[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4224 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4224

 To authorize the Federal Communications Commission to enforce its own 
forfeiture penalties with respect to violations of restrictions on the 
                      use of telephone equipment.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 20, 2023

  Ms. Matsui introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 
   the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize the Federal Communications Commission to enforce its own 
forfeiture penalties with respect to violations of restrictions on the 
                      use of telephone equipment.

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

SECTION 1. ENFORCEMENT OF FORFEITURE PENALTIES BY FEDERAL 
              COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--Title V of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
U.S.C. 501 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) in section 503(b)(3)(B) (47 U.S.C. 503(b)(3)(B)), by 
        striking ``In such action,'' and inserting the following: ``If, 
        during the 120-day period beginning on the date of a referral 
        of an unpaid forfeiture penalty imposed for a violation of 
        section 227 (relating to restrictions on the use of telephone 
        equipment), the Attorney General does not commence an action to 
        recover the amount assessed, the Commission may commence and 
        supervise the litigation of such an action and any appeal of 
        such an action in its own name by any of its attorneys 
        designated by it for such purpose. In any action under this 
        subparagraph,''; and
            (2) in section 504(a) (47 U.S.C. 504(a))--
                    (A) by striking ``It shall be the duty'' and 
                inserting ``Except as provided in the subsequent 
                sentence, it shall be the duty''; and
                    (B) by striking ``The costs and expenses of such 
                prosecutions'' and inserting the following: ``If, 
                during the 120-day period beginning on the date on 
                which the Commission refers an unpaid forfeiture 
                penalty imposed for a violation of section 227 
                (relating to restrictions on the use of telephone 
                equipment) to the Attorney General for prosecution 
                under this subsection, the Attorney General does not 
                commence such a prosecution, the Commission may 
                prosecute for the recovery of the forfeiture penalty. 
                The costs and expenses of a prosecution under this 
                subsection''.
    (b) Priority.--In carrying out the amendments made by subsection 
(a) of this section, the Federal Communications Commission shall 
prioritize enforcement of unpaid forfeiture penalties imposed for a 
violation of section 227 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 
227) (relating to restrictions on the use of telephone equipment) that 
are greater than $25,000,000.
                                 <all>