[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 162 (Monday, November 14, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H6127-H6129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        IMPROVING RURAL CALL QUALITY AND RELIABILITY ACT OF 2016

  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2566) to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to ensure the 
integrity of voice communications and to prevent unjust or unreasonable 
discrimination among areas of the United States in the delivery of such 
communications, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2566

       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 ``Improving Rural Call Quality 
     and Reliability Act of 2016''.

     SEC. 2. ENSURING THE INTEGRITY OF VOICE COMMUNICATIONS.

       Part II of title II of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
     U.S.C. 251 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 262. ENSURING THE INTEGRITY OF VOICE COMMUNICATIONS.

       ``(a) Registration and Compliance by Intermediate 
     Providers.--An intermediate provider that offers or holds 
     itself out as offering the capability to transmit covered 
     voice communications from one destination to another and that 
     charges any rate to any other entity (including an affiliated 
     entity) for the transmission shall--
       ``(1) register with the Commission; and
       ``(2) comply with the service quality standards for such 
     transmission to be established by the Commission under 
     subsection (c)(1)(B).
       ``(b) Required Use of Registered Intermediate Providers.--A 
     covered provider may not use an intermediate provider to 
     transmit covered voice communications unless such 
     intermediate provider is registered under subsection (a)(1).
       ``(c) Commission Rules.--
       ``(1) In general.--
       ``(A) Registry.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this section, the Commission shall promulgate 
     rules to establish a registry to record registrations under 
     subsection (a)(1).

[[Page H6128]]

