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Expanding Appalachia’s Broadband Access Act
To require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the capability of the Appalachian Regional Commission to include satellites in broadband projects, and for other purposes.
Summary
The bill requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study on whether the Appalachian Regional Commission can use satellite technology to expand broadband access in Appalachia. The study must be completed and submitted to Congress within one year of the bill's enactment. The study must review the capacity of satellite broadband for business purposes, evaluate economic development outcomes in areas using satellite broadband, and analyze the cost-effectiveness of satellite-based broadband for economic development. The bill does not authorize new broadband projects or funding, but rather directs research to inform future broadband expansion efforts.
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)
- Sen. Husted, Jon [R-OH] (R-OH)
1 cosponsor
Actions (2)
- Apr 30, 2026 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. · senate
- Apr 30, 2026 Introduced in Senate
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.
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 30, 2026
Mr. Husted (for himself and Ms. Alsobrooks) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works
A BILL
To require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the capability of the Appalachian Regional Commission to include satellites in broadband projects, 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 “Expanding Appalachia’s Broadband Access Act”.
SEC. 2 GAO STUDY ON SATELLITE BROADBAND.
(a) In General.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct, and submit to Congress the results thereof, a study on the capability of the Appalachian Regional Commission to incorporate satellites in broadband projects.
(b) Requirements.—In conducting the study under subsection (a), the Comptroller General of the United States shall—
(1) review the capacity of satellite broadband services to be used for business purposes;
(2) evaluate economic development growth in areas that have used satellite broadband for businesses; and
(3) analyze the cost-effectiveness of implementing broadband via satellites for economic development. <all>
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