Thune, Luján, Barrasso Legislation to Expedite Broadband Permits to Unserved Communities Heads to Full Senate

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) today applauded the Commerce Committee for unanimously passing their Accelerating Broadband Permits Act of 2026 (S. 4448), bipartisan legislation that would improve federal agencies’ review and processing of broadband permits and allow service to be more quickly deployed to unserved communities. The legislation, which now heads to the full Senate, would cut unnecessary red tape and increase transparency into the federal permitting process. It would also require all federal agencies to implement controls to ensure broadband applications are being processed within the required 270-day deadline. “In order to ensure rural communities in South Dakota have access to reliable broadband, it’s critical that federal agencies are processing permits in a timely fashion and are being held accountable for any delays,” said Thune . “I’m pleased that the committee has passed our legislation to help accelerate the deployment of broadband across our nation, and I look forward to its consideration by the full Senate.” “More must be done to address the barriers that have long kept rural communities from accessing reliable broadband,” said Luján . “For years, I have pushed the federal government to streamline and expedite permitting processes to improve rural broadband connectivity. I’m encouraged that our bipartisan legislation has advanced with the support of my colleagues. This is an important step toward expanding broadband infrastructure in New Mexico and across the country while ensuring programs like BEAD are implemented efficiently. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bill across the finish line and deliver high-speed, affordable broadband to every American.” “In Wyoming, nearly half the land is owned by the federal government,” said Barrasso . “Washington red tape makes it harder to expand broadband infrastructure on these lands. This results in higher costs and less internet access in rural areas. Our legislation will improve the permitting process and provide rural communities with more reliable internet service. Today’s committee passage is an important step toward getting this bill across the finish line in the Senate.” Thune’s MOBILE NOW Act , which was signed into law in 2018, directed executive agencies to approve or deny applications for broadband infrastructure within 270 days. In April 2024, the Government Accountability Office reported significant issues with federal agencies processing broadband applications within the 270-day deadline.