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This bill would make the government’s public records law, known as the Freedom of Information Act, apply to the actions and decisions made by the Commerce Department official who runs the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. In simple terms, it would give the public a better way to ask for records and see how decisions are being made in this broadband grant program. The goal is to make the program more open and accountable while federal broadband money is being distributed.
- It changes an existing law that governs the broadband deployment program so that FOIA would apply to the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information when carrying out that program.
- This would let people, news groups, and others request records about how decisions are made, instead of keeping that part of the process outside FOIA’s reach.
- The bill is focused on transparency. It does not create a new broadband program or change the overall purpose of the broadband funding.
- The measure is a short amendment to existing law and is meant to increase public oversight of how broadband buildout decisions are handled.
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]
[S. 713 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 713
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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 25, 2025
Mr. Scott of Florida (for himself, Mr. Barrasso, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr.
Curtis, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. Young) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
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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