Bill Details
HR.1579 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-02-25 - Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced Date
2025-02-25
Policy Area
Science, Technology, Communications
Committees
View committees (1)
Sponsors
Cosponsors
6
0
0
AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would make the federal Freedom of Information Act apply to the work of the Commerce Department official in charge of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. In plain terms, it would let the public request records and information about actions and decisions made while this broadband program is being run. The goal is to add more transparency and public oversight to how broadband funding and decisions are handled.
- It changes the current law so that Freedom of Information Act rules cover this part of the broadband program.
- The change applies specifically to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information when carrying out the program.
- The bill is meant to make the program more accountable by allowing greater access to government records tied to its decisions.
Official Summaries
Broadband Buildout Accountability Act
This bill makes actions or decisions of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration concerning the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program subject to the Freedom of Information Act, which governs the release of federal documents.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1579 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1579
To apply the Freedom of Information Act to actions and decisions of the
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information in
carrying out the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 25, 2025
Mr. Pfluger (for himself, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Mr. Dunn of Florida,
Mr. Balderson, Mr. Weber of Texas, and Mr. Fulcher) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To apply the Freedom of Information Act to actions and decisions of the
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information in
carrying out the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program.
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 ``Broadband Buildout Accountability
Act''.
SEC. 2. APPLICABILITY OF FOIA TO THE BROADBAND EQUITY, ACCESS, AND
DEPLOYMENT PROGRAM.
Section 60102(o)(2) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
(47 U.S.C. 1702(o)(2)) is amended by inserting after ``Act')'' the
following: ``, except for section 552 of that title (commonly referred
to as the `Freedom of Information Act')''.
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