CBO Scores ACCESS BROADBAND Act

The ACCESS BROADBAND Act (H.R. 3994) would direct the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to establish a new Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth and direct several federal agencies that offer broadband support programs to amend, streamline, and standardize their applications for those programs. Using information from the affected agencies, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 3994 would cost $13 million over the 2019-2023 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts. Enacting the legislation would affect direct spending from and subsequent collections of revenues by the Universal Service Fund (USF) of the Federal Communication Commission (FCC); therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, CBO estimates that the net effect on the deficit would be negligible. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 3994 would not significantly increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2029.