House Commerce Committee to Mark Up Broadband Bills

The full House Commerce Committee has scheduled a markup for more than a dozen bills July 12, including two broadband-related bills -- H.R. 3994, the Advancing Critical Connectivity Expands Service, Small Businesses Resources, Opportunities, Access, and Data Based on Assessed Need and Demand (ACCESS BROADBAND) Act, and H.R. 4881, the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act of 2018.

H.R. 3994 would create an Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth within the National Telecommunications & Information Administration. H.R. 4881 would direct the Federal Communications Commission to create a task force to "meet the connectivity and technology needs of precision agriculture in the United States."

Also on the docket for markup is H.R. 5709, the Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement (PIRATE) Act. That bill would boost fines and enforcement against pirate radio broadcasters.

The Communications Subcommittee favorably reported out the two broadband bills to the full committee in June 2018, and the full committee is expected to follow suit, perhaps with minor modifications