PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-486, Part I.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 26, 2025
Facilitating the Deployment of Infrastructure with Greater Internet Transactions And Legacy Applications Act or the Facilitating DIGITAL Applications Act
This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to periodically report on the development of online portals for the acceptance, processing, and disposal of applications for communications use authorizations. Communications use authorizations are requests for easements, rights-of-way, leases, licenses, or other authorizations to locate or modify a transmitting device, support structure, or other communications facility on public lands or National Forest System land.
Specifically, the NTIA must report to Congress about (1) whether the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service have each established a portal, and (2) any barriers to establishing the portals. The NTIA must submit the first report within 90 days of the enactment of the bill and additional reports every 60 days thereafter until the portals are established.
Additionally, Interior and the Forest Service must notify the NTIA within three business days of establishing their respective portals.
People & committees
Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [R-IA-1] · R–IA
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-486, Part I.
Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-486, Part I.
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 50 - 0.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Sep 24, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-02-26 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
The proposed Facilitating DIGITAL Applications Act would require recurring reports to Congress on whether the Interior and Agriculture Departments have online portals for applications to place or modify communications facilities on public lands and National Forest System land, and what barriers remain. Each department would have to notify a Commerce Department official when its portal is established. Reporting would end once both notifications are made.
This Act may be cited as the Facilitating the Deployment of Infrastructure with Greater Internet Transactions And Legacy Applications Act or the Facilitating DIGITAL Applications Act.
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this section, and every 60 days thereafter until the Secretaries concerned each notify the Assistant Secretary under paragraph (2), the Assistant Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report
(A) whether the Secretaries concerned have established, with respect to the relevant covered department, an online portal for the acceptance, processing, and disposal of a Form 299 for communications use authorization; and (B) any barrier to the establishment of any such portal.
(5) Communications use authorization The term communications use authorization means an easement, right-of-way, lease, license, or other authorization— (A) provided by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture; (B) to locate or modify a communications facility on covered land; and (C) for the primary purpose of authorizing the occupancy and use of such covered land for communications use. (6) Covered land The term covered land means— (A) public lands; and (B) National Forest System land.
Not later than 3 business days after the date on which the online portal has been established by a Secretary pursuant to paragraph (1), that Secretary shall notify the Assistant Secretary of the establishment of such portal.
The term Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information.
The Commerce Department's Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information would submit the first report within 90 days after enactment of section 2, then every 60 days until both responsible secretaries provide the required notifications. Reports would cover whether portals exist for receiving, processing, and resolving the covered Form 299 applications, and barriers to establishing those portals.
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this section, and every 60 days thereafter until the Secretaries concerned each notify the Assistant Secretary under paragraph (2), the Assistant Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that describes— (A) whether the Secretaries concerned have established, with respect to the relevant covered department, an online portal for the acceptance, processing, and disposal of a Form 299 for communications use authorization; and (B) any barrier to the establishment of any such portal.
The term Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information.
The proposal concerns portals at the Interior and Agriculture Departments. The responsible officials would be the Interior Secretary and the Agriculture Secretary, with the latter acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
(9) Relevant covered department The term relevant covered department means— (A) with respect to the Secretary of the Interior, the Department of the Interior; and (B) with respect to the Secretary of Agriculture, the Department of Agriculture. (10) Secretary concerned The term Secretary concerned means— (A) the Secretary of the Interior; and (B) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
Covered applications would seek permission to locate or modify a communications facility on public lands or National Forest System land, primarily to occupy and use that land for placing and operating the facility. Permission could take the form of a lease, license, easement, right-of-way, or another authorization—different legal arrangements allowing use of land. The proposal covers the specified Form 299 and any successor form.
(4) Communications use The term communications use means the placement and operation of a communications facility. (5) Communications use authorization The term communications use authorization means an easement, right-of-way, lease, license, or other authorization— (A) provided by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture; (B) to locate or modify a communications facility on covered land; and (C) for the primary purpose of authorizing the occupancy and use of such covered land for communications use. (6) Covered land The term covered land means— (A) public lands; and (B) National Forest System land.
(7) Form 299 The term Form 299 means the form established under section 6409(b)(2)(A) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455(b)(2)(A)), or any successor form.
Each responsible secretary would have to notify the Commerce official within three business days after establishing the department's portal.
Not later than 3 business days after the date on which the online portal has been established by a Secretary pursuant to paragraph (1), that Secretary shall notify the Assistant Secretary of the establishment of such portal.
The term Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information.
Reports would go to four congressional committees: House Energy and Commerce, House Natural Resources, Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Senate Environment and Public Works.
(1) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; (B) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives; (C) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and (D) the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate.
the Assistant Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report
The supplied September 24, 2026 source snapshot records introduction in the House on February 26, 2025, and referral that day to the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Energy and Commerce Committees.
Source snapshot updated 2026-09-24T23:41:15Z.
2025-02-26: Introduced in House
2025-02-26: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The supplied September 24, 2026 source snapshot records a subcommittee voice vote forwarding the bill on November 18, 2025, a 50–0 vote ordering it reported on December 3, 2025, and reporting by the Energy and Commerce Committee on February 4, 2026, with House Report 119-486, Part I. Reporting is a committee action, not enactment.
Source snapshot updated 2026-09-24T23:41:15Z.
2025-11-18: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
2025-12-03: Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 50 - 0.
2026-02-04: Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-486, Part I.
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-02-26. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy rider was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow carve-out, exemption, or preferential treatment was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Sep 24, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI