[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2555 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2555

   To provide opportunities for broadband investment, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 11, 2016

 Mr. Thune (for himself and Mr. Nelson) introduced the following bill; 
    which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To provide opportunities for broadband investment, and for other 
                               purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Making 
Opportunities for Broadband Investment and Limiting Excessive and 
Needless Obstacles to Wireless Act'' or the ``MOBILE NOW Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
Sec. 3. Making 500 megahertz available.
Sec. 4. Millimeter wave evaluation.
Sec. 5. Reports on 3 gigahertz bands.
Sec. 6. Distributed antenna systems and small cell infrastructure.
Sec. 7. Communications facilities deployment on Federal property.
Sec. 8. Dig once.
Sec. 9. National broadband facilities asset database.
Sec. 10. Reallocation incentives.
Sec. 11. Bidirectional sharing study.
Sec. 12. Unlicensed services in guard bands.
Sec. 13. Pre-auction funding.
Sec. 14. Immediate transfer of funds.
Sec. 15. Amendments to the Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2015.
Sec. 16. Rules of construction.
Sec. 17. Relationship to Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act 
                            of 2012.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
        ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation of the Senate;
                    (B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
                House of Representatives; and
                    (C) each committee of the Senate or of the House of 
                Representatives with jurisdiction over a Federal entity 
                affected by the applicable section in which the term 
                appears.
            (2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
        Communications Commission.
            (3) Federal entity.--The term ``Federal entity'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 113(l) of the National 
        Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization 
        Act (47 U.S.C. 923(l)).
            (4) NTIA.--The term ``NTIA'' means the National 
        Telecommunications and Information Administration of the 
        Department of Commerce.
            (5) OMB.--The term ``OMB'' means the Office of Management 
        and Budget.
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Commerce.

SEC. 3. MAKING 500 MEGAHERTZ AVAILABLE.

    (a) Requirements.--
            (1) In general.--Consistent with the Presidential 
        Memorandum of June 28, 2010, entitled ``Unleashing the Wireless 
        Broadband Revolution'' and establishing a goal of making a 
        total of 500 megahertz of Federal and non-Federal spectrum 
        available for wireless broadband use by 2020, not later than 
        December 31, 2020, the Secretary, working through the NTIA, and 
        the Commission shall make available a total of at least 255 
        megahertz of Federal and non-Federal spectrum below the 
        frequency of 6000 megahertz for mobile and fixed wireless 
        broadband use.
            (2) Availability.--The spectrum made available under 
        paragraph (1) shall be made available to be licensed by the 
        Commission for exclusive use, or made available on a licensed 
        or unlicensed basis for shared use by non-Federal and Federal 
        users, to enable the deployment of wireless broadband services.
            (3) Non-eligible bands.--For purposes of satisfying the 
        requirement under paragraph (1), the following spectrum bands 
        shall not be counted:
                    (A) The band between 1695 and 1710 megahertz.
                    (B) The band between 1755 and 1780 megahertz.
                    (C) The band between 2155 and 2180 megahertz.
                    (D) The band between 3550 and 3700 megahertz.
            (4) Relocation prioritized over sharing.--This section 
        shall be carried out in accordance with section 113(j) of the 
        National Telecommunications and Information Administration 
        Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 923(j)).
            (5) Considerations.--In making spectrum available under 
        this section, the Secretary and Commission shall consider--
                    (A) the need to preserve critical existing and 
                planned Federal Government capabilities;
                    (B) the impact on existing State, local, and tribal 
                government capabilities;
                    (C) the international implications; and
                    (D) the need for appropriate enforcement mechanisms 
                and authorities.
    (b) Rules of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed--
            (1) to impair or otherwise affect the functions of the 
        Director of OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, or 
        legislative proposals;
            (2) to require the disclosure of classified information, 
        law enforcement sensitive information, or other information 
        that must be protected in the interest of national security; or
            (3) to affect any requirement under section 156 of the 
        National Telecommunications and Information Administration 
        Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 921 note), as added by section 
        1062(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
        Year 2000, or any other relevant statutory requirement 
        applicable to the reallocation of Federal spectrum.

