[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3011 Reported in House (RH)]






                                                 Union Calendar No. 576
106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3011

                          [Report No. 106-978]

 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to improve the disclosure of 
   information concerning telephone charges, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 5, 1999

Mr. Bliley (for himself and Mr. Tauzin) introduced the following bill; 
            which was referred to the Committee on Commerce

                            October 12, 2000

 Additional sponsors: Mr. Pickering, Mrs. Northup, Mr. Terry, and Mr. 
                                 Vitter

                            October 12, 2000

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to improve the disclosure of 
   information concerning telephone charges, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Truth in Telephone Billing 
Act of 1999''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. TELEPHONE BILLING PRACTICES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Amendment.--Section 258 of the Communications Act of 
1934 (47 U.S.C. 258) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Truth-in-Billing.--A telecommunications carrier that 
is required to contribute to, or that is otherwise assessed for, any 
support mechanism under section 254, or any other governmental 
mechanism, fund, tax, or program, shall identify on each subscriber's 
bill--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) the identity of the governmental mechanism, 
        fund, tax, or program to which the contribution or assessment 
        is made, and the identity of the governmental authority whose 
        rules require or authorize the contribution or 
        assessment;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) the basis for the contribution or assessment 
        (such as per subscriber, per line, or percentage of some or all 
        charges or revenues); and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) as a separate line-item, the dollar amount 
        that is being attributed to and collected from such subscriber 
        for such governmental mechanism, fund, tax, or 
        program.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 258 is further amended 
by striking the designation and heading of such section and inserting 
the following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``SEC. 258. BILLING PRACTICES.''.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Truth in Telephone Billing Act of 
2000''.

SEC. 2. TELEPHONE BILLING PRACTICES.

    (a) Amendment.--Section 258 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
U.S.C. 258) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsections:
    ``(c) Truth-in-Billing.--A telecommunications carrier that is 
required to contribute to, or that is otherwise assessed for, any 
support mechanism under section 254, or any other governmental 
mechanism, fund, tax, or program, shall identify on each subscriber's 
bill, in simple, plain language (of no more than one line of text per 
dollar amount)--
            ``(1) the identity of the governmental mechanism, fund, 
        tax, or program to which the contribution or assessment is 
        made, and the identity of the governmental authority whose 
        rules require or authorize the contribution or assessment;
            ``(2) the basis for the contribution or assessment (such as 
        per subscriber, per line, or percentage of some or all charges 
        or revenues); and
            ``(3) as a separate line-item, the dollar amount that is 
        being attributed to and collected from such subscriber for such 
        governmental mechanism, fund, tax, or program.
    ``(d) Prohibition of Excess Charges.--If any telecommunications 
carrier that is subject to subsection (c) discloses to its subscribers 
under paragraph (3) of such subsection a total dollar amount for any 
billing period that exceeds the total dollar amount such carrier 
contributes to or is assessed for the applicable governmental 
mechanism, fund, tax, or program for such billing period, such carrier 
shall be liable for a forfeiture penalty equal to the amount of such 
excess, in addition to any other penalties for which the carrier may be 
liable under title V. The Commission may, by rule, provide for the 
distribution of any forfeiture penalties collected under this 
subsection to the affected subscribers.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 258 is further amended by 
striking the designation and heading of such section and inserting the 
following:

``SEC. 258. BILLING PRACTICES.''.

SEC. 3. STUDY REQUIRED.

    (a) Study of Subsidy System Required.--The Comptroller General 
shall conduct a study of the implicit and explicit subsidies from the 
government, taxpayers, and consumers to providers and consumers of 
telecommunications services, including subsidies in support of 
universal service required by section 254 of the Communications Act of 
1934 (47 U.S.C. 254), the systems for the collection and distribution 
of support for rural and high cost areas, lifeline services, 
connections of schools and libraries to the Internet, and rural health 
care services.
    (b) Report.--Within one year after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Congress a report on 
the results of the study conducted under subsection (a).




                                                 Union Calendar No. 576

106th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 3011

                          [Report No. 106-978]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to improve the disclosure of 
   information concerning telephone charges, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                            October 12, 2000

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed