[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 19 (Tuesday, February 2, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S250-S252]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. THUNE (for himself, Mr. Tester, Mr. Peters, Mr. Wicker, 
        and Mr. Moran):
  S. 163. A bill to address the workforce needs of the 
telecommunications industry; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 163

       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 ``Telecommunications Skilled 
     Workforce Act''.

     SEC. 2. TELECOMMUNICATIONS INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP.

       (a) In General.--Part I of title III of the Communications 
     Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
     the end the following:

     ``SEC. 344. TELECOMMUNICATIONS INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP.

       ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) 5G.--The term `5G', with respect to wireless 
     infrastructure and wireless technology, means fifth-
     generation wireless infrastructure and wireless technology.
       ``(2) Rural area.--The term `rural area' means any area 
     other than--
       ``(A) a city, town, or incorporated area that has a 
     population of more than 20,000 inhabitants; or
       ``(B) an urbanized area adjacent to a city or town that has 
     a population of more than 50,000 inhabitants.
       ``(3) Telecommunications interagency working group.--The 
     term `telecommunications interagency working group' means the 
     interagency working group established under subsection (b).
       ``(b) Establishment.--Not later than 60 days after the date 
     of enactment of this section, the Chairman of the Commission, 
     in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall establish 
     within the Commission an interagency working group to develop 
     recommendations to address the workforce needs of the 
     telecommunications industry.
       ``(c) Duties.--In developing recommendations under 
     subsection (b), the telecommunications interagency working 
     group shall--
       ``(1) determine whether, and if so how, any Federal laws 
     (including regulations), guidance, policies, or practices, or 
     any budgetary constraints, inhibit institutions of higher 
     education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education 
     Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) or for-profit businesses from 
     establishing, adopting, or expanding programs intended to 
     address the workforce needs of the telecommunications 
     industry, including the workforce needed to build and 
     maintain the 5G wireless infrastructure necessary to support 
     5G wireless technology;
       ``(2) identify potential policies and programs that could 
     encourage and improve coordination among Federal agencies, 
     between Federal agencies and States, and among States, on 
     telecommunications workforce needs;
       ``(3) identify ways in which existing Federal programs, 
     including programs that help facilitate the employment of 
     veterans and military personnel transitioning into civilian 
     life, could be leveraged to help address the workforce needs 
     of the telecommunications industry;
       ``(4) identify ways to encourage individuals and for-profit 
     businesses to participate in qualified industry-led workforce 
     development programs, including the Telecommunications 
     Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program;
       ``(5) identify ways to improve recruitment in qualified 
     industry-led workforce development programs, including the 
     Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program 
     and other industry-recognized apprenticeship programs; and
       ``(6) identify Federal incentives that could be provided to 
     institutions of higher education, for-profit businesses, 
     State workforce development boards established under section 
     101 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 
     U.S.C. 3111), or other relevant stakeholders to establish or 
     adopt programs, or expand current programs, to address the 
     workforce needs of the telecommunications industry, including 
     such needs in rural areas.
       ``(d) Members.--The telecommunications interagency working 
     group shall be composed of representatives of such Federal 
     agencies and relevant non-Federal industry stakeholder 
     organizations as the Chairman of the Commission, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Labor, considers 
     appropriate, including--
       ``(1) a representative of the Department of Education, 
     appointed by the Secretary of Education;
       ``(2) a representative of the National Telecommunications 
     and Information Administration, appointed by the Assistant 
     Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information;
       ``(3) a representative of the Department of Commerce, 
     appointed by the Secretary of Commerce;
       ``(4) a representative of the Commission, appointed by the 
     Chairman of the Commission;
       ``(5) a representative of the Telecommunications Industry 
     Registered Apprenticeship Program, appointed by the Secretary 
     of Labor;
       ``(6) a representative of a telecommunications industry 
     association, appointed by the Chairman of the Commission;
       ``(7) a representative of an Indian Tribe or Tribal 
     organization, appointed by the Secretary of Labor;
       ``(8) a representative of a rural telecommunications 
     carrier, appointed by the Chairman of the Commission;
       ``(9) a representative of a telecommunications contractor 
     firm, appointed by the Chairman of the Commission;
       ``(10) a representative of a minority institution (as 
     defined in section 365 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
     (20 U.S.C. 1067k)), appointed by the Secretary of Education; 
     and
       ``(11) a representative of a labor organization, appointed 
     by the Secretary of Labor.
       ``(e) No Compensation.--A member of the telecommunications 
     interagency working group shall serve without compensation.
       ``(f) Report to Congress.--Not later than 180 days after 
     the date on which the telecommunications interagency working 
     group is established, the working group shall submit a report 
     containing recommendations to address the workforce needs of 
     the telecommunications industry to--
       ``(1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate;
       ``(2) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
     Pensions of the Senate;
       ``(3) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
     Representatives; and
       ``(4) the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
     Representatives.
       ``(g) Nonapplicability of FACA.--The Federal Advisory 
     Committee Act (5 U.S.C.

[[Page S251]]

     App.) shall not apply to the telecommunications interagency 
     working group.''.
       (b) Sunset.--Section 344 of the Communications Act of 1934, 
     as added by subsection (a), shall be repealed on the day 
     after the date on which the interagency working group 
     established under subsection (b) of that section submits the 
     report to Congress under subsection (f) of that section.

     SEC. 3. TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKFORCE GUIDANCE.

        Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, the Chairman of the Federal Communications 
     Commission, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, 
     shall establish and issue guidance on how States can address 
     the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry, 
     including guidance on how a State workforce development board 
     established under section 101 of the Workforce Innovation and 
     Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3111) can--
       (1) utilize Federal resources available to States to meet 
     the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry; and
       (2) promote and improve recruitment in qualified industry-
     led workforce development programs, including the 
     Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship 
     Program.

     SEC. 4. GAO ASSESSMENT OF WORKFORCE NEEDS OF THE 
                   TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) 5G.--The term ``5G'', with respect to wireless 
     infrastructure and wireless technology, means fifth-
     generation wireless infrastructure and wireless technology.
       (2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
     of the Senate;
       (B) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
     of the Senate;
       (C) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
     Representatives; and
       (D) the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (3) Broadband infrastructure.--The term ``broadband 
     infrastructure'' means any buried, underground, or aerial 
     facility, and any wireless or wireline connection, that 
     enables users to send and receive voice, video, data, 
     graphics, or any combination thereof.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
     committees a report that estimates the number of skilled 
     telecommunications workers that will be required to build and 
     maintain--
       (1) broadband infrastructure in rural areas; and
       (2) the 5G wireless infrastructure needed to support 5G 
     wireless technology.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Hirono, 
        Mr. Menendez, Mr. Reed, Ms. Duckworth, Ms. Cortez Masto, and 
        Ms. Warren):
  S. 175. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt a 
portion of unemployment compensation received during 2020 from income 
taxes; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 175

       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 ``Coronavirus Unemployment 
     Benefits Tax Relief Act''.

     SEC. 2. SUSPENSION OF TAX ON PORTION OF UNEMPLOYMENT 
                   COMPENSATION.

       (a) In General.--Section 85 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
     1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(c) Special Rule for 2020.--In the case of any taxable 
     year beginning in 2020, gross income shall not include so 
     much of the unemployment compensation received by an 
     individual as does not exceed $10,200.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 
     2019
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. REED (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. 
        Brown, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Merkley, Ms. Baldwin, and Ms. 
        Warren):
  S. 178. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand 
the denial of deduction for certain excessive employee remuneration, 
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, I am reintroducing the Stop Subsidizing 
Multimillion Dollar Corporate Bonuses Act with Senators Blumenthal, 
Whitehouse, Merkley, Baldwin, Warren, Van Hellene, and Brown. This 
legislation fully closes a loophole that has allowed publicly traded 
corporations to deduct the cost of multimillion-dollar bonuses from 
their corporate tax bills. U.S. taxpayers shouldn't continue to have to 
subsidize these massive bonuses.
  Under section 162(m) of the tax code as amended by the 2017 Trump tax 
law (TCJA), when a publicly traded corporation calculates its taxable 
income, it is generally permitted to deduct compensation costs from its 
revenues, with limits up to $1 million for some of the firm's most 
senior executives.
  In the 115th Congress, the TCJA got rid of some of the prior 162(m) 
loopholes by taking provisions from my Stop Subsidizing Multimillion 
Dollar Corporate Bonuses Act, including removing the exemption for 
performance-based compensation, which previously permitted compensation 
deductions above $1 million when executives met performance benchmarks,
  While these steps were a start, even more should have been done, such 
as applying section 162(m) to all employees of publicly traded 
corporations so that all compensation is subject to a deductibility cap 
of $1 million. This was the only provision from my Stop Subsidizing 
Multimillion Dollar Corporate Bonuses Act from the l15th Congress that 
was not incorporated into the Trump tax law.
  Partially closing these 162(m) loopholes saved taxpayers $9.2 billion 
according to the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT), but last Congress, 
the JCT estimated that fully closing the loophole along the lines of 
the legislation I am reintroducing today would save taxpayers an 
additional $27 billion dollars.
  Under this legislation, publicly traded corporations would still be 
permitted to pay their executives as much as they desire, but 
compensation above and beyond $1 million would no longer be subsidized 
through our tax code. This is simply a matter of fairness, ensuring 
that corporations--and not hardworking taxpayers who face their own 
challenges in this economy--are paying for the multi-million dollar 
bonuses corporations have decided to dole out to their senior 
executives. Instead of showering corporations with additional benefits 
they certainly don't need, we should be doing everything within our 
power to help more families, who are barely surviving, make it to the 
other side of this public health emergency.
  I thank Public Citizen, the Institute for Policy Studies--Global 
Economy Project, Americans for Financial Reform, the AFL-CIO, 
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and MIT Professor Simon Johnson 
for their support. I urge our colleagues to join us in cosponsoring 
this legislation and pressing for its passage.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Ms. HIRONO (for herself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Bennet, Mr. 
        Blumenthal, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Casey, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. 
        Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. 
        Markey, Mr. Merkley, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Ossoff, Ms. Rosen, Ms. 
        Smith, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warner, Mr. Whitehouse, and Mr. 
        Wyden):
  S. 181. A bill to posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to 
Fred Korematsu, in recognition of his dedication to justice and 
equality; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation to 
posthumously award Fred Toyosaburo Korematsu with the Congressional 
Gold Medal. Fred challenged the illegal internment of Japanese 
Americans during World War II and devoted his life to expanding civil 
rights and liberties for all people. Awarding him the Congressional 
Gold Medal, Congress' highest civilian honor, would be a fitting 
tribute to his lifelong pursuit of justice and equality.
  Fred was born in Oakland, California on January 30, 1919, to Japanese 
immigrant parents. Although he was an American citizen, Fred was 
discriminated against due to his Japanese ancestry. As the United 
States entered World War II, Fred tried unsuccessfully to enlist in the 
U.S. military, and was fired from his job at the Oakland shipyard. In 
1942, Fred was arrested and convicted of defying military orders issued 
under Executive Order 9066, a discriminatory presidential order that 
authorized the mass removal and incarceration of more than 120,000 
Japanese Americans during World War II.
  Fred challenged the constitutionality of the government's order but 
was convicted in federal court of violating

[[Page S252]]

military orders issued under Executive Order 9066. After a federal 
appeals court upheld his conviction, he appealed his case to the U.S. 
Supreme Court. On December 18, 1944, the Court ruled against him in a 
6-3 decision, finding the government's discriminatory policy to 
incarcerate Japanese Americans was justified due to military necessity.
  Decades later, legal historians discovered key information that the 
federal government did not share with the Supreme Court, including a 
report that concluded very few Japanese Americans represented a 
national security risk. After this evidence of government misconduct 
emerged and was presented to the court, Fred's conviction was 
overturned by a Federal court in San Francisco nearly forty years 
later, on November 10, 1983. Fred believed that the Supreme Court's 
decision was wrong, and stated, ``I would like to see the Government 
admit that they were wrong and do something about it so this will never 
happen again to any American citizen of any race, creed or color.'' 
Although the Supreme Court's infamous ruling in Korematsu v. United 
States has been widely rejected by historians and legal experts, it has 
never been formally repudiated, and stands as one of the Supreme 
Court's worst precedents.
  The internment of Japanese Americans was a shameful act, and it was 
not until 1988 that the Civil Liberties Act was passed and our 
Government formally apologized to Americans of Japanese ancestry who 
were incarcerated during World War II. Fred Korematsu fought for this 
redress legislation and continued working to expand civil rights 
throughout his life. He spoke out against prejudice directed at 
minorities and immigrants, and after September 11, 2001, filed amicus 
briefs with the Supreme Court, warning our nation not to repeat history 
by committing civil and human rights travesties.
  During his lifetime, Fred Korematsu did not choose the easy route. 
Instead, he chose to fight and speak out against injustice his entire 
life. He fought not just for himself, but for everyone, particularly 
minorities who could be discriminated against based on their ethnicity. 
However, many of these injustices remain, and can be reborn as we have 
seen with the rise in anti-Asian prejudice during the COVID-19 
pandemic. Fred Korematsu reminds us that we must remain vigilant 
against discrimination, particularly when it is disguised in times of 
emergency or for reasons of security. On January 30, Fred Korematsu Day 
of Civil Liberties and the Constitution, we honor the life of this 
civil rights hero whose legacy continues to inspire people of all 
backgrounds to speak up and fight for justice. This day uses one of the 
most blatant examples of racial discrimination to educate individuals 
on the dangers of political scapegoating and works toward a future that 
guarantees civil rights for everyone. I am proud to introduce the Fred 
Korematsu Congressional Gold Medal Act in his memory, and I call on my 
colleagues in the United States Senate to swiftly pass this bill during 
the 117th Congress.
  I yield the floor.

                          ____________________