       ``(B) Service quality standards.--Not later than 1 year 
     after the date of enactment of this section, the Commission 
     shall promulgate rules to establish service quality standards 
     for the transmission of covered voice communications by 
     intermediate providers.
       ``(2) Requirements.--In promulgating the rules required by 
     paragraph (1), the Commission shall--
       ``(A) ensure the integrity of the transmission of covered 
     voice communications to all customers in the United States; 
     and
       ``(B) prevent unjust or unreasonable discrimination among 
     areas of the United States in the delivery of covered voice 
     communications.
       ``(d) Public Availability of Registry.--The Commission 
     shall make the registry established under subsection 
     (c)(1)(A) publicly available on the website of the 
     Commission.
       ``(e) Scope of Application.--The requirements of this 
     section shall apply regardless of the format by which any 
     communication or service is provided, the protocol or format 
     by which the transmission of such communication or service is 
     achieved, or the regulatory classification of such 
     communication or service.
       ``(f) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall 
     be construed to affect the regulatory classification of any 
     communication or service.
       ``(g) Effect on Other Laws.--Nothing in this section shall 
     be construed to preempt or expand the authority of a State 
     public utility commission or other relevant State agency to 
     collect data, or investigate and enforce State law and 
     regulations, regarding the completion of intrastate voice 
     communications, regardless of the format by which any 
     communication or service is provided, the protocol or format 
     by which the transmission of such communication or service is 
     achieved, or the regulatory classification of such 
     communication or service.
       ``(h) Exception.--The requirement under subsection (a)(2) 
     to comply with the service quality standards established 
     under subsection (c)(1)(B) shall not apply to a covered 
     provider that--
       ``(1) on or before the date that is 1 year after the date 
     of enactment of this section, has certified as a Safe Harbor 
     provider under section 64.2107(a) of title 47, Code of 
     Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation; and
       ``(2) continues to meet the requirements under such section 
     64.2107(a).
       ``(i) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Covered provider.--The term `covered provider' has 
     the meaning given the term in section 64.2101 of title 47, 
     Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor thereto.
       ``(2) Covered voice communication.--The term `covered voice 
     communication' means a voice communication (including any 
     related signaling information) that is generated--
       ``(A) from the placement of a call from a connection using 
     a North American Numbering Plan resource or a call placed to 
     a connection using such a numbering resource; and
       ``(B) through any service provided by a covered provider.
       ``(3) Intermediate provider.--The term `intermediate 
     provider' means any entity that--
       ``(A) enters into a business arrangement with a covered 
     provider or other intermediate provider for the specific 
     purpose of carrying, routing, or transmitting voice traffic 
     that is generated from the placement of a call placed--
       ``(i) from an end user connection using a North American 
     Numbering Plan resource; or
       ``(ii) to an end user connection using such a numbering 
     resource; and
       ``(B) does not itself, either directly or in conjunction 
     with an affiliate, serve as a covered provider in the context 
     of originating or terminating a given call.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Burgess) and the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
insert extraneous material in the Record on the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am happy to rise today in support of H.R. 2566, the 
Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act of 2016. This bill 
addresses a serious problem that impacts so many of our rural 
constituents: telephone calls that are not completed or, if they are, 
they are of poor quality.
  The Committee on Energy and Commerce has spent a great deal of time 
over the past 5 years looking to the future of technology, all the 
great and innovative things it will bring, all the ways in which it 
will change lives. While these new and exciting offerings are an 
important piece of the future, we can't ignore the very real 
technological problems that exist today. As we talk about 5G service 
and the Internet of Everything, let's not forget that for some folks 
the big technological advancement they are hoping for is to be actually 
able to receive all of their voice calls.
  The problem for rural customers comes when someone tries to call them 
but something goes wrong. Somewhere in the handoff and the delivery of 
traffic, calls to rural customers are being dropped or degraded. The 
caller continues to hear ringing on their end, but the call never makes 
it to the intended recipient. As our witnesses told us during the 
committee's consideration of the bill, this isn't just an inconvenience 
for them--it results in lost business or much worse.
  The simplest explanation for what happens is that the long-distance 
and voice traffic starts with one provider, who then hands off the call 
to a third-party router, who will ultimately deliver it to the end 
provider serving the person who is being called. This process is 
typically seamless, typically high quality, and is typically 
transparent to the American consumer. However, in rural and hard-to-
serve areas, it can be expensive to move traffic to remote customers, 
so the provider who originates the call will look for the least 
expensive option for delivering the call. In some cases, these least-
cost routers simply cut corners to offer the lowest prices, which means 
that the call can be low quality or not connected at all.
  This is a national problem affecting all of our constituents. So many 
of my colleagues shared letters that they received or stories that 
their constituents shared about how call failure or poor call quality 
has impacted their businesses or their lives.
  One of our witnesses operated a telephone company that serves rural 
customers in Ohio, and he has told us that he has lost customers over 
call completion issues. When his customers don't receive their calls, 
they get angry with him, even though he typically doesn't have any 
control over the path that the call must take to get to the network. In 
fact, he has made major network upgrades to improve his service to his 
customers, but when his customers miss a call, who do they contact? Not 
the least-cost router who abandoned the call traffic somewhere along 
the line. They call the provider or they find a new provider. In his 
case, he has lost a major business client because of call completion 
issues despite the fact he had not done anything wrong.
  The committee also heard from a witness who discussed another very 
real consequence of a call not going through. When a family tries to 
reach relatives in a rural area, particularly elderly relatives, they 
are unable to do so because the calls aren't completed. Understandably, 
this causes serious concern to the callers, who often turn to the local 
police department for help. As a result, the police must take time out 
of their day to check on the intended call recipient, who is typically 
fine other than the fact that their phone service is failing them.
  Today we consider the legislation authored by the gentleman from Iowa 
(Mr. Young). We have an opportunity to make a significant step forward 
in the fight to ensure that rural customers get the same high-quality 
voice service that others simply take for granted. By requiring the 
network providers in the middle to adhere to service standards, we also 
greatly improve the likelihood that calls are delivered to where they 
are supposed to go. By requiring these intermediate providers to 
register with the Federal Communications Commission, we deter 
fraudulent and bad actors that abuse the system and drop or degrade 
calls.
  I was very pleased to hear of the strong bipartisan support for this 
measure, and I am optimistic we can make a big difference in the way 
rural consumers receive their telephone calls.
  I do want to thank the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Young) for his work 
on behalf of his constituents and the rural consumers across the 
country.
  Reliable access to communications networks is a cornerstone of our 
telecommunications policy, and this bill takes steps to ensure that 
every person gets their telephone calls completed. I urge my colleagues 
to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I also rise to support H.R. 2566, the Improving Rural Call Quality 
and Reliability Act of 2016, a bipartisan piece of legislation 
introduced by Representative David Young and cosponsored by a

