On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into law.  A copy of the entire Act is available here.  Section 6001(k) of the Act required the Federal Communications Commission to do the following:

(k)(1) Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Commission shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, a report containing a national broadband plan.

(2) The national broadband plan required by this section shall seek to ensure that all people of the United States have access to broadband capability and shall establish benchmarks for meeting that goal. The plan shall also include—

      (A) an analysis of the most effective and efficient mechanisms for ensuring broadband access by all people of the United States;

      (B) a detailed strategy for achieving affordability of such service and maximum utilization of broadband infrastructure and service by the public;

      (C) an evaluation of the status of deployment of broadband service, including progress of projects supported by the grants made pursuant to this section; and

      (D) a plan for use of broadband infrastructure and services in advancing consumer welfare, civic participation, public safety and homeland security, community development, health care delivery, energy independence and efficiency, education, worker training, private sector investment, entrepreneurial activity, job creation and economic growth, and other national purposes.

 (3) In developing the plan, the Commission shall have access to data provided to other Government agencies under the Broadband Data Improvement Act (47 U.S.C. 1301 note).

On March 16, 2010, the Commission delivered its proposed National Broadband Plan to Congress.  Entitled "Connecting America: The National Broadband Plan," the full text of the Plan is available here.  For additional information, including links to the Commission's public hearings, interim reports, etc., click on this link.