HR 2298 Re-checks Congress.gov for new actions and updates the bill's status, and fills in any sponsors, committees, or related bills that are missing. It does not re-pull sponsors/cosponsors/committees/related — those rarely change — and it skips all work if nothing has changed upstream, so it's cheap to click.
Reducing Barriers for Broadband on Federal Lands Act of 2025
To ensure that certain broadband projects are not subject to requirements to prepare certain environmental or historical preservation reviews, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill exempts broadband projects on federal lands from two major federal review processes. Broadband infrastructure installations in rights-of-way would no longer be considered "major Federal actions" under the National Environmental Policy Act, exempting them from environmental review requirements. These projects would also no longer be considered "undertakings" under the National Historic Preservation Act, exempting them from historic preservation review. The exemptions apply to broadband providers installing wireline or wireless infrastructure such as fiber optic lines, copper lines, communication towers, and related buildings on federal land within established rights-of-way (excluding Interstate highways). The bill defines broadband projects narrowly as infrastructure enabling high-quality voice, data, graphics, and video telecommunications.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Rep. Fulcher, Russ [R-ID-1] (R-ID)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Russ Fulcher’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- TREE TOP RANCHES $12,000
- HARRIS FAMILY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP $8,267
- NULL $7,550
- THE PACIFIC COMPANIES $6,600
- ULINE $6,600
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Russ Fulcher → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Mar 24, 2025 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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. · house
- Mar 24, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 24, 2025
Mr. Fulcher introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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 ensure that certain broadband projects are not subject to requirements to prepare certain environmental or historical preservation reviews, 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 “Reducing Barriers for Broadband on Federal Lands Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. EXEMPTIONS FOR CERTAIN BROADBAND PROJECTS.
(a) NEPA Exemption.—The issuance of a Federal authorization with respect to a broadband project carried out in a right-of-way may not be considered a major Federal action under section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)).
(b) National Historic Preservation Act Exemption.—A broadband project carried out in a right-of-way may not be considered an undertaking under section 300320 of title 54, United States Code.
(c) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) Broadband project.—The term “broadband project” means an installation, by a broadband provider on Federal land, of wireline or wireless broadband infrastructure that enables a user to originate and receive high-quality voice, data, graphics, and video telecommunications, including copper lines, fiber optic lines, communications towers, buildings, or other improvements.
(2) Broadband provider.—The term “broadband provider” means a provider of wireline or wireless broadband infrastructure that enables a user to originate and receive high-quality voice, data, graphics, and video telecommunications.
(3) Federal authorization.—The term “Federal authorization”—
(A) means any authorization required under Federal law with respect to a project; and
(B) includes any permits, special use authorizations, certifications, opinions, or other approvals as may be required under Federal law with respect to a project.
(4) Right-of-way.—The term “right-of-way”—
(A) means—
(i) the area on, below, or above a roadway, highway, street, sidewalk, alley, or similar property (whether currently or previously used in such manner); and
(ii) any land immediately adjacent to and contiguous with property described in clause
(i) that is within the right-of-way grant; and
(B) does not include a portion of the Interstate System (as such term is defined in section 101(a) of title 23, United States Code). <all>
Comments