Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity Act

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Bill ID: 119/hr/1618
Last Updated: July 22, 2026

Sponsored by

Rep. Latta, Robert E. [R-OH-5]

ID: L000566

Follow the money

The bill

Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity Act

HR. 1618, 119th Congress — read as touching Crop Producers.

The sponsor

Rep. Latta, Robert E. [R-OH-5]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$71,500 raised

27 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

The alignment

65% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Introduction" section, p. 888-890 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

July 14, 2025

Introduced

Committee Review

Floor Action

Passed House

Senate Review

📍 Current Status

Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

(sigh) Oh joy, another " Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity Act" to save the world... or at least line some pockets. Let's dissect this farce.

**Diagnosis:** This bill is a classic case of "Lobbyist-itis," where special interests infect the legislative process with their own brand of self-serving nonsense.

**Symptoms:**

* The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will review and modify rules to promote precision agriculture, because apparently, farmers can't figure out how to use satellites without government help. * Affected industries include satellite services, agriculture, and... surprise! Lobbyists who represent these interests. * Compliance requirements? Ha! This bill is all about "recommendations" and "reviews," not actual enforcement. It's like prescribing a placebo to a patient with a terminal illness.

**Timeline:** The FCC has 15 months to submit a report on their findings, which will likely be a glossy brochure filled with buzzwords like "innovation" and "sustainability." Meanwhile, the real beneficiaries – satellite companies and agribusinesses – will have ample time to wine and dine lawmakers, ensuring this bill becomes a permanent fixture in the regulatory landscape.

**Enforcement mechanisms?** Don't make me laugh. This bill is designed to create the illusion of oversight while allowing industry players to do as they please. Penalties for non-compliance? Please, those are just minor speed bumps on the road to profit.

**Economic and operational impacts:** The real impact will be felt by taxpayers, who'll foot the bill for this regulatory theater. Satellite companies will reap the benefits of "precision agriculture" subsidies, while farmers will continue to struggle with the actual challenges of farming – like soil degradation, climate change, and market fluctuations.

**Prognosis:** This bill is a terminal case of "Regulatory Capture," where industry interests hijack the legislative process to serve their own agendas. The only cure is a healthy dose of skepticism and a willingness to call out this nonsense for what it is: a thinly veiled attempt to line the pockets of special interests.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do than watch politicians pretend to care about farmers while actually serving their corporate masters.

Related Topics

Climate Change & SustainabilityTelecommunications & Broadband AccessWater & Air Quality Regulations
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Latta, Robert E. [R-OH-5]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$71,500
22 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$5,500
Committees
$0
Individuals
$66,000

No PAC contributions found

1
HUNTON ANDREWS KURTH LLP
2 transactions
$2,000
2
WATKINS & EAGER PLLC
1 transaction
$1,000
3
SENECA COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY
1 transaction
$1,000
4
BL PARTNERS GROUP LLC
2 transactions
$1,000
5
CRAWFORD COUNTY CATTLEMEN'S ASSOCIATION
1 transaction
$500

No committee contributions found

1
ERGEN, CANDY MRS.
2 transactions
$6,600
2
ERGEN, CHARLES MR.
2 transactions
$6,600
3
FAISON, JAY
2 transactions
$6,600
4
MURPHY, JAMES
1 transaction
$3,300
5
TAYLOR, KENNETH
1 transaction
$3,300
6
KALMBACH, PAUL MR.
1 transaction
$3,300
7
WARNER, DAVID
1 transaction
$3,300
8
WARNER, GERALDINE B. MRS.
1 transaction
$3,300
9
ARNOLD, JOHN
1 transaction
$3,300
10
ARNOLD, LAURA
1 transaction
$3,300
11
HALE, ROBERT
1 transaction
$3,300
12
MCCAULLEY, KAITLIN
1 transaction
$3,300
13
COOPER, CHERYL J. MRS.
1 transaction
$3,300
14
COOPER, GARY A. MR.
1 transaction
$3,300
15
WILEY, LAWRENCE
1 transaction
$3,300
16
BLOCK, ALLAN MR.
1 transaction
$3,300
17
BLOCK, SUSAN MRS.
1 transaction
$3,300

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 2 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]

ID: K000385

Top Contributors

10

1
CROKE FOR ILLINOIS
OrganizationCHICAGO, IL
$1,000
Feb 28, 2024
2
COMMITTEE TO ELECT JUSTICE COBBS
OrganizationMATTESON, IL
$500
Feb 28, 2024
3
KELLY, MELINDA
IndividualOAK LAWN, IL
$4,400
Oct 23, 2024
4
AUSTRIACO, AURORA
VALENTINE AUSTRIACO AND BUESCHELATTORNEY
IndividualPARK RIDGE, IL
$4,000
Dec 4, 2023
5
AUSTRIACO, AURORA
IndividualPARK RIDGE, IL
$4,000
Dec 5, 2023
6
ROGERS, LARRY R
POWER ROGERS, L.L.P.ATTORNEY
IndividualCHICAGO, IL
$3,407
Oct 21, 2024
7
ANTUNOVICH, JOSEPH
ANTUNOVICH ASSOCIATESARCHITECT
IndividualCHICAGO, IL
$3,407
Sep 28, 2023
8
BONGARD, BETH A.
RETIREDRETIRED
IndividualOLYMPIA FIELDS, IL
$3,300
Mar 18, 2024
9
LEWIS, KATRICE
SELF EMPLOYEDMANAGER
IndividualSOUTH HOLLAND, IL
$3,300
Mar 18, 2024
10
MARQUIS, D.L
MARQUIS ENERGYPRESIDENT & CEO
IndividualPEORIA, IL
$3,300
Mar 4, 2024

Rep. Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9]

ID: H001093

Top Contributors

10

1
HABEMATOLEL POMO OF UPPER LAKE TRIBE OF CALIFORNIA
OrganizationUPPER LAKE, CA
$3,300
Aug 3, 2023
2
OTOE MISSOURIA TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA
OrganizationRED ROCK, OK
$3,300
Aug 3, 2023
3
TURTLE MOUNTAIN BAND OF CHIPPEWA OF NORTH DAKOTA
OrganizationBELCOURT, ND
$3,300
Aug 3, 2023
4
CHEROKEE NATION
OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK
$2,500
Dec 19, 2023
5
BANKE, BARBARA
JACKSON FAMILY FOUNDATIONEXECUTIVE
IndividualGEYSERVILLE, CA
$6,600
Dec 7, 2023
6
SCHWARZMAN, CHRISTINE
RETIREDRETIRED
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$6,600
Mar 6, 2024
7
GRIFFIN, KENNETH
CITADEL LLCFOUNDER CEO
IndividualMIAMI BEACH, FL
$6,600
Apr 10, 2023
8
ROWAN, CAROLYN
CAROLYN ROWAN COLLECTION LLCEXECUTIVE
IndividualGREENWICH, CT
$6,600
Jun 28, 2023
9
ROWAN, MARC
APOLLO MANAGEMENT HOLDINGSEXECUTIVE
IndividualGREENWICH, CT
$6,600
Jun 28, 2023
10
KIESLER, DOUGLAS M MR.
KIESLER POLICE SUPPLY, INC.CEO
IndividualGREENVILLE, IN
$6,600
Feb 22, 2023

Donor Network - Rep. Latta, Robert E. [R-OH-5]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Loading...

Showing 58 nodes and 33 connections (58 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $87,300

Top Donors - Rep. Latta, Robert E. [R-OH-5]

Showing top 22 donors by contribution amount

5 Orgs17 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 2 helped.

  • +Crop Producersconfidence 0.90

    Section 2(a) requires FCC to review rules relating to fixed satellite service, mobile satellite service, and earth exploration satellite service to determine if there are rule changes that could promote precision agriculture. Precision agriculture directly benefits crop producers by improving farming efficiency and yields.

  • +Telecommunicationsconfidence 0.85

    Section 2(a) directs the FCC to review rules for fixed satellite service, mobile satellite service, and earth exploration satellite service. These services fall under telecommunications infrastructure, and potential rule changes to promote precision agriculture could expand market opportunities for satellite service providers.

Who funds the sponsor on these industries

For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Rep. Latta, Robert E. [R-OH-5])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022–present cycles. Donations are not proof of intent — they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.

Industries this bill HELPS

  • from 4 contributions
    • ERGEN, CANDY MRS.$6,600
    • ERGEN, CHARLES MR.$6,600

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.

