H.R. 2482 — National Telecommunications and Information Administration Reauthorization Act of 2025

This section authorizes appropriations for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) at $57 million for FY2025 and $57 million for FY2026 (from $17.6 million for FY1992 and $17.9 million for FY1993); redesignates the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information as the Under Secretary throughout the NTIA Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 901 et seq.), establishes a Deputy Under Secretary position as principal policy advisor who acts in the Under Secretary's absence, provides for continuation of prior civil actions and officeholders without renomination, deems prior references to the Assistant Secretary as to the Under Secretary, and places the Under Secretary on Executive Level IV of the Executive Schedule (with conforming adjustment to the number of Assistant Secretaries at Level V); modifies NTIA's duties to ensure executive branch views on Federal Communications Commission (FCC) matters are appropriately coordinated and reflective of executive branch policy, clarifies certain transferred functions, and states that such changes do not expand or contract FCC authority; and makes technical and conforming amendments to various statutes, including (1) the Public Telecommunications Financing Act of 1978, (2) the Communications Act of 1934, (3) the Homeland Security Act of 2002, (4) the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, and (5) 17 U.S.C. 1201(a)(1)(C) (replacing references to the Assistant Secretary with the Under Secretary in the DMCA rulemaking process for technological protection measure exemptions).

This section eliminates certain outdated or completed NTIA reporting requirements, including (1) the quarterly report on the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP)—a 2009 ARRA grant program to expand broadband access, education, and adoption in unserved and underserved areas—by striking paragraph (4) of 47 U.S.C. 1305(d); (2) reports required by sections 154, 155, and 156 of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act; (3) an initial reporting structure under section 9202(a)(1)(G) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 by converting it to an annual report to Congress; and (4) a report to the President under section 105(a)(2) of the NTIA Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 904(a)). The section requires the NTIA Under Secretary, beginning January 1 of the first calendar year after enactment, to publish on the NTIA website and submit to the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee a consolidated annual report in the first quarter of each calendar year—including reports on the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth, the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund (if funds were available), and digital equity grant programs (if grants were awarded)—with conforming timing changes to those underlying reports and the consolidated report satisfying the individual requirements (except for additional congressional submissions as specified). (Thus, the changes reduce duplicative reporting while preserving agency reporting authority.) The section also extends certain audit and reporting requirements under section 902(c)(4)(A) of division N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.

This section establishes within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) an Office of Spectrum Management, headed by an Associate Administrator who reports to the Under Secretary (or designee). At the direction of the Under Secretary, the Associate Administrator shall carry out NTIA's spectrum management responsibilities under specified provisions of law, including (1) frequency assignments and allocations for U.S. government radio stations; (2) spectrum policies and guidance for federal agencies; (3) representing federal interests in the joint NTIA-FCC National Table of Frequency Allocations and long-range spectrum planning; (4) managing the Interdepartmental Radio Advisory Committee; (5) authorizing foreign government radio stations in Washington, DC; (6) international spectrum policy coordination; (7) coordinating executive branch telecommunications activities; (8) telecommunications resources activities; and (9) other designated spectrum duties.

This section establishes within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) an Office of International Affairs, headed by an Associate Administrator for International Affairs who reports to the Under Secretary (or designee). At the direction of the Under Secretary, the office conducts analysis of and formulates international telecommunications and information policy; represents NTIA before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Congress, international bodies such as the International Telecommunication Union, and others; coordinates preparations for U.S. participation in related international conferences and negotiations; maintains cognizance of relevant treaties and agreements; provides advice to federal agencies on negotiations and the international impact of domestic matters; and carries out the Secretary of Commerce's responsibilities under the Communications Satellite Act of 1962 and other related laws.