Senate Bill Requiring NTIA to Overhaul Federal Broadband Efforts Is Back

Bill mandates a national broadband strategy but explicitly bars new regulatory authority over internet service providers.

Senate Bill Requiring NTIA to Overhaul Federal Broadband Efforts Is Back
Screenshot of Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., during Senate Commerce Committee hearing Jan. 29.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2025 – Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., has reintroduced a bill directing the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to develop a national broadband strategy.

The Proper Leadership to Align Networks (PLAN) for Broadband Act seeks to reduce overlap between the more than 100 federal broadband programs currently administered by 15 different agencies, including the Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of the Treasury.

The legislation requires NTIA to identify inefficiencies, streamline funding processes, and ensure resources reach unserved and underserved communities more effectively.

“Under the previous administration, broadband programs were utterly mismanaged, keeping resources out of the communities that need reliable internet connection the most,” Wicker said in a statement. “The PLAN for Broadband Act would prevent wasteful spending and help streamline communication and coordination between the agencies tasked with rolling out broadband initiatives.”

Specifically, the bill mandates NTIA to:

  • Develop a national broadband coordination strategy that aligns federal broadband efforts with state and local initiatives;
  • Evaluate existing federal broadband programs to identify areas of overlap, duplication, or inefficiency;
  • Standardize broadband definitions and eligibility criteria to reduce inconsistencies across federal agencies;
  • Enhance data-sharing among federal agencies to improve broadband mapping accuracy and funding decisions;
  • Propose legislative and administrative solutions to improve program effectiveness; and 
  • Report back to Congress within 18 months with an implementation plan that outlines roles, responsibilities, and measurable outcomes for federal broadband expansion.

The bill also includes a provision that specifies the scope of its impact on broadband regulation. Section 10, Rule of Construction, states:

“Nothing in this Act, or any amendment made by this Act, may be construed to confer authority on the Federal Government, or any State, local, or Tribal government, to regulate broadband internet access service.” 

This language ensures that federal coordination efforts remain focused on efficiency rather than regulation. By preventing additional government oversight, ISPs avoid potential obligations related to service pricing, competition rules, or consumer protection measures.

The bill builds on recommendations from a 2022 Government Accountability Office report, which found that federal broadband initiatives were fragmented and often failed to align with one another. If enacted, the PLAN for Broadband Act would also require GAO to evaluate NTIA’s broadband coordination strategy within a year of its release.

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