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H.R. 1665119th CongressPassed one chamberLatest action Mar 17, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
The plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
HR 1665 requires Interior and the Forest Service to build online portals for cell tower permit forms within one year.
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HR 1665, the DIGITAL Applications Act, requires the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service to each create an online system within one year for submitting, tracking, and completing "Form 299," used to build or modify communications equipment like cell towers on federal land. The agencies must then notify the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which will post links to the portals on its website.
The bill mainly affects telecommunications companies and other businesses seeking permits to place equipment on public or National Forest land.
The change could speed up and add transparency to the approval process, potentially accelerating cell service and internet infrastructure expansion in rural or federally managed areas. The bill does not alter eligibility rules or requirements, only the submission and processing method.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: it passed the House, and the official record shows nothing new since. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.