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H.R. 4596: Small Business Broadband Deployment Act

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H.R. 4596: Small Business Broadband Deployment Act

114th Congress · introduced 2016-02-24 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2016-02-24 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Walden, Greg [R-OR-2] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 1 recorded vote in our records. Latest: House roll call 124 (2016): On Passage, HR4596 (2016-03-16), Passed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Small Business Broadband Deployment Act

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on March 7, 2016. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Small Business Broadband Deployment Act (Sec. 2) This bill exempts for five years any small business broadband Internet access service provider with no more than 250,000 subscribers from the enhancements to the transparency rule of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under which any person engaged in the provision of broadband Internet access service must disclose publicly accurate information regarding the network management practices, performance, and commercial terms of its broadband Internet access services sufficient for: consumers to make informed choices regarding their use; and content, application, service, and device providers to develop, market, and maintain Internet offerings. The FCC shall report to specified congressional committees, within 180 days after enactment of this Act, its recommendations (together with supporting data) on whether: this exception should be made permanent, and the definition of "small business" for these purposes should be modified.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Small Business Broadband Deployment Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Walden, Greg [R-OR-2] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 4596, Small Business Broadband Deployment Act (2016-03-04)

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (2)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong114-hr4596 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114