HR 1731

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 27, 2025

Mr. Palmer (for himself and Mr. Ryan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To amend the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 to establish a uniform fee schedule applicable to the processing of forms for the consideration of applications for the placement of communications facilities on certain buildings and other property owned by the Federal Government, and for other purposes.

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 “Standard Fees to Expedite Evaluation and Streamlining Act” or the “Standard FEES Act”.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF UNIFORM FEE SCHEDULE APPLICABLE TO THE PROCESSING OF CERTAIN FORMS.

(a) In General.—Section 6409 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455) is amended—

(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and

(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:

“(d) Common Fee Schedule.—

“(1) In general.—The Administrator of General Services shall establish a uniform schedule of fees applicable to the processing of the forms described under subsections (b)(2) and

(c)(3).

“(2) Fee guidelines.—The schedule of fees established under paragraph (1) shall be—

“(A) based on the direct costs incurred by an agency in processing a form described under subsection

(b)(2) or (c)(3); and

“(B) competitively neutral with respect to any fee established for the processing of a form for a similar use of the building or other property owned by the Federal Government.

“(3) Exceptions.—The Administrator of General Services may establish exceptions to the schedule of fees established under paragraph (1)—

“(A) that are competitively neutral with respect to the categories of individuals or entities to be granted the exception;

“(B) in consideration of the public benefit of—

“(i) granting an easement, right-of-way, or lease described under subsection (b)(1); or

“(ii) entering into a contract for the placement of a communications facility installation under subsection (c)(1); and

“(C) in the interest of expanding the deployment of broadband internet access service, as defined in section 8.1(b) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).

“(4) Adoption by executive agencies.—

“(A) In general.—The head of each executive agency shall adopt by regulation—

“(i) fees that correspond to the schedule established by the Administrator under paragraph (2); and

“(ii) any exceptions to such schedule established by the Administrator under paragraph (3).

“(B) Exceptions.—The head of an executive agency may only grant an exception pursuant to subparagraph

(A)(ii) on a case-by-case basis.

“(5) Use of fees collected.—Any fee collected by an executive agency under this section shall only be available to the extent, and in such amounts, as are provided in advance in appropriation Acts, to the agency to cover the costs of processing the forms described under subsections (b)(2) and

(c)(3).

“(6) Relationship to other statutes.—Any fee chargeable under this subsection shall supercede any other fee applicable to the processing of a form described under subsection (b)(2) or (c)(3) that is chargeable under another statute.”.

(b) Deadlines.—

(1) For the administrator of general services.—Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of General Services shall establish the schedule of fees required by section 6409(d) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455(d)), as added by subsection (a).

(2) For executive agencies.—Not later than 120 days after the Administrator of General Services establishes the schedule of fees described under paragraph (1), the head of an executive agency required to adopt the fees and exceptions required by section 6409(d)(4) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455(d)(4)), as added by subsection (a), shall establish such fees and exceptions. <all>