FCC gets new tool to map broadband gaps in farm country
H.R. 4950 — Data BRIDGE Act · Filed by Erin Houchin (R-IN) · 15 cosponsors · Introduced Aug 12, 2025 · Reported out
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What it does
This bill directs the FCC to add a new layer to its National Broadband Map showing where agricultural areas are located, within 180 days of enactment. The FCC must consult with the Department of Agriculture, Commerce Department, state representatives, and other stakeholders when building this layer. The goal is to help identify rural and agricultural regions that may lack broadband access.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole operative mechanism is a data-mapping mandate with no financial transfers, liability shields, or industry carve-outs. It is a straightforward transparency and accountability tool aimed at improving visibility into broadband gaps in agricultural regions.
What the text implies
- Agricultural-area layer may enable more precise targeting of federal broadband subsidies and grants, potentially shifting deployment priorities toward farm-dependent regions.
- Data integration could support state and local broadband planning, reducing duplication and improving coordination between public and private deployment efforts.
- Visibility into agricultural broadband gaps may increase political pressure on ISPs to expand service to lower-density farm areas, though the bill itself contains no mandate or incentive.
Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.
Who it affects
Rural and agricultural communities gain a tool to identify and advocate for broadband access in their regions. Better data transparency supports public accountability and targeted infrastructure investment, with no offsetting cost to citizens.
Named in the bill
Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, National Broadband Map, Communications Act of 1934
Where it stands
15 cosponsors: 8 Democrats, 7 Republicans.
- Aug 12, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
- Aug 12, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce”
- Sep 1, 2026 — Markup held in committee · Congress.gov: “Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held”
- Sep 16, 2026 — Reported out of committee · Congress.gov: “Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 35 - 0”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the bill text published by Congress.gov (1,148 characters) on May 21, 2026. Section numbers in the findings refer to that text, linked below; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 16,222 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-10-20.
“FCC gets new tool to map broadband gaps in farm country” QuorumCivic. https://share.quorumcivic.app/bill/119/hr4950 Report an error
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