The Congressional bill that would fast-track cell towers in front of homes is advancing to a full House vote.
This is an urgent update. We just learned that H.R. 2289, the American Broadband Deployment Act, has now been placed on the House Union Calendar (No. 532), meaning it has cleared committee and is headed to the full House floor.
The House Rules Committee will meet on April 20 at 4 PM to set debate rules, and then the bill can move quickly to a final vote. If it passes, it goes to the Senate.
All Hands on Deck:
H.R. 2289 would fast-track cell towers near homes in neighborhoods nationwide, overriding local control and stripping cities and towns of their ability to enforce basic safeguards like setbacks, safety review, and community input. This bill will also expand federal preemption regarding RF related health effects.
We are at a critical moment.
KEY ACTION STEPS
- Send a letter to your member of Congress (use our 1-Click tool) and then call them!
- Urge your local officials to write letters and to contact federal representatives
- Share this alert with your community
Cell Phone and Wireless Companies Are Lobbying for an Immediate Vote
On April 13, major telecom and infrastructure groups, including CTIA – The Wireless Association (representing companies such as Apple, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile), sent a letter to House leadership urging them to bring H.R. 2289 to the floor immediately, “because it directly supports America’s position in the global AI race.”
Organizations Serving Over 80% of the U.S. Population State That H.R. 2289 Would Undermine Public Safety
On April 16, 2026, the National Association of Counties (NACo), the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM), the National League of Cities, and the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) wrote a letter to House leadership stating that H.R. 2289 “would undermine public safety, force local taxpayers to subsidize private corporations and disrupt the very broadband deployment progress it aims to accelerate.”
“H.R. 2289 creates a framework that prioritizes communication companies’ shareholder value at the expense of the safety and financial interests of the communities and the taxpayers they serve. Furthermore, by limiting cost-recovery mechanisms for application reviews, the bill effectively forces local taxpayers to subsidize private providers’ administrative expenses – a cost that falls entirely on the public.”
“ H.R. 2289 as written, would sacrifice local autonomy, impose unfunded mandates, and disrupt deployment progress already underway.”
The National Association of Counties (NACo), representing counties serving more than 80 percent of the nation’s population, states that “the preemption of local permitting authority will not lead to the expedited build-out of broadband infrastructure, but instead jeopardize the safety of the public.”
Resources to Share with Policymakers
Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) Resources on HR: 2289 with key quotes from letters from states, cities, and towns. Download EHS Factsheet on H.R. 2289
See also letters regarding the FCC proposal to fast-track cell towers.
The National Association of Counties: Oppose the Preemption of Local Broadband Permitting Authorities | National Association of Counties
National Association of Towns and Townships Action Alert: Oppose H.R. 2289, American Broadband Deployment Act. They have a draft letter of opposition for towns.
TAKE ACTION NOW
Then we hope you will use our resources to call your representatives, set up meetings, and elevate this issue in your community. We can do this!