[[Page H6129]]

host of people, including members of the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce, Representatives Welch and Loebsack. This bill has a basic 
goal: ensuring that all Americans' phone calls go through.
  Several years ago, the Federal Communications Commission found that 
telephone customers were having significant problems with call 
completion in rural areas. Consumers were reporting false busy signals, 
calls not arriving, or long pauses after dialing the number. This 
matters not just for rural Americans, but also for people like my 
constituents in the Chicago area who want to reach loved ones across 
the country. We need reliable telephone service to keep us all 
connected.
  Call completions are often related to intermediate providers, the 
middleman hired to route calls. H.R. 2566 requires intermediate 
providers to register with the FCC and comply with service quality 
standards. This is a very important step to make sure that we can stay 
connected to one another. I urge my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Iowa (Mr. Young), the principal author of the bill.
  Mr. YOUNG of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas.
  Mr. Speaker, today I rise to speak in support of the Improving Rural 
Call Quality and Reliability Act I introduced in a bipartisan manner 
with my colleague from Vermont, Representative Peter Welch.
  Each month as I meet with Iowans in each of the 16 counties making up 
the great Third District of Iowa, I hear how rural America is 
struggling. The recent economic downturn has led to people leaving 
rural areas to seek opportunities elsewhere.
  In my home State of Iowa, rural communities are working to reverse 
these trends by attracting new businesses and amenities and 
opportunities for their residents. Now, communication is key to any 
business' success in reaching customers; yet in our rural communities 
across America, calls are not getting through or the connection and the 
quality are poor.
  Telephone companies often rely on intermediate providers to route 
calls from large networks to local service providers, sometimes to 
mixed results. But dropped, looped, poor-quality calls do not just hurt 
small businesses and consumers; they also hurt our families in need of 
emergency assistance and public services.
  Mr. Speaker, a family facing an emergency must be able to trust they 
will be able to reach assistance no matter where they live. Improving 
rural call completion rates and quality is essential to ensuring 
families in rural America have access to the services and amenities 
offered in large urban areas. These services are important to ensuring 
the survival of small towns and granting Americans the choice to live 
and thrive in whatever community is best for them and their family--
rural or urban.
  H.R. 2566, the Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act, 
would help fix this significant problem facing rural America from 
dropped, poor-quality calls. The bill requires providers to register 
with the FCC, the Federal Communications Commission, in order to meet 
quality standards that ensure reliable phone service in rural areas. It 
also prohibits providers from using intermediary routing services not 
registered with the Federal Communications Commission.
  By addressing these problems, Congress can help provide Iowans and 
others and all Americans in rural communities with reliable phone 
service to conduct business, respond to emergencies, and live their 
lives.
  I thank Chairman Upton, Ranking Member Pallone, and the Subcommittee 
on Communications and Technology Chairman Walden and Ranking Member 
Eshoo for their attention to this important matter. Again, I want to 
thank my colleague from Vermont, Representative Peter Welch, for his 
bipartisan leadership on this issue.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this bill to help our 
citizens living in rural America.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Carter).
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
2566, the Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act of 2016, 
because it addresses an issue I hear about frequently: call quality in 
rural areas.

                              {time}  1530

  As the Representative for the First District of Georgia, I know the 
challenges that people living in rural areas face when it comes to the 
quality of their phone calls.
  With telecommunications infrastructure being focused in larger and 
more urban areas, people living in rural parts of the country are often 
forced to deal with spotty and inconsistent service. This bill makes 
great strides in shoring up the communications infrastructure in rural 
areas and encourages great stability with phone services to people 
living in those areas.
  This bill will help those who are underserved and will have a 
positive ripple effect on everything from public services and public 
safety. Call completion in rural areas has been an issue for years, and 
with this legislation, the FCC is giving a clear message that we can 
and will do more for a large population of the United States.
  I applaud Chairman Upton, Chairman Walden, and the rest of the Energy 
and Commerce Committee for their continued dedication in shoring up 
America's telecommunications needs in a positive and growth-oriented 
manner.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2566, and I commend my good 
friend, Congressman Young, for his work on this legislation.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the authors of this bill for bringing it 
forward. It is an important concept and one that deserves our 
attention. I urge all Members to vote ``aye'' on the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 2566, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________