[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5161 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5161


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 15, 2014

    Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To promote the non-exclusive use of electronic labeling for devices 
           licensed by the Federal Communications Commission.

    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 ``Enhance Labeling, Accessing, and 
Branding of Electronic Licenses Act of 2014'' or the ``E-LABEL Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Federal Communications Commission (referred to in 
        this section as the ``Commission'') first standardized physical 
        labels for licensed products such as computers, phones, and 
        other electronic devices in 1973, and the Commission has 
        continually refined physical label requirements over time.
            (2) As devices become smaller, compliance with physical 
        label requirements can become more difficult and costly.
            (3) Many manufacturers and consumers of licensed devices in 
        the United States would prefer to have the option to provide or 
        receive important Commission labeling information digitally on 
        the screen of the device, at the discretion of the user.
            (4) An electronic labeling option would give flexibility to 
        manufacturers in meeting labeling requirements.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION FOR FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION TO ALLOW 
              ELECTRONIC LABELING.

    Title VII of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 720. OPTIONAL ELECTRONIC LABELING OF COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section--
            ``(1) the term `electronic labeling' means displaying 
        required labeling and regulatory information electronically; 
        and
            ``(2) the term `radiofrequency device with display' means 
        any equipment or device that--
                    ``(A) is required under regulations of the 
                Commission to be authorized by the Commission before 
                the equipment or device may be marketed or sold within 
                the United States; and
                    ``(B) has the capability to digitally display 
                required labeling and regulatory information.
    ``(b) Requirement To Promulgate Regulations for Electronic 
Labeling.--Not later than 9 months after the date of enactment of the 
Enhance Labeling, Accessing, and Branding of Electronic Licenses Act of 
2014, the Commission shall promulgate regulations or take other 
appropriate action, as necessary, to allow manufacturers of 
radiofrequency devices with display the option to use electronic 
labeling for the equipment in place of affixing physical labels to the 
equipment.''.

SEC. 4. SAVINGS CLAUSE.

    The amendment made by section 3 shall not be construed to affect 
the authority of the Federal Communications Commission under section 
302 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 302a) to provide for 
electronic labeling of devices.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 11, 2014.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.