United States 119th Congress Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 1 R · 1 D cosponsors

S 3268 — Broadband and Telecommunications RAIL Act

Last action — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced November 20, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Prognosis

Advancing 34% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 2 sponsors

    1 primary, 1 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (1 R · 1 D) — cross-party backing.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

5 changes Share ↗

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill adds new provisions to streamline the deployment of telecommunications and broadband service facilities in public and railroad rights-of-way.

  • 47 U.S.C. 601

    SEC. 723. DEPLOYMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS OR BROADBAND SERVICE FACILITIES IN PUBLIC RIGHTS-OF-WAY AND RAILROAD RIGHTS-OF-WAY.

    This establishes a new section in the Communications Act of 1934 regarding the deployment of service facilities.

  • 47 U.S.C. 601

    Definitions.--In this section: (1) Broadband service.--The term `broadband service' has the meaning given the term `broadband internet access service' in section 8.1(b) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation). (2) Provider.--The term `provider' means a provider of telecommunications service or broadband service. (3) Public right-of-way.--The term `public right-of-way' means a public street, highway, route, or road (as designated by the Federal Government or a State or local government), including-- (A) any railroad installation listed in the National Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory of the Department of Transportation as an over (at grade), under (subgrade), longitudinal (parallel), or transverse (crossing) installation; and (B) a private crossing with public access listed in the National Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory of the Department of Transportation. (4) Railroad carrier.--The term `railroad carrier' has the meaning given the term in section 20102 of title 49, United States Code. (5) Telecommunications or broadband service facility.-- The term `telecommunications or broadband service facility'-- (A) means a facility used to provide or support the provision of any telecommunications service or broadband service; and (B) includes a facility described in subparagraph (A) that is used to provide, or support the provision of, other services.

    This defines key terms related to the deployment of telecommunications or broadband service facilities.

  • 47 U.S.C. 601

    Notification of Work by Providers in Public Rights-of-Way.--(1) In general.--If a State or local government has authorized a provider to place or modify a telecommunications or broadband service facility in a public right-of-way, and the telecommunications or broadband service facility will be placed or modified in an area where the public right-of-way intersects with a railroad corridor, the provider-- (A) shall submit to the applicable railroad carrier a written notification that the placement or modification has been authorized by the State or local government; and (B) shall not be required to submit an application to the railroad carrier under subsection (c) with respect to the placement or modification.

    This outlines the notification process for providers when working in rights-of-way that intersect with railroad corridors.

  • 47 U.S.C. 601

    Application To Place or Modify Telecommunications or Broadband Service Facilities in Railroad Rights-of-Way.--(1) In general.--In order to place or modify a telecommunications or broadband service facility in the right-of-way of a railroad carrier, a provider shall submit to the railroad carrier a written application that contains the following information: (A) Engineering design plans, construction plans, and (if applicable) bore plans with respect to the placement or modification; (B) The location of the placement or modification; (C) The proposed date of commencement of work with respect to the placement or modification; (D) The anticipated duration of the work described in subparagraph (C); (E) The entry and exit points that will be used with respect to the performance of the work described in subparagraph (C); (F) The contact information of the provider.

    This establishes the application process for providers planning to make modifications in railroad rights-of-way.

  • 47 U.S.C. 601

    Petition for Relief.--(1) In general.--(A) Railroad carrier.--A railroad carrier may petition the Commission for relief regarding the placement or modification by a provider of a telecommunications or broadband service facility in an area where a public right-of-way intersects with a railroad corridor, or in the right-of-way of the railroad carrier, if the railroad carrier asserts that-- (i) in the case of a placement or modification with respect to which the provider has submitted an application to the railroad carrier under subsection (c), the amount of compensation that the provider proposes to pay under paragraph (4) of that subsection is not actual costs reasonably and directly incurred by the railroad carrier, as required by that paragraph; or (ii) the provider has otherwise failed to comply with this section or a regulation promulgated under this section.

    This allows railroad carriers to petition for relief regarding provider placements or modifications in their rights-of-way.

Action History

  1. Introduced in Senate

  2. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 545 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (545)

545 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

technology
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors S 3268?
S 3268 is sponsored by Blackburn, Marsha (Republican) and Luján, Ben Ray (Democratic).
What is the current status of S 3268?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced November 20, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track S 3268?
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