{"id":"dbe9156c-021a-4c8d-ac91-c223234fa1fe","feedVisibility":"normal","congress":119,"billType":"s","billNumber":4459,"title":"Expanding Appalachia’s Broadband Access Act","displayTitle":"Expanding Appalachia’s Broadband Access Act","abstract":"Expanding Appalachia’s Broadband Access Act This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to study and report to Congress on the Appalachian Regional Commission’s capability to incorporate satellites in broadband projects. Specifically, the study must review and analyze the capacity and cost-effectiveness of using satellite broadband service for business purposes and economic development.","displaySummary":"<p><strong>YVN Summary</strong></p>\n\n<p>The Appalachian Regional Commission funds broadband expansion across Appalachian counties, but currently relies mostly on fiber and other terrestrial technologies. The Expanding Appalachia's Broadband Access Act would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study whether the Commission could incorporate satellite internet services into those broadband projects. The study would evaluate satellite broadband's reliability for business use, examine how previous satellite-broadband use has affected local economic development, and analyze whether it would be cost-effective. The GAO would have one year to deliver its findings to Congress — the bill does not fund new broadband, it orders a study to inform future decisions.</p>","status":"INTRODUCED","topics":["TECHNOLOGY"],"introducedAt":"2026-04-30T00:00:00+00:00","latestActionAt":"2026-04-30T00:00:00+00:00","congressGovUrl":null,"accountabilityFlags":{},"tldr":"Orders a GAO study on whether satellite internet could help expand broadband across Appalachia — funds no new broadband itself.","summaryStandard":null,"flagExplainers":{},"flagValence":{},"needsResummary":false,"displaySummaryHtml":null,"rawStatusText":"Introduced in Senate","chamber":"SENATE","policyArea":"Science, Technology, Communications","legislativeSubjects":[],"lawStatus":null,"lawNumber":null,"latestActionText":"Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.","latestTextVersion":"Introduced in Senate","textVersionUsed":null,"dateAdded":"2026-05-27T00:00:00+00:00","summarizedAt":"2026-05-27T17:45:22+00:00","recordId":"dbe9156c-021a-4c8d-ac91-c223234fa1fe","feedIdentityKey":"119/s/4459","websiteBillId":"S-4459","yourvoiceSummary":"The Appalachian Regional Commission funds broadband expansion across Appalachian counties, but currently relies mostly on fiber and other terrestrial technologies. The Expanding Appalachia's Broadband Access Act would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study whether the Commission could incorporate satellite internet services into those broadband projects. The study would evaluate satellite broadband's reliability for business use, examine how previous satellite-broadband use has affected local economic development, and analyze whether it would be cost-effective. The GAO would have one year to deliver its findings to Congress — the bill does not fund new broadband, it orders a study to inform future decisions.","updatedAt":"2026-10-24T11:00:49.070574+00:00"}