[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4950 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4950
To amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Organization Act to codify the Institute for Telecommunication
Sciences, to direct the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for
Communications and Information to establish an initiative to support
the development of emergency communication and tracking technologies,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 13, 2026
Ms. Duckworth introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Organization Act to codify the Institute for Telecommunication
Sciences, to direct the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for
Communications and Information to establish an initiative to support
the development of emergency communication and tracking technologies,
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.
This Act may be cited as the ``Institute for Telecommunication
Sciences Codification Act'' or the ``ITS Codification Act''.
SEC. 2. INSTITUTE FOR TELECOMMUNICATION SCIENCES.
Part A of the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 106. INSTITUTE FOR TELECOMMUNICATION SCIENCES.
``(a) Establishment.--
``(1) Definition.--In this subsection, the term `Federal
spectrum' means frequencies assigned on a primary basis to a
Federal entity, as defined in section 113(l).
``(2) Operation.--Under the authority provided to the
Assistant Secretary under section 103, the Assistant Secretary
shall operate a test center to be known as the Institute for
Telecommunication Sciences (referred to in this section as
`ITS').
``(3) Functions.--
``(A) In general.--In addition to any functions
delegated by the Assistant Secretary under subparagraph
(B), ITS shall serve as a laboratory for the executive
branch of the Federal Government to--
``(i) study radio frequency emissions,
including technologies and techniques to
control those emissions and interference caused
by those emissions;
``(ii) study spectrum propagation
characteristics;
``(iii) conduct tests on technology that
enhances the sharing of electromagnetic
spectrum between Federal and non-Federal users;
``(iv) examine the interference tolerance
of Federal systems operating with, or using,
Federal spectrum, in collaboration with other
Federal laboratories examining such issues;
``(v) analyze activities relating to access
to Federal spectrum by non-Federal users and
the sharing of Federal spectrum between Federal
and non-Federal users; and
``(vi) conduct such other activities
determined necessary by the Assistant
Secretary.
``(B) Additional functions.--The Assistant
Secretary may delegate to ITS the specific functions
assigned to the Assistant Secretary under section
103(b)(1), as they relate to the responsibility for the
performance of the communications and information
functions of the Secretary, pursuant to that section.
``(4) Agreements and transactions.--In carrying out the
functions described in paragraph (3), the Assistant Secretary,
acting through the head of ITS, may enter into agreements, as
provided under the following authorities:
``(A) Sections 11 and 12 of the Stevenson-Wydler
Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710,
3710a).
``(B) Section 1535 of title 31, United States Code.
``(C) Sections 207 and 209 of title 35, United
States Code.
``(D) The first undesignated section of the Act
entitled `An Act to authorize the Department of
Commerce to make special studies, to provide services,
and to engage in joint projects, and for other
purposes', approved September 25, 1970 (Public Law 91-
412).
``(b) Emergency Communication and Tracking Technologies
Initiative.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Assistant Secretary, acting
through the head of ITS, shall establish an initiative to
support the development of emergency communication and tracking
technologies for use in locating trapped individuals in
confined spaces (such as underground mines) and other shielded
environments (such as high-rise buildings or collapsed
structures) where conventional radio communication is limited.
``(2) Activities.--In order to carry out this subsection,
the Assistant Secretary, acting through the head of ITS, shall
work with private sector entities and the heads of appropriate
Federal agencies to--
``(A) perform a needs assessment to identify and
evaluate the measurement, technical specifications, and
conformity assessment needs required to improve the
operation and reliability of emergency communication
and tracking technologies described in paragraph (1);
and
``(B) support the development of technical
specifications and conformance architecture to improve
the operation and reliability of emergency
communication and tracking technologies described in
paragraph (1).
``(3) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this section, the Assistant Secretary shall submit
to Congress, and make publicly available, a report on the
assessment performed under paragraph (2)(A).''.
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