Representative Angie Craig Introduces Legislation to Ensure Accurate Broadband Internet Maps to Expand Internet Access in Rural and Underserved Communities

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig, a member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, introduced a bill to ensure that investments made by the federal government to expand broadband access are informed by data collection and analysis as required by federal law. The Broadband Measuring Availability and Aligning Policies Task Force Act (Broadband MAPS Act) would establish a task force at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) responsible for coordinating and overseeing the creation and maintenance of broadband availability maps of the United States – to determine which areas lack broadband internet access.

"To achieve universal broadband access in the United States, it is crucial that we have a precise understanding of where fixed and wireless broadband already exists and where it does not," said Representative Angie Craig. "Unfortunately, for far too long, the FCC's data collection and mapping process has yielded inaccurate and incomplete results – leaving Congress, the public, and the FCC without a clear picture of the country's broadband needs. This crucial legislation will help to identify the communities most desperately in need of support – and guide the federal government's investment decisions for years to come."

Last year, Congress came together and passed a bipartisan bill – the Broadband DATA Act – to ensure that the FCC would produce accurate, reliable broadband maps. In order to fully implement that legislation, Representative Craig is proposing the creation of an interagency task force to oversee the map drawing process and ensure that policymaking decisions are guided by data. The maps overseen by the task force are intended to inform federal investment decisions – ensuring that rural and underserved communities are prioritized in the expansion of broadband internet.

Representative Angie Craig has made the expansion of broadband internet access a top legislative priority since joining Congress in 2019. As a member of the bipartisan House Task Force on Rural Broadband, Craig helped introduce the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act, which would invest $100 billion to invest in high-speed broadband infrastructure in rural and underserved communities across the United States. She also cosponsored the Accelerating Broadband Development by Empowering Local Communities Act, to repeal FCC regulations that limit local governments' ability to oversee the deployment of 5G broadband technology in their communities.