SEC. 4. MILLIMETER WAVE EVALUATION.

    (a) Feasibility Assessment.--Not later than 18 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act or December 31, 2017, whichever comes 
earlier, the NTIA, in consultation with the Commission, shall conduct a 
feasibility assessment regarding the impact of authorizing mobile or 
fixed terrestrial wireless operations, including for advanced mobile 
service operations, on Federal entities and operations in any of the 
following frequencies with Federal allocations:
            (1) The band between 24250 and 24450 megahertz.
            (2) The band between 25050 and 25250 megahertz.
            (3) The band between 31800 and 33400 megahertz.
            (4) The band between 42000 and 42500 megahertz.
            (5) The band between 71000 and 76000 megahertz.
            (6) The band between 81000 and 86000 megahertz.
    (b) Requirements.--In conducting the feasibility assessment under 
subsection (a), the NTIA shall--
            (1) consult directly with Federal entities with respect to 
        frequencies with Federal allocations identified in that 
        subsection;
            (2) consider what, if any, impact authorizing mobile or 
        fixed terrestrial wireless operations, including advanced 
        mobile services operations, in any of the bands described in 
        that subsection would have on an affected Federal entity;
            (3) consider how the bands described in that subsection may 
        be used to provide commercial wireless broadband service, 
        including whether--
                    (A) such spectrum may be best used for licensed or 
                unlicensed services, or some combination thereof; and
                    (B) to permit additional licensed operations in 
                such bands on a shared basis; and
            (4) identify any bands, or a portion thereof, described in 
        that subsection that the NTIA assessment determines are 
        feasible for authorizing for mobile or fixed terrestrial 
        wireless operations, including any advanced mobile service 
        operations.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 30 days after the date the 
feasibility assessment under subsection (a) is complete, the NTIA shall 
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the 
feasibility assessment.
    (d) FCC Proceeding.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Commission, in consultation with the NTIA, 
shall publish a notice of proposed rulemaking to consider service rules 
to authorize mobile or fixed terrestrial wireless operations, including 
for advanced mobile service operations, in the following radio 
frequency bands:
            (1) The band between 24250 and 24450 megahertz, except for 
        any frequencies with Federal allocations.
            (2) The band between 25050 and 25250 megahertz, except for 
        any frequencies with Federal allocations.
            (3) The band between 31800 and 33400 megahertz, except for 
        any frequencies with Federal allocations.
            (4) The band between 42000 and 42500 megahertz, except for 
        any frequencies with Federal allocations.
            (5) The band between 71000 and 76000 megahertz, except for 
        any frequencies with Federal allocations.
            (6) The band between 81000 and 86000 megahertz, except for 
        any frequencies with Federal allocations.
            (7) Any bands identified as feasible under subsection 
        (b)(4).
    (e) Considerations.--In conducting the rulemaking under subsection 
(d), the Commission shall--
            (1) consult with Federal entities via the NTIA regarding 
        the bands described in subsection (d)(7);
            (2) consider how the bands described in subsection (d) may 
        be used to provide commercial wireless broadband service, 
        including whether--
                    (A) such spectrum may be best used for licensed or 
                unlicensed services, or some combination thereof; and
                    (B) to permit additional licensed operations in 
                such bands on a shared basis; and
            (3) include technical characteristics under which the bands 
        described in subsection (d) may be employed for mobile or fixed 
        terrestrial wireless operations, including any appropriate 
        coexistence requirements.

SEC. 5. REPORTS ON 3 GIGAHERTZ BANDS.

