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HR 55 116th Congress House

Connecting Broadband Deserts Act of 2019

Official title: To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission to conduct an annual inquiry on the availability of advanced telecommun… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission to conduct an annual inquiry on the availability of advanced telecommunications capability in broadband deserts, and for other purposes.

Introduced: November 8, 2019 See on congress.gov
Science, Technology, Communications Administrative remediesGovernment studies and investigationsInternet and video servicesInternet, web applications, social media
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Telephone and wireless communicationUrban and suburban affairs and development
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This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jan 25, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
Jan 3, 2019
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Jan 3, 2019
Introduced in House
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 Latest action January 25, 2019

Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Connecting Broadband Deserts Act of 2019

This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to conduct an annual inquiry on the availability of advanced telecommunications capability in broadband deserts, including whether such capability is being deployed in a reasonable and timely fashion. If it is not, the FCC shall take immediate action to accelerate deployment of such capability by removing barriers to infrastructure investment and promoting competition. The term "broadband desert" means a census block in an urban area in which fewer than 33% of end-user premises do not have access to advanced telecommunications capability.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 12
All 12 Democratic 11
D
Davis, Danny K.
Illinois · Dec 15, 2020
Vela, Filemon
· Oct 16, 2020
 D
Escobar, Veronica
Texas · Oct 9, 2020
 D
García, Jesús G. "Chuy"
Illinois · Aug 14, 2020
 D
Wilson, Frederica S.
Florida · Aug 7, 2020
 D
Beatty, Joyce
Ohio · Jul 20, 2020
 D
Carson, André
Indiana · Jul 9, 2020
 D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · Nov 8, 2019
 D
Thompson, Bennie G.
Mississippi · Jun 26, 2019
 D
McCollum, Betty
Minnesota · Apr 3, 2019
 D
Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria
New York · Mar 25, 2019
 D
Clarke, Yvette D.
New York · Mar 11, 2019
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 55: Connecting Broadband Deserts Act of 2019. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-55/
MLA
"H.R. 55: Connecting Broadband Deserts Act of 2019." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-55/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 55, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-55/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 55: Connecting Broadband Deserts Act of 2019](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-55/)
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