[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2653 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2653

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT



  To direct the Federal Communications Commission to make efforts to 
  reduce telephone rates for Armed Forces personnel deployed overseas.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Call Home Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. TELEPHONE RATES FOR MEMBERS OF ARMED FORCES DEPLOYED ABROAD.

    (a) In General.--The Federal Communications Commission shall take 
such action as may be necessary to reduce the cost of calling home for 
Armed Forces personnel who are stationed outside the United States 
under official military orders or deployed outside the United States in 
support of military operations, training exercises, or other purposes 
as approved by the Secretary of Defense, including the reduction of 
such costs through the waiver of government fees, assessments, or other 
charges for such calls. The Commission may not regulate rates in order 
to carry out this section.
    (b) Factors to Consider.--In taking the action described in 
subsection (a), the Commission, in coordination with the Department of 
Defense and the Department of State, shall--
            (1) evaluate and analyze the costs to Armed Forces 
        personnel of such telephone calls to and from American military 
        bases abroad;
            (2) evaluate methods of reducing the rates imposed on such 
        calls, including deployment of new technology such as voice 
        over internet protocol or other Internet protocol technology;
            (3) encourage telecommunications carriers (as defined in 
        section 3(44) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 
        153(44))) to adopt flexible billing procedures and policies for 
        Armed Forces personnel and their dependents for telephone calls 
        to and from such Armed Forces personnel; and
            (4) seek agreements with foreign governments to reduce 
        international surcharges on such telephone calls.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Armed forces.--The term ``Armed Forces'' has the 
        meaning given that term by section 2101(2) of title 5, United 
        States Code.
            (2) Military base.--The term ``military base'' includes 
        official duty stations to include vessels, whether such vessels 
        are in port or underway outside of the United States.

SEC. 3. REPEAL OF EXISTING AUTHORIZATION.

    Section 213 of the Telecommunications Authorization Act of 1992 (47 
U.S.C. 201 note) is repealed.

SEC. 4. PUBLIC SAFETY INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATIONS GRANTS.

    Pursuant to section 3006 of Public Law 109-171 (47 U.S.C. 309 
note), the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information of 
the Department of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of the 
Department of Homeland Security, shall award no less than 
$1,000,000,000 for public safety interoperable communications grants no 
later than September 30, 2007 subject to the receipt of qualified 
applications as determined by the Assistant Secretary.

            Passed the Senate December 6, 2006.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
109th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 2653

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

  To direct the Federal Communications Commission to make efforts to 
  reduce telephone rates for Armed Forces personnel deployed overseas.