    (a) Between 3100 Megahertz and 3550 Megahertz.--Not later than 3 
years after the date of enactment of this Act, and in consultation with 
the Commission and the head of each affected Federal agency (or a 
designee thereof), the Secretary shall submit to the President and the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report evaluating the feasibility 
of allowing commercial wireless services, licensed or unlicensed, to 
share use of the frequencies between 3100 megahertz and 3550 megahertz.
    (b) Between 3700 Megahertz and 4200 Megahertz.--Not later than 3 
years after the date of enactment of this Act, and in consultation with 
the Secretary and the head of each affected Federal agency (or a 
designee thereof), the Commission shall submit to the President and the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report evaluating the feasibility 
of allowing commercial wireless services, licensed or unlicensed, to 
share use of the frequencies between 3700 megahertz and 4200 megahertz.
    (c) Requirements.--A report under subsection (a) or subsection (b) 
shall include the following:
            (1) An assessment of the operations of Federal entities 
        that operate Federal Government stations authorized to use the 
        frequencies described in that subsection.
            (2) An assessment of the possible impacts of such sharing 
        on Federal and non-Federal users already operating on the 
        frequencies described in that subsection.
            (3) The criteria that may be necessary to ensure shared 
        licensed or unlicensed services would not cause harmful 
        interference to Federal or non-Federal users already operating 
        in the frequencies described in that subsection.
            (4) If such sharing is feasible, an identification of which 
        of the frequencies described in that subsection are most 
        suitable for sharing with commercial wireless services.
    (d) Plans for Auction of Certain Spectrum.--The Commission shall 
include any spectrum identified under subsection (c)(4) for assignment 
of new licenses for non-Federal use in a report under section 1006 of 
the Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-74; 129 Stat. 621) 
if--
            (1) that spectrum is suitable for allocation by competitive 
        bidding of new licenses for non-Federal licensed use;
            (2) that spectrum otherwise meets the requirements of the 
        proposed plan for the assignment of new licenses for non-
        Federal use of certain spectrum under section 1006 of the 
        Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-74; 129 Stat. 
        621); and
            (3) the identification of that spectrum under subsection 
        (c)(4) occurs after the requirements under section 3 have been 
        met.

SEC. 6. DISTRIBUTED ANTENNA SYSTEMS AND SMALL CELL INFRASTRUCTURE.

    Not later than December 31, 2016, the Commission shall take action 
in its Program Alternatives for Small Wireless Communications Facility 
Deployments proceeding (WT Docket 15-180).

SEC. 7. COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES DEPLOYMENT ON FEDERAL PROPERTY.

    (a) In General.--Section 6409 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and 
Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455) is amended by striking 
subsections (b), (c), and (d) and inserting the following:
    ``(b) Federal Easements and Rights-of-Way.--
            ``(1) Grant.--If an executive agency, a State, a political 
        subdivision or agency of a State, or a person, firm, or 
        organization applies for the grant of an easement or right-of-
        way to, in, over, or on a building or other property owned by 
        the Federal Government for the right to install, construct, 
        modify, or maintain a communications facility installation, the 
        executive agency having control of the building or other 
        property may grant to the applicant, on behalf of the Federal 
        Government, subject to paragraph (5), an easement or right-of-
        way to perform such installation, construction, modification, 
        or maintenance.
            ``(2) Application.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Administrator of General 
                Services shall develop a common form for applications 
                for easements and rights-of-way under paragraph (1) for 
                all executive agencies that, except as provided in 
                subparagraph (B), shall be used by all executive 
                agencies and applicants with respect to the buildings 
                or other property of each such agency.
                    ``(B) Exception.--The requirement under 
                subparagraph (A) for an executive agency to use the 
                common form developed by the Administrator of General 
                Services shall not apply to an executive agency if the 
                head of an executive agency notifies the Administrator 
                that the executive agency uses a substantially similar 
                application.
            ``(3) Fee.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding any other 
                provision of law, the Administrator of General Services 
                shall establish a fee for the grant of an easement or 
                right-of-way pursuant to paragraph (1) that is based on 
                direct cost recovery.
                    ``(B) Exceptions.--The Administrator of General 
                Services may establish exceptions to the fee amount 
                required under subparagraph (A)--
                            ``(i) in consideration of the public 
                        benefit provided by a grant of an easement or 
                        right-of-way; and
                            ``(ii) in the interest of expanding 
                        wireless and broadband coverage.
            ``(4) Use of fees collected.--Any fee amounts collected by 
        an executive agency pursuant to paragraph (3) may be made 
        available, as provided in appropriations Acts, to such agency 
        to cover the costs of granting the easement or right-of-way.
            ``(5) Timely consideration of applications.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Within a reasonable period of 
                time after the date on which an executive agency 
                receives a duly filed application for an easement or 
                right-of-way under this subsection, the executive 
                agency shall--
                            ``(i) grant or deny, on behalf of the 
                        Federal Government, the application; and
                            ``(ii) notify the applicant of the grant or 
                        denial.
                    ``(B) Explanation of denial.--If an executive 
                agency denies an application under subparagraph (A), 
                the executive agency shall notify the applicant in 
                writing, including a clear statement of the reasons for 
                the denial.
                    ``(C) Explanation of delay.--If an executive agency 
                has not granted or denied an application under 
                subparagraph (A) before the date that is 150 days after 
                the date that the executive agency received a duly 
                filed application, the executive agency shall notify 
                the applicant in writing, including a clear statement 
                of the reasons for the delay.
                    ``(D) Applicability of environmental laws.--Nothing 
                in this paragraph shall be construed to relieve an 
                executive agency of the requirements of the National 
                Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.) or 
                the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
                U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
                    ``(E) Point of contact.--Upon receiving an 
                application under subparagraph (A), an executive agency 
                shall designate 1 or more appropriate individuals 
                within the executive agency to act as a point of 
                contact with the applicant.
    ``(c) Master Contracts for Communications Facility Installation 
Sitings.--
            ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding section 704 of the 
        Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-104; 110 Stat. 
        151) or any other provision of law, the Administrator of 
        General Services shall--
                    ``(A) develop 1 or more master contracts that shall 
                govern the placement of communications facility 
                installation on buildings and other property owned by 
                the Federal Government; and
                    ``(B) in developing the master contract or 
                contracts, standardize the treatment of the placement 
                of communications facility installation on building 
                rooftops or facades, the placement of communications 
                facility installation on rooftops or inside buildings, 
                the technology used in connection with communications 
                facility installation placed on Federal buildings and 
                other property, and any other key issues the 
                Administrator of General Services considers 
                appropriate.
            ``(2) Applicability.--The master contract or contracts 
        developed by the Administrator of General Services under 
        paragraph (1) shall apply to all publicly accessible buildings 
        and other property owned by the Federal Government, unless the 
        Administrator of General Services decides that issues with 
        respect to the siting of a communications facility installation 
        on a specific building or other property warrant nonstandard 
        treatment of such building or other property.
            ``(3) Application.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Administrator of General 
                Services shall develop a common form or set of forms 
                for communications facility installation siting 
                applications that, except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), shall be used by all executive agencies and 
                applicants with respect to the buildings and other 
                property of each such agency.
                    ``(B) Exception.--The requirement under 
                subparagraph (A) for an executive agency to use the 
                common form or set of forms developed by the 
                Administrator of General Services shall not apply to an 
                executive agency if the head of the executive agency 
                notifies the Administrator that the executive agency 
                uses a substantially similar application.
    ``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Communications facility installation.--The term 
        `communications facility installation' includes--
                    ``(A) any infrastructure, including any 
                transmitting device, tower, or support structure, and 
                any equipment, switches, wiring, cabling, power 
                sources, shelters, or cabinets, associated with the 
                licensed or permitted unlicensed wireless or wireline 
                transmission of writings, signs, signals, data, images, 
                pictures, and sounds of all kinds; and
                    ``(B) any antenna or apparatus that--
                            ``(i) is designed for the purpose of 
                        emitting radio frequency;
                            ``(ii) is designed to be operated, or is 
                        operating, from a fixed location pursuant to 
                        authorization by the Commission or is using 
                        duly authorized devices that do not require 
                        individual licenses; and
                            ``(iii) is added to a tower, building, or 
                        other structure.
            ``(2) Executive agency.--The term `executive agency' has 
        the meaning given such term in section 102 of title 40, United 
        States Code.''.
    (b) Savings Provision.--An application for an easement or right-of-
way that was made or granted under section 6409 of the Middle Class Tax 
Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455) before the 
effective date of this Act shall continue, subject to that section as 
in effect on the day before such effective date.