Introduction

Moderate64.8%
Pages: 888-890

— 855 — Federal Communications Commission so a new Administration should redouble efforts to require timely reviews and final actions by agencies with jurisdiction over federal lands, including the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. l Advance America’s space leadership. One of the most significant technological developments of the past few years has been the emergence of a new generation of low-earth orbit satellites like StarLink and Kuiper. This technology can beam a reliable, high-speed Internet signal to nearly any part of the globe at a fraction of the cost of other technologies. This has the potential to significantly accelerate efforts to end the digital divide and disrupt the federal regulatory and subsidy regime that applies to communications networks. The FCC should expedite its work to support this new technology by acting more quickly in its review and approval of applications to launch new satellites. Otherwise, the U.S. risks ceding space leadership to entities based in countries with more friendly regulatory environments. Holding Government Accountable. Federal technology and telecommunica- tions programs have been plagued by a troubling lack of accountability and good governance. They would benefit from stronger oversight and a fresh look at elim- inating outdated regulations that are doing more harm than good. l End wasteful broadband spending policies. Many of the broadband spending policies being pursued by the current Administration are poised to waste taxpayer money while leaving rural communities and unconnected Americans behind. At the same time, the dramatic recent increases in funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act mean that the federal government has more than enough resources to meet its broadband connectivity goals. Congress should therefore hold the agencies accountable so that taxpayer money is used effectively to promote broadband connectivity across the nation. To that end, the next Administration should instruct the various departments and agencies that are administering broadband infrastructure funds to direct those resources to communities without adequate Internet infrastructure instead of to places that already enjoy broadband connectivity. Take, for example, the final rules that the Treasury Department adopted in 2022 that govern the expenditure of $350 billion in ARPA funds. Rather than directing those dollars to the rural and other communities that have no Internet infrastructure, the current — 856 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise Administration gave the green light for recipients to spend those funds to overbuild existing high-speed networks in communities that already have multiple broadband providers. A new Administration should eliminate government-funded overbuilding of existing networks. l Adopt a national coordinating strategy. Hundreds of billions of infrastructure dollars have been appropriated by Congress or budgeted by agencies over the past couple of years that can be used to end the digital divide. Yet, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, “U.S. broadband efforts are not guided by a national strategy”; instead, “[f]ederal broadband efforts are fragmented and overlapping, with more than 100 programs administered by 15 agencies,” risking overbuilding as well as wasteful duplication.26 Many of these programs remain plagued by inefficiency, further contributing to waste of limited taxpayer dollars. Moreover, the federal government is failing to put appropriate guardrails in place to govern the expenditure of billions in broadband funds. This is the regulatory equivalent of turning the spigot on full blast and then walking away from the hose. There is a worrisome lack of adequate tracking, measurement, and accountability standards governing all of this broadband spending. As a result, we are likely to see headline levels of waste, fraud, and abuse. A new Administration needs to bring fresh oversight to this spending and put a national strategy in place to ensure that the federal government adopts a coordinated approach to its various broadband initiatives. Similarly, the next Administration should ask the FCC to launch a review of its existing broadband programs, including the different components of the USF, with the goal of avoiding duplication, improving efficiency of existing programs, and saving taxpayer money. l Correct the FCC’s regulatory trajectory and encourage competition to improve connectivity. The FCC is a New Deal–era agency. Its history of regulation tends to reflect the view that the federal government should impose heavy-handed regulation rather than relying on competition and market forces to produce optimal outcomes. President Franklin D. Roosevelt recommended that Congress create the FCC in February 1934 for the purposes of establishing “a single Government agency charged with broad authority” over the field of communications.27 Congress subsequently established the FCC through the Communications Act of 1934. Congress has passed a number of additional statutes—some broad, some

Introduction

Moderate64.8%
Pages: 888-890

— 855 — Federal Communications Commission so a new Administration should redouble efforts to require timely reviews and final actions by agencies with jurisdiction over federal lands, including the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. l Advance America’s space leadership. One of the most significant technological developments of the past few years has been the emergence of a new generation of low-earth orbit satellites like StarLink and Kuiper. This technology can beam a reliable, high-speed Internet signal to nearly any part of the globe at a fraction of the cost of other technologies. This has the potential to significantly accelerate efforts to end the digital divide and disrupt the federal regulatory and subsidy regime that applies to communications networks. The FCC should expedite its work to support this new technology by acting more quickly in its review and approval of applications to launch new satellites. Otherwise, the U.S. risks ceding space leadership to entities based in countries with more friendly regulatory environments. Holding Government Accountable. Federal technology and telecommunica- tions programs have been plagued by a troubling lack of accountability and good governance. They would benefit from stronger oversight and a fresh look at elim- inating outdated regulations that are doing more harm than good. l End wasteful broadband spending policies. Many of the broadband spending policies being pursued by the current Administration are poised to waste taxpayer money while leaving rural communities and unconnected Americans behind. At the same time, the dramatic recent increases in funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act mean that the federal government has more than enough resources to meet its broadband connectivity goals. Congress should therefore hold the agencies accountable so that taxpayer money is used effectively to promote broadband connectivity across the nation. To that end, the next Administration should instruct the various departments and agencies that are administering broadband infrastructure funds to direct those resources to communities without adequate Internet infrastructure instead of to places that already enjoy broadband connectivity. Take, for example, the final rules that the Treasury Department adopted in 2022 that govern the expenditure of $350 billion in ARPA funds. Rather than directing those dollars to the rural and other communities that have no Internet infrastructure, the current

About These Correlations

Policy matches are calculated using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text. A score of 60% or higher indicates meaningful thematic overlap. This does not imply direct causation or intent, but highlights areas where legislation aligns with Project 2025 policy objectives.

Full Policy Text

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