Officially: “Expanding Appalachia’s Broadband Access Act” Read the full text
Science, Technology, Communications
What it does
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 low-orbit 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.
Summary by the Congressional Research Service, from the official record. Plain-language version below. Not legal advice.
Read it in plain language
AI plain language2 sections
Written by AI from the complete official bill text and independently fact-checked against it. Not legal advice.
1Short title
This section gives the Act its official name, the Expanding Appalachia's Broadband Access Act. It does not create any requirement on its own.
Show official text
Official text, verbatim from the record
1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Expanding Appalachia’s Broadband Access Act .
2GAO study on low-orbit satellites
This section would require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study and submit the results to Congress within 90 days after this section becomes law. The study would look at whether the Appalachian Regional Commission is capable of including low-orbit satellites in its broadband projects. In doing the study, the Comptroller General would have to review the capacity of low-orbit satellite services to be used for business purposes, evaluate economic development growth in areas that have used low-orbit satellites for businesses, and analyze the cost-effectiveness of using broadband satellites for economic development.
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Official text, verbatim from the record
2. GAO study on low-orbit satellites
(a) In general
Not later than 90 days 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 low-orbit satellites in broadband projects.
(b) Requirements
In conducting the study under subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall—
(1) review the capacity of low-orbit satellite services to be used for business purposes;
(2) evaluate economic development growth in areas that have used low-orbit satellites for businesses; and
(3) analyze the cost-effectiveness of implementing broadband satellites for economic development.
The on-site text is shown verbatim from the GovInfo publication, captured 2026-07-23. The same version at GovInfo.
The numbers
29%
of bills that passed one chamber became law in the 118th Congress, 2023 to 2024 (n=939)
1
sponsor, out of 218 needed to pass
Who is lobbying on this
LARGE UROLOGY GROUP PRACTICE ASSOCIATIONvia THE MCMANUS GROUP
3 filings
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANESTHESIOLOGISTSvia AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANESTHESIOLOGISTS
2 filings
COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATIONvia COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION
2 filings
MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL SOCIETYvia MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL SOCIETY
2 filings
MCKESSON CORPORATION & AFFILIATES U.S. ONCOLOGY AND RX SAVINGS SOLUTIONSvia MCKESSON CORPORATION & AFFILIATES U.S. ONCOLOGY AND RX SAVINGS SOLUTIONS (FORMERLY MCKESSON CORP)
2 filings
MINNESOTA SOCIETY OF ANESTHESIOLOGISTSvia PRIMACY STRATEGY GROUP
2 filings
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGY ASSOCIATIONvia FORBES-TATE
1 filing
MCKESSON CORPORATION & AFFILIATES U.S. ONCOLOGY AND RX SAVINGS SOLUTIONS (FORMERvia NORTH SOUTH GOVERNMENT STRATEGIES F/K/A JDM PUBLIC STRATEGIES, LLC
1 filing
From 15 filings in federal lobbying disclosures (LDA), via lda.gov, naming this bill (2025 to 2026). Filings are self-reported by lobbying firms and show who is paid to influence this bill. They do not say which side, or whether it worked.
Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record. Last action: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (2026-03-25).