SEC. 8. DIG ONCE.

    (a) Policy.--It is the policy of the United States to encourage the 
deployment of communications facilities and services because of the 
benefits to interstate commerce from investment in and use of such 
communications facilities and services.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that Federal 
agencies should endeavor to create policy that--
            (1) evaluates and provides for the inclusion of broadband 
        conduit installation in federally funded highway construction 
        projects;
            (2) provides for such inclusion without negatively 
        impacting the safety, operations, and maintenance of the 
        highway facility, its users, or others;
            (3) promotes investment and competition by ensuring that 
        communications providers may access such conduit on a 
        nondiscriminatory basis; and
            (4) limits any burden on State departments of 
        transportation incurred by the inclusion of broadband conduit 
        in such projects.

SEC. 9. NATIONAL BROADBAND FACILITIES ASSET DATABASE.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Communications facility installation.--The term 
        ``communications facility installation'' includes--
                    (A) any infrastructure, including any transmitting 
                device, tower, or support structure, and any equipment, 
                switches, wiring, cabling, power sources, shelters, or 
                cabinets, associated with the licensed or permitted 
                unlicensed wireless or wireline transmission of 
                writings, signs, signals, data, images, pictures, and 
                sounds of all kinds; and
                    (B) any antenna or apparatus that--
                            (i) is designed for the purpose of emitting 
                        radio frequency;
                            (ii) is designed to be operated, or is 
                        operating, from a fixed location pursuant to 
                        authorization by the Federal Communications 
                        Commission or is using duly authorized devices 
                        that do not require individual licenses; and
                            (iii) is added to a tower, building, or 
                        other structure.
            (2) Covered property.--The term ``covered property''--
                    (A) means any real property capable of supporting a 
                communications facility installation; and
                    (B) includes any interest in real property 
                described in subparagraph (A).
            (3) Database.--The term ``database'' means the database 
        established under subsection (b).
            (4) Executive agency.--The term ``Executive agency'' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 105 of title 5, United 
        States Code.
    (b) Database Established.--Not later than June 30, 2018, the 
Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, in 
consultation with the Chairman of the Federal Communications 
Commission, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and 
Information, Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology, 
Administrator of General Services, and Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget, shall--
            (1) establish and operate a single database of any covered 
        property that is owned, leased, or otherwise managed by an 
        Executive agency;
            (2) make the database available to--
                    (A) any entity that--
                            (i) constructs or operates communications 
                        facility installations; or
                            (ii) provides communications service; and
                    (B) any other entity that the Director of the 
                Office of Science and Technology Policy determines is 
                appropriate; and
            (3) establish a process for withholding data from the 
        database for national security, public safety, or other 
        national strategic concerns in accordance with existing 
        statutory authority and Executive order mandates with respect 
        to handling and protection of such information.
    (c) Public Comment.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
        enactment of the MOBILE NOW Act, the Director of the Office of 
        Science and Technology Policy shall seek public comment to 
        inform the establishment and operation of the database.
            (2) Contents.--In seeking public comment under paragraph 
        (1), the Director shall include a request for recommendations 
        on--
                    (A) criteria that make real property capable of 
                supporting communications facility installations;
                    (B) types of information related to covered 
                property that should be included in the database;
                    (C) an interface by which accessibility to the 
                database for all users will be appropriately efficient 
                and secure; and
                    (D) other information the Director determines 
                necessary to establish and operate the database.
    (d) Federal Agencies.--
            (1) Initial provision of information.--Not later than 90 
        days after the date on which the database is established under 
        subsection (b), the head of an Executive agency shall provide 
        to the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, 
        in a manner and format to be determined by the Director, such 
        information as the Director determines appropriate with respect 
        to covered property owned, leased, or otherwise managed by the 
        Executive agency.
            (2) Change to information previously provided.--In the case 
        of any change to information provided to the Director of the 
        Office of Science and Technology Policy by the head of an 
        Executive agency under paragraph (1), the head of the Executive 
        agency shall provide updated information to the Director not 
        later than 30 days after the date of the change.
            (3) Subsequently acquired property.--If an Executive agency 
        acquires covered property after the date on which the database 
        is established under subsection (b), the head of the Executive 
        agency shall provide to the Director of the Office of Science 
        and Technology Policy the information required under paragraph 
        (1) with respect to the covered property not later than 30 days 
        after the date of the acquisition.
    (e) State and Local Governments.--The Director of the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy shall make the database available to 
State and local governments so that such governments may provide to the 
Director for inclusion in the database similar information to the 
information required under paragraph (1) regarding covered property 
owned, leased, or otherwise managed by such governments.
    (f) Database Updates.--
            (1) Timely inclusion.--After the establishment of the 
        database, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
        Policy shall ensure that information provided under subsection 
        (d) or subsection (e) is included in the database not later 
        than 7 days after the date on which the Director receives the 
        information.
            (2) Date of addition or update.--Information in the 
        database relating to covered property shall include the date on 
        which the information was added or most recently updated.
    (g) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date the Director of 
the Office of Science and Technology Policy seeks public comment under 
subsection (c)(1), the Director shall submit to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the 
progress in establishing the database under this section. The Director 
shall update the report annually until the date that the database is 
fully operational.

