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Broadband Buildout Accountability Act
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.
Summary
This bill makes the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Currently, the BEAD Program is exempt from FOIA, meaning the public cannot request government documents related to its operations. The bill removes this exemption, requiring the Commerce Department's Assistant Secretary to release records about BEAD Program decisions and actions when requested under FOIA. This increases transparency and public access to information about how federal broadband funding is allocated and distributed.
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. Scott, Rick [R-FL] (R-FL)
7 cosponsors
- Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY] (R-WY)
- Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN] (R-TN)
- Sen. Curtis, John R. [R-UT] (R-UT)
- Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS] (R-KS)
- Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK] (R-AK)
- Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS] (R-MS)
- Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN] (R-IN)
Actions (2)
- Feb 25, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. · senate
- Feb 25, 2025 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
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Full text
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’)”. <all>
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