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Bill

S 517

ABATE

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Larry Grooms

Summary of S 517: ABATE OverviewS 517, also known as the ABATE (Advancing Broadband Access Through Equity) resolution, was introduced in the Senate on February 11, 2025. This resol

Introduced and adopted
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Bill Summary · S 517

Summary of S 517: ABATE

Overview

S 517, also known as the ABATE (Advancing Broadband Access Through Equity) resolution, was introduced in the Senate on February 11, 2025. This resolution aims to address disparities in access to high-speed internet and promote equitable broadband deployment across the United States.

Key Provisions

  • Establishes an interagency task force to coordinate federal efforts to close the digital divide
  • Directs the task force to develop a national broadband strategy that identifies unserved and underserved areas and outlines steps to achieve universal access
  • Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to update its broadband coverage maps on a quarterly basis to better target investment and support
  • Provides $20 billion in additional funding for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program to expand broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved communities
  • Mandates that a minimum of 40% of BEAD program funds be allocated to projects in low-income and disadvantaged areas

Impact and Affected Parties

  • The resolution is intended to benefit millions of Americans, particularly in rural, tribal, and low-income urban areas, who currently lack access to reliable, high-speed internet
  • State and local governments, as well as internet service providers, will be involved in the planning and implementation of broadband expansion projects supported by the BEAD program funding
  • The improved broadband coverage maps and targeted investment approach are expected to help ensure that federal resources are directed to the communities and households with the greatest need

Timeline and Procedure

  • S 517 was introduced in the Senate and adopted on February 11, 2025
  • The interagency task force must be established within 90 days of the resolution's enactment
  • The national broadband strategy is due within one year of the task force's creation
  • The FCC must begin updating its broadband coverage maps on a quarterly basis within six months of the resolution's enactment
  • The additional $20 billion in BEAD program funding will be made available over a five-year period

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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