This report examines legislation aimed at improving internet access in Appalachian communities, which have historically lagged behind other regions in broadband availability. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee reviewed the bill to assess how federal funding and support could help expand high-speed internet service to rural areas in Appalachia, addressing a critical gap that affects education, healthcare, and economic opportunities for residents.
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House Report 119-565 - EXPANDING APPALACHIA'S BROADBAND ACCESS ACT
[House Report 119-565]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 119-565
=======================================================================
EXPANDING APPALACHIA'S BROADBAND ACCESS ACT
----------------
March 20, 2026.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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Mr. Graves, from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 2474]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom
was referred the bill (H.R. 2474) to require the Comptroller
General of the United States to conduct a study on the
capability of the Appalachian Regional Commission to include
low-orbit satellites in broadband projects, and for other
purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon
with amendments and recommends that the bill as amended do
pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose of Legislation........................................... 2
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 2
Hearings......................................................... 3
Legislative History and Consideration............................ 3
Committee Votes.................................................. 3
Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations................. 4
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures........................ 4
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................ 4
Performance Goals and Objectives................................. 5
Duplication of Federal Programs.................................. 5
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff
Benefits....................................................... 5
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 5
Preemption Clarification......................................... 5
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 5
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 5
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 5
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 6
The amendments are as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Expanding Appalachia's Broadband
Access Act''.
SEC. 2 GAO STUDY ON SATELLITE BROADBAND.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of
this section, the Comptroller General of the United States shall
conduct, and submit to Congress the results thereof, a study on the
capability of the Appalachian Regional Commission to incorporate
satellites in broadband projects.
(b) Requirements.--In conducting the study under subsection (a), the
Comptroller General shall--
(1) review the capacity of satellite broadband services to be
used for business purposes;
(2) evaluate economic development growth in areas that have
used satellite broadband for businesses; and
(3) analyze the cost-effectiveness of implementing broadband
via satellites for economic development.
Amend the title so as to read:
A bill to require the Comptroller General of the United
States to conduct a study on the capability of the Appalachian
Regional Commission to include satellites in broadband
projects, and for other purposes.
PURPOSE OF LEGISLATION
The purpose of H.R. 2474, the ``Expanding Appalachia's
Broadband Access Act,'' as amended, is to require the
Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on
the capability of the Appalachian Regional Commission to
include satellites in broadband projects, and for other
purposes.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
The Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965, which
established the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), was
enacted during a time prior to the need for broadband
connectivity to support economic development.\1\ Since then,
that Act has been updated to explicitly provide the ARC
authority to support broadband projects in distressed
communities in the Appalachian region.\2\
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\1\40 U.S.C. Sec. 14101 et seq.
\2\See, e.g., 40 U.S.C. Sec. 14509.
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In recent years, satellite technology has been increasingly
used to provide broadband service, especially in rural and
remote areas where deploying fiber cabling has been more
challenging. High-speed internet service, also known as
broadband, can be provided through the traditional wired
methods or by using wireless technology such as mobile networks
and satellites.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\Colby Leigh Pechtol, Cong. Rsch. Serv. (R46896), Low Earth orbit
Satellites: Potential to Address the Broadband Digital Divide, (Nov.
14, 2025), available at https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R46896.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Satellite technology has become increasingly viable and
used to overcome some of the challenges to deploying wired
broadband service, especially in rural areas with smaller
populations and challenging terrain, including mountain ranges
such as those that exist in the Appalachia region.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\Id.
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H.R. 2474, as amended, would direct the Government
Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study on the
capability of the ARC to incorporate satellite technology in
broadband projects. More specifically, the GAO is directed to
review the capacity of the satellite broadband to be used for
business purposes; evaluate the economic development growth in
areas that have used satellite broadband; and evaluate the
cost-effectiveness of satellite broadband for economic
development.