SEC. 10. REALLOCATION INCENTIVES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the 
Commission, the Director of OMB, and the head of each affected Federal 
agency (or a designee thereof) shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report that includes legislative or regulatory 
recommendations to incentivize a Federal entity to relinquish, or share 
with Federal or non-Federal users, Federal spectrum for the purpose of 
allowing commercial wireless broadband services to operate on that 
Federal spectrum.
    (b) Post-Auction Payments.--
            (1) Report.--In preparing the report under subsection (a), 
        the Secretary shall--
                    (A) consider whether permitting eligible Federal 
                entities that are implementing a transition plan 
                submitted under section 113(h) of the National 
                Telecommunications and Information Administration 
                Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 923(h)) to accept payments 
                could result in access to the eligible frequencies that 
                are being reallocated for exclusive non-Federal use or 
                shared use sooner than would otherwise occur without 
                such payments; and
                    (B) include the findings under subparagraph (A), 
                including the analysis under paragraph (2) and any 
                recommendations for legislation, in the report.
            (2) Analysis.--In considering payments under paragraph 
        (1)(A), the Secretary shall conduct an analysis of whether and 
        how such payments would affect--
                    (A) bidding in auctions conducted under section 
                309(j) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 
                309(j)) of such eligible frequencies; and
                    (B) receipts collected from the auctions described 
                in subparagraph (A).
            (3) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    (A) Payment.--The term ``payment'' means a payment 
                in cash or in-kind by any auction winner, or any person 
                affiliated with an auction winner, of eligible 
                frequencies during the period after eligible 
                frequencies have been reallocated by competitive 
                bidding under section 309(j) of the Communications Act 
                of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 309(j)) but prior to the completion 
                of relocation or sharing transition of such eligible 
                frequencies per transition plans approved by the 
                Technical Panel.
                    (B) Eligible frequencies.--The term ``eligible 
                frequencies'' has the meaning given the term in section 
                113(g)(2) of the National Telecommunications and 
                Information Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 
                923(g)(2)).

