
                    Society

                            COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE

        Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII, the Committee
    adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared by the Director of
    the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the
    Congressional Budget Act of 1974. At the time this report was
    filed, the estimate was not available.

           EARMARK, LIMITED TAX BENEFITS, AND LIMITED TARIFF BENEFITS

        Pursuant to clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI, the
    Committee finds that H.R. 1588 contains no earmarks, limited
    tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits.

                          ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

        No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
    of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this
    legislation.

                      APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

        The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
    the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
    services or accommodations within the meaning of section
    102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.

                 SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION

    Section 1. Short title

        This section designates that the short title may be cited
    as the ``Facilitating the Deployment of Infrastructure with
    Greater Internet Transactions And Legacy Applications Act'' or
    the ``Facilitating DIGITAL Applications Act''.

    Section 2. Report on barriers to establishing online portals to accept,
            process, and dispose of certain form 299s

        Subsection (a) would direct the Assistant Secretary of
    Commerce for Communications and Information (Assistant
    Secetary) to submit to Congress a report describing whether the
    Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture,
    acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, have created an
    online portal for their agency to accept, process, and dispose
    of Special Form 299s, the federal government's application form
    to deploy communications facilities on federal property. The
    report would also be required to describe any barrier to the
    establishment of these portals.
        The Assistant Secretary is directed to submit this report
    within 90 days of enactment of H.R. 1588, and every 60 days
    thereafter until each Secretary establishes its portal. The
    Secretaries would be required to notify the Assistant Secretary
    that they established the online portal within three days of
    establishment.
        Subsection (b) would define key terms used in H.R. 1588.

             CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

        This legislation does not amend any existing Federal
    statute.

                                      [all]