FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 
                                    WASHINGTON 

        
OFFICE OF THE 
  CHAIRWOMAN                                  July 29, 2022 
   

   
  The Honorable Greg Pence 
  U.S. House of Representatives 
  211 Cannon House Office Building 
  Washington, DC 20515 
   
  Dear Representatives Pence: 

        Thank you for your letter regarding the Broadband Interagency Coordination Act and the 
  need for coordination of federal funding for broadband deployment.  I believe high-speed, high-
  quality broadband is essential for full participation in modern American life and assure you that 
  the Federal Communications Commission is committed to closing the digital divide.  I also 
  believe that funds devoted to broadband deployment must be allocated efficiently and in 
  accordance with good governance principles.   

        The Broadband Interagency Coordination Act has been instrumental in facilitating a 
  productive dialogue between and among the Commission, the Department of Agriculture 
  (USDA) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) as we 
  implement and administer our respective broadband funding programs as directed by Congress.  
  As required under the Act, the agencies entered into an agreement on June 25, 2021, to share 
  information on existing and planned broadband projects and to coordinate and harmonize these 
  efforts.  On July 1, 2022, as required by the Act, the Commission released a Public Notice 
  initiating an inquiry into the effectiveness of the agreement, ideas for improvement, and any 
  suggestions about available data to inform interagency coordination.  We will carefully consider 
  the input we receive in response to this request and report to Congress on our assessments and 
  conclusions. 

        However, I want you to know that the Commission’s efforts in this area extend beyond 
  just compliance with the letter of the Act.  In fact, an earlier memorandum of understanding 
  (MOU) with USDA was signed in 2014 to prevent duplication with broadband programs at the 
  Rural Utilities Service.  In early 2021, in anticipation of the heightened need to coordinate on 
  newly established federal funding programs, USDA, NTIA, and the Commission began regular 
  coordination meetings that will continue for the foreseeable future.  Most recently, on May 6, 
  2022, the three agencies cited in the Broadband Interagency Coordination Act joined with the 
  Department of Treasury in a separate MOU to further enhance our coordination, in light of its 
  support for broadband initiatives through its new Capital Projects Fund.  This agreement builds 
  on the efforts of the Broadband Interagency Coordination Act, and we are continuing to explore 
  ways to further our engagement with federal and state partners to promote efficient deployment. 

 Page 2—The Honorable Greg Pence 
  
       I would also note that interagency coordination efforts—including with state 
 stakeholders—will be smoother, swifter, and more accurate thanks to new and improved data 
 resources now under development at the Commission.  One of my first acts as Acting 
Chairwoman was to establish a Broadband Data Task Force to oversee the agency’s 
comprehensive efforts to improve the way the agency collects and depicts the availability of both 
fixed and mobile broadband.  The Task Force has developed the Broadband Data Collection 
system, a complex set of interrelated systems and processes to collect, validate, and publish 
complete, granular, and reliable data on broadband availability, fulfilling requirements in the 
Broadband DATA Act.  The initial data collection is now underway.  This fall, we expect to 
publish the first availability maps created from this new data.  NTIA will use this data to identify 
areas eligible for funding for its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program.   

      In addition, pursuant to requirements in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the 
Commission is working to establish a Deployment Locations Map that will provide a 
comprehensive view of federal funding of broadband infrastructure.  The Deployment Locations 
Map will identify locations served by federally funded infrastructure, as well as provide detailed 
data for each agency’s funding programs, including network details, company names, project 
timelines, and broadband speeds, making it a valuable tool for a wide range of stakeholders. 
      I hope that this information is useful.   Please let me know if you have questions or if I 
may be of further assistance. 

                                     Sincerely, 

                                                                     
                                    Jessica Rosenworcel