SEC. 11. BIDIRECTIONAL SHARING STUDY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, including an opportunity for public comment, the 
Commission, in collaboration with the NTIA, shall--
            (1) conduct a bidirectional sharing study to determine the 
        best means of providing Federal entities flexible access to 
        non-Federal spectrum on a shared basis across a range of short-
        , mid-, and long-range timeframes, including for intermittent 
        purposes like emergency use; and
            (2) submit to Congress a report on the study under 
        paragraph (1), including any recommendations for legislation or 
        proposed regulations.
    (b) Considerations.--In conducting the study under subsection (a), 
the Commission shall consider how to balance the regulatory certainty 
that commercial spectrum users and Federal entities need to make 
longer-term investment decisions for shared access to be viable.

SEC. 12. UNLICENSED SERVICES IN GUARD BANDS.

    (a) In General.--After a feasibility assessment and public notice 
and comment, and in consultation with the Secretary and the head of 
each affected Federal agency (or a designee thereof), the Commission 
shall adopt rules that permit unlicensed services where feasible to use 
any frequencies that are designated as guard bands to protect 
frequencies allocated after the date of enactment of this Act by 
competitive bidding under section 309(j) of the Communications Act of 
1934 (47 U.S.C. 309(j)), including spectrum that acts as a duplex gap 
between transmit and receive frequencies.
    (b) Limitation.--The Commission may not permit any use of a guard 
band under this section that would cause harmful interference to a 
licensed service or a Federal service operating in the guard band or in 
an adjacent band.
    (c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed as limiting the Commission or the Secretary from making 
spectrum available for licensed or unlicensed use under section 3 or 
available for unlicensed use in any spectrum band under existing rules 
and regulations.

SEC. 13. PRE-AUCTION FUNDING.

    Section 118(d)(3)(B)(i)(II) of the National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 
928(d)(3)(B)(i)(II)) is amended by striking ``5 years'' and inserting 
``8 years''.

SEC. 14. IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF FUNDS.

    Section 118(e)(1) of the National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 928(e)(1)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) At the request of an eligible Federal entity, 
                the Director of OMB may transfer the amount under 
                subparagraph (A) immediately--
                            ``(i) after the frequencies are reallocated 
                        by competitive bidding under section 309(j) of 
                        the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 
                        309(j)); or
                            ``(ii) in the case of an incumbent Federal 
                        entity that is incurring relocation or sharing 
                        costs to accommodate sharing spectrum 
                        frequencies with another Federal entity, after 
                        the frequencies from which the other eligible 
                        Federal entity is relocating are reallocated by 
                        competitive bidding under section 309(j) of the 
                        Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 309(j)), 
                        without regard to the availability of such sums 
                        in the Fund.
                    ``(E) Prior to the deposit of proceeds into the 
                Fund from an auction, the Director of OMB may borrow 
                from the Treasury the amount under subparagraph (A) for 
                a transfer under subparagraph (D). The Treasury shall 
                immediately be reimbursed, without interest, from funds 
                deposited into the Fund.''.

SEC. 15. AMENDMENTS TO THE SPECTRUM PIPELINE ACT OF 2015.

    Section 1008 of the Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-
74; 129 Stat. 584) is amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by 
inserting ``, after an opportunity for public comment,'' after ``the 
Commission''.

SEC. 16. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.

    (a) Ranges of Frequencies.--Each range of frequencies described in 
this Act shall be construed to be inclusive of the upper and lower 
frequencies in the range.
    (b) Assessment of Electromagnetic Spectrum Reallocation.--Nothing 
in this Act shall be construed to affect any requirement under section 
156 of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration 
Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 921 note), as added by section 1062(a) of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000.

SEC. 17. RELATIONSHIP TO MIDDLE CLASS TAX RELIEF AND JOB CREATION ACT 
              OF 2012.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit, restrict, or 
circumvent in any way the implementation of the nationwide public 
safety broadband network defined in section 6001 of title VI of the 
Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1401) 
or any rules implementing that network under title VI of that Act (47 
U.S.C. 1401 et seq.).
                                 <all>