HEARINGS
For the purposes of rule XIII, clause 3(c)(6)(A) of the
119th Congress, the following hearing was used to develop or
consider H.R. 2474:
On January 22, 2026, the Subcommittee on Economic
Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management of the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a hearing
entitled, ``Smarter Spending, Stronger Results: Reducing
Duplication and Ensuring Effectiveness Through Economic
Development Reforms.'' The Subcommittee received testimony from
Mr. Ben Page, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic
Development, and Chief Operating Officer, United States
Economic Development Administration; The Honorable Gayle
Conelly Manchin, Federal Co-Chair, Appalachian Regional
Commission; The Honorable Corey Wiggins, Federal Co-Chair,
Delta Regional Authority; The Honorable Chris Saunders, Federal
Co-Chair, Northern Border Regional Commission; The Honorable
Jennifer Clyburn Reed, Federal Co-Chair, Southeast Crescent
Regional Commission; The Honorable Juan Sanchez, Federal Co-
Chair, Southwest Border Regional Commission; Ms. Jocelyn
Fenton, Director of Programs, Denali Commission.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND CONSIDERATION
H.R. 2474 was introduced in the United States House of
Representatives on March 27, 2025, by Mr. Taylor of Ohio and
referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Within the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, H.R.
2474 was referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development,
Public Buildings, and Emergency Management. The Subcommittee on
Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency
Management was discharged from further consideration of H.R.
2474 on January 21, 2026.
The Committee considered H.R. 2474 on January 21, 2026, and
ordered the measure to be reported to the House with a
favorable recommendation, amendment, by voice vote.
The following amendment was offered:
An Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 2474,
offered by Mr. Taylor of Ohio was AGREED TO by voice vote.
COMMITTEE VOTES
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives requires each committee report to include the
total number of votes cast for and against on each record vote
on a motion to report and on any amendment offered to the
measure or matter, and the names of those members voting for
and against.
No record votes were requested during consideration of H.R.
2474.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(1) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee's oversight findings and recommendations are
reflected in this report.
NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY AND TAX EXPENDITURES
Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives does not apply where a cost estimate and
comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974 has been timely submitted prior to the filing of the
report and is included in the report. Such a cost estimate is
included in this report.
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE
With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(3) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section
402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has
received the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2474 from the
Director of the Congressional Budget Office:
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
H.R. 2474 would require the Government Accountability
Office to report to the Congress on whether the Appalachian
Regional Commission could incorporate satellite technology in
its broadband projects.
Based on the cost of similar reports, CBO estimates that
implementing the bill would cost less than $500,000 over the
2026-2031 period. Any related spending would be subject to the
availability of appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is David Hughes.
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy
Director of Budget Analysis.
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director, Congressional Budget Office.
PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
performance goal and objective of this legislation is to direct
the Comptroller General of the United States to study the
capability of the Appalachian Regional Commission to
incorporate satellite broadband in economic development
projects.
DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee finds that no provision
of H.R. 2474 establishes or reauthorizes a program of the
Federal government known to be duplicative of another Federal
program, a program that was included in any report from the
Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to
section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program related to a
program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance.
CONGRESSIONAL EARMARKS, LIMITED TAX BENEFITS,
AND LIMITED TARIFF BENEFITS
In compliance with clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, this bill, as reported, contains no
Congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff
benefits as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of the rule
XXI.
FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT
The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform
Act (Public Law 104-4).
PREEMPTION CLARIFICATION
Section 423 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974
requires the report of any Committee on a bill or joint
resolution to include a statement on the extent to which the
bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt state, local,
or tribal law. The Committee finds that H.R. 2474 does not
preempt any state, local, or tribal law.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT
No advisory committees within the definition of Section
5(b) of the appendix to Title 5, United States Code, are
created by this legislation.
APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act (Public Law
104-1).
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION
Section 1. Short title
This section requires cites the bill as the ``Expanding
Appalachia's Broadband Access Act''.
Section 2. GAO study on satellite broadband
This section directs that no later than one year after the
date of enactment, the Comptroller General of the United States
shall conduct a study on the capability of the Appalachian
Regional Commission to incorporate satellites in broadband
projects.
This section directs that, in conducting the study, the
Comptroller General reviews the capacity of satellite broadband
services to be used for business purposes; evaluate economic
development growth in areas that have used satellite broadband
for businesses; and analyze the cost-effectiveness of
implementing broadband via satellites for economic development.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
As reported by the Committee, H.R. 2474 makes no changes in
existing law.
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