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Eshoo’s Community Broadband Act of 2016 comes a month after the states of North Carolina and Tennessee won a federal appeals court ruling preserving laws preventing municipal broadband providers from expanding outside their territories. The Federal Communications Commission had tried to overturn the laws, which remain in place in about 20 states.

“I’m disappointed that a recent court ruling blocked the FCC’s efforts to allow local communities to decide for themselves how best to ensure that their residents have broadband access,” Eshoo said in an announcement. “Rather than restricting local communities in need of broadband, we should be empowering them to make the decisions they determine are in the best interests of their constituents. Too many Americans still lack access to quality, affordable broadband and community broadband projects are an important way to bring this critical service to more citizens.”