Technology (Broadband Access)

This bill directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to review its satellite communication rules to identify potential changes that could better support precision agriculture. The FCC must consult a task force established under the 2018 farm bill and, if changes are possible, develop recommendations for implementation. The FCC must submit a report to Congress within 15 months detailing the findings and any proposed rule changes. This review specifically targets rules for fixed, mobile, and earth exploration satellite services to improve connectivity for farmers using precision agriculture technologies.

The Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2025 requires the federal government to reallocate at least 2,500 megahertz of spectrum (between 1.3 and 13.2 gigahertz) from federal use to commercial and unlicensed purposes. It mandates that 1,250 megahertz be identified for commercial use within two years of enactment and auctioned within three years, with the remaining spectrum identified by five years and auctioned by six years. The bill also requires the FCC to make 125 megahertz available for unlicensed use (like Wi-Fi) within two years and any remaining spectrum for licensed or unlicensed use within eight years. This process will require federal agencies to relocate from the reallocated spectrum and enable commercial companies to bid for spectrum to provide mobile broadband services.

The NTIA Reauthorization Act of 2025 reauthorizes the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) through fiscal years 2025-2026 with $57 million annually. It changes the title of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to Under Secretary and establishes two new offices within NTIA: the Office of Spectrum Management and the Office of International Affairs. The bill makes technical amendments to numerous federal laws to update references from "Assistant Secretary" to "Under Secretary" and consolidates certain reporting requirements to streamline NTIA operations. This legislation directly affects the organizational structure and operational procedures of the NTIA, which coordinates telecommunications policy across the federal government and represents U.S. interests internationally on spectrum management and telecommunications policy.

# Summary of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026 This comprehensive appropriations act provides funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies for fiscal year 2026. Key elements include: ## Major Funding Areas - **Rural Development**: Significant funding for rural housing, water and waste disposal systems, broadband access, and business development programs - **Food and Nutrition**: Funding for school meal programs, food assistance, and child nutrition initiatives - **Agricultural Programs**: Support for crop insurance, conservation, research, and marketing - **Food Safety**: Resources for FDA inspections and enforcement ## Key Provisions 1. **New Programs**: - $2 million for a Bison Production and Marketing Grant Program - $4 million for a new Energy Circuit Rider pilot program - $6 million to continue the Institute for Rural Partnerships - $700,000 for tribal meat inspection fee coverage 2. **Restrictions**: - Prohibits using funds to close or consolidate USDA laboratory locations without congressional approval - Bans funds for horse inspections under certain acts - Limits use of funds for certain travel and administrative activities - Requires specific notification for large grant terminations ($1 million+) 3. **Program Changes**: - Updates to hemp definitions and regulations (Section 781) - Modifications to the Rural Business Program (Section 760) - Changes to the definition of "hemp" and "cannabis" for regulatory purposes - Updates to the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard 4. **Allocation Requirements**: - Requires at least 10% of certain funds to be allocated for persistent poverty counties - Mandates specific reporting for FDA user fee programs - Requires notification for certain program changes 5. **Specific Restrictions**: - Prohibits using funds to procure poultry or seafood from China for school meal programs - Limits funds for certain FDA activities related to e-cigarettes - Prohibits funds for certain types of enforcement actions until specific data is available This act also includes numerous technical amendments to existing laws and establishes new reporting requirements for various programs across the Department of Agriculture.

The Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act of 2025 would authorize federal grants to expand mental health and substance use services for rural underserved populations and workers in farming, fishing, or forestry occupations. Grant recipients must deliver care via telehealth directly in patients' homes or comfortable settings, measure its effectiveness compared to in-person care, and improve infrastructure like broadband access and patient devices. The program requires annual reports on outcomes after three years and every two years, with up to $10 million allocated yearly from 2025 through 2029. This initiative aims to address geographic and occupational barriers to mental health care access.

The Enhancing First Response Act requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to issue detailed reports after major disasters that activate the Disaster Information Reporting System for at least 7 days. These reports must track outages in broadband, mobile, and emergency communication services (including 911 systems), estimate affected users, and include public hearings with local officials, providers, and first responders within 8 months. The FCC must publish a final report within 12 months, containing outage data and recommendations to improve network resilience. This bill directly affects communication providers, public safety agencies, and disaster response systems by standardizing outage reporting and accountability.

This bill reduces local matching requirements by 50% for counties where over half the land is federally owned and the population is under 100,000 (called "High-Density Public Land Counties"). It applies to USDA rural development grants like those for business growth, community facilities, broadband, and telemedicine. The bill also gives priority to these counties for grant approval and provides extra technical assistance to help them apply. Tribal governments within these counties also receive targeted support for barriers like complex applications or financial requirements.

The Rural Broadband Modernization Act would create a federal program to fund broadband infrastructure in rural areas through grants, loans, and loan guarantees. It establishes a minimum service standard of 100 Mbps symmetrical broadband for all rural households, prioritizing projects for communities without any existing broadband service (or with inadequate service) and requiring at least 90% of households in a service area to be unserved. The program would allocate $500 million annually from 2026-2030, with funds distributed based on the number of small communities (under 2,500 residents) in each state. Eligible applicants include local governments, tribal entities, and private companies that can demonstrate they'll meet the service requirements within 5 years.

The Wildfire Communications Resiliency Act exempts specific communication infrastructure projects in wildfire-affected areas from standard environmental and historic preservation reviews. It applies to projects replacing or improving damaged facilities within five years of a federal, state, or tribal declaration of a wildfire emergency or disaster. The bill removes the need for these projects to undergo reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). This directly benefits local governments, tribal authorities, and communication providers working to restore connectivity after wildfires.

HR 1681 creates an interagency strike force to speed up reviews of broadband infrastructure permits on federal lands. The strike force, made up of officials from Commerce, Agriculture, and Interior departments, will set goals and monitor agencies like the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service to prioritize these reviews. It directly affects telecom companies seeking permits to install equipment and federal land agencies managing public lands and National Forest System areas. The bill aims to reduce delays in broadband deployment by making the approval process more efficient, without changing land use rules.