[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 134 (Thursday, September 18, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S5874]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




ENHANCE LABELING, ACCESSING, AND BRANDING OF ELECTRONIC LICENSES ACT OF 
                                  2014

  Mr. PRYOR. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the 
immediate consideration of Calendar No. 570, S. 2583.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2583) to promote the non-exclusive use of 
     electronic labeling for devices licensed by the Federal 
     Communications Commission.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered 
made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill S. 2583 was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, was 
read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 2583

       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.

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