House Committee Approves Appalachian Satellite Broadband Bill

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2026 – The Expanding Appalachia’s Broadband Access Act, which seeks to expand satellite broadband service in rural communities across Appalachia, will head to the full House after passing the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday.

Introduced by Rep. Dave Taylor, R-Ohio, the bill would require the Government Accountability Office to study the effectiveness of incorporating satellite broadband projects into infrastructure grant programs by the Appalachian Regional Commission.

By assessing the capacity and cost-effectiveness of satellite broadband, the bill aims to support businesses and economic development in rural Appalachia across 13 U.S. states.

The Appalachian Regional Commission, a federal-state partnership, has historically prioritized fiber-optic infrastructure with its broadband grants in rural Appalachian regions.

Taylor's release said mountainous topography makes expanding fiber difficult and expensive, which limits rural communities from connecting to the greater economy and using new technologies. 

With the Expanding Appalachia’s Broadband Access Act, the study would allow the ARC to have the most recent data to support the implementation of satellite broadband service, which could be a solution to providing reliable and high-speed service. 

“Rural communities like mine in southern Ohio have long been left behind the modern economy, simply because they lack access to sufficient internet services,” Taylor said in a release.

“This bill will create an opportunity to demonstrate that embracing innovative technologies like satellite broadband could lead to massive economic growth across Appalachia, finally connecting Buckeye families and businesses to opportunities they’ve been waiting on for far too long,” Taylor said.