[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 197 (Thursday, December 13, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7621-S7622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         MEASURING THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF BROADBAND ACT OF 2018

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 613, S. 645.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 645) to require the Secretary of Commerce to 
     conduct an assessment and analysis of the effects of 
     broadband deployment and adoption on the economy of the 
     United States, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting 
clause and insert in lieu thereof the following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Measuring the Economic 
     Impact of Broadband Act of 2018''.

     SEC. 2. ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS REGARDING THE EFFECT OF THE 
                   DIGITAL ECONOMY ON THE ECONOMY OF THE UNITED 
                   STATES.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (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 Environment and Public Works of the 
     Senate;
       (C) the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of 
     the Senate;
       (D) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
     Representatives;
       (E) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
     the House of Representatives; and
       (F) the Committee on Small Business of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (2) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary'' 
     means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications 
     and Information.
       (3) Broadband.--The term ``broadband'' means an Internet 
     Protocol-based transmission service that enables users to 
     send and receive voice, video, data, or graphics, or a 
     combination of those items.
       (4) Digital economy.--
       (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the term 
     ``digital economy'' has the meaning given the term by the 
     Secretary in carrying out this section.
       (B) Considerations.--In establishing a definition for the 
     term ``digital economy'' under subparagraph (A), the 
     Secretary shall consider--
       (i) the digital-enabling infrastructure that a computer 
     network needs to exist and operate; and
       (ii) the roles of e-commerce and digital media.
       (5) Digital media.--The term ``digital media'' means the 
     content that participants in e-commerce create and access.
       (6) E-commerce.--The term ``e-commerce'' means the digital 
     transactions that take place using the infrastructure 
     described in paragraph (4)(B)(i).
       (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Commerce.
       (b) Biennial Assessment and Analysis Required.--Not later 
     than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
     biennially thereafter, the Secretary, in consultation with 
     the Director of the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the 
     Department of Commerce and the Assistant Secretary, shall 
     conduct an assessment and analysis regarding the contribution 
     of the digital economy to the economy of the United States.
       (c) Considerations and Consultation.--In conducting each 
     assessment and analysis required under subsection (b), the 
     Secretary shall--
       (1) consider the impact of--
       (A) the deployment and adoption of--
       (i) digital-enabling infrastructure; and
       (ii) broadband;
       (B) e-commerce and platform-enabled peer-to-peer commerce; 
     and
       (C) the production and consumption of digital media, 
     including free media; and
       (2) consult with--
       (A) the heads of any agencies and offices of the Federal 
     Government as the Secretary considers appropriate, including 
     the Secretary of Agriculture, the Commissioner of the Bureau 
     of Labor Statistics, the Administrator of the Small Business 
     Administration, and the Federal Communications Commission;
       (B) representatives of the business community, including 
     rural and urban Internet service providers and 
     telecommunications infrastructure providers;
       (C) representatives from State, local, and tribal 
     government agencies; and
       (D) representatives from consumer and community 
     organizations.
       (d) Report.--The Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
     committees of Congress a report regarding the findings of the 
     Secretary with respect to each assessment and analysis 
     conducted under subsection (b).

[[Page S7622]]


  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported 
substitute amendment be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be 
considered read a third time and passed; and that the motions to 
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported substitute amendment was agreed to.
  The bill (S. 645), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  On pages S7621 and S7622, December 13, 2018, the following 
appears: There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to 
consider the bill, which had been reported from the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works, with an amendment to strike all 
after the enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof the 
following: SECTION 1. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) 
Since 1999, the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation 
(referred to in this Act as the ``Foundation'') has operated the 
Parks in Focus program to provide opportunities for the youth of 
the United States to learn about and experience the Nation}s parks 
and wilderness, and other outdoor areas. . . . SEC. 8. 
AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. Section 13(b) of the Morris K. 
Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation Act (20 U.S.C. 5609(b)) is 
amended by striking ``fiscal years 2004 through 2008'' and 
inserting ``fiscal years 2019 through 2024''. Mr. McCONNELL. I ask 
unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment 
be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a 
third time and passed; and that the motions to reconsider be 
considered made and laid upon the table. The PRESIDING OFFICER. 
Without objection, it is so ordered. The committee-reported 
substitute amendment was agreed to. The bill (S. 2827), as 
amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, was read 
the third time, and passed.
  
  The online Record has been corrected to read: There being no 
objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, which had 
been reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting 
clause and insert in lieu thereof the following: (INCORRECT TEXT 
REPLACED WITH CORRECT TEXT) Mr. MCCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent 
that the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to; 
that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and 
passed; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and 
laid upon the table. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it 
is so ordered. The committee-reported substitute amendment was 
agreed to. The bill (S. 645), as amended, was ordered to be 
engrossed for a third reading, was read the third time, and 
passed.


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