House Communications Republicans, Eshoo File Broadband Deployment Bills

Commerce Committee's work on a broadband infrastructure title that will follow the expected release of an infrastructure legislative proposal from President Donald Trump's administration (see 1801110058 and 1801160048). The Making Available Plans to Promote Investment in Next Generation Networks without Overbuilding and Waste (Mapping Now) Act, filed by Reps. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, and Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., aims to direct NTIA to update and improve the National Broadband Map. The Promoting Exchanges for Enhanced Routing of Information so Networks are Great (Peering) Act, from Rep. Billy Long, R-Mo., would authorize an NTIA matching grant program to promote creation and expansion of peering centers, and authorize recipients of funding from the USF E-Rate and Telehealth programs to use those funds to obtain connections to peering facilities. The Wireless Internet Focus on Innovation in Spectrum Technology for Unlicensed Deployment (Wi-Fi Study) Act, from Rep. Ryan Costello, R-Pa., would direct the General Services Administration to study the role of unlicensed spectrum and the potential for gigabit WiFi service in spectrum bands below 6 GHz. Eshoo and Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., separately filed their Broadband Conduit Deployment Act. The bill, which Eshoo circulated in draft form last year, would mandate “dig once” policies that require the inclusion of broadband conduit during the construction of road projects that receive federal funding (see 1703200067). “By laying broadband conduit during construction of roads that receive federal funding, broadband providers can later install fiber-optic cable without costly excavation of newly built roads,” Eshoo said in a news release.