FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Bills and resolutions

Dept. of Transportation: prohibit certain cell phone voice communications during passenger flights (see S. 1811), S8771 [12DE] (see H.R. 3676), H7607 [9DE]

Financial services and general Government: making appropriations (see S. 1371), S5968 [25JY] (see H.R. 2786), H4978 [23JY]

GAO: report to Congress on the effectiveness of FCC universal service reforms (see S. 774), S2844 [22AP]

Government regulations: authorize a bipartisan majority of Commissioners to hold nonpublic collaborative discussions (see S. 245), S519 [7FE] (see H.R. 539), H411 [6FE]

——— consolidate reporting obligations to improve congressional oversight and reduce reporting burdens (see S. 1379), S6023 [29JY] (see H.R. 2844), H5093 [26JY]

——— provide greater transparency and efficiency in procedures (see H.R. 3675), H7607 [9DE]

——— require an analysis of benefits and costs during the rulemaking process and create certain presumptions regarding regulatory forbearance and biennial regulatory review determinations (see H.R. 2649), H4369 [10JY]

Intellectual property: provide that certain uses of a patent or copyright in compliance with an order for emergency communications services shall be construed as use or manufacture for the U.S. (see S. 1478), S6208 [1AU] (see H.R. 3736), H8108 [12DE]

Internet: combat trade barriers that threaten maintenance of an open, global Internet, that mandate unique technology standards as a condition of market access, and promote free flow of information (see H.R. 889), H814 [28FE]

Lifeline program: prohibit universal service support of commercial mobile service (see S. 874), S3158 [7MY] (see H.R. 176), H51 [4JA]

National Academy of Sciences: study impact of violent video games and violent video programming on children (see S. 134), S284 [24JA]

National Telephone Discount Lifeline Awareness Week: support (see H. Res. 340), H5476 [10SE]

Political campaigns: require radio and television broadcasters to provide free broadcasting time for political advertising (see H.R. 128), H31 [3JA]

Rural areas: provide for equitable distribution of Universal Service funds to rural States (see S. 1766), S8457 [21NO]

——— suspend and revise proposed rule that revised Universal Service fund distribution to rural carriers and encourage investment by rural rate-of-return carriers in deployment of broadband infrastructure (see S. 1858), S8976 [18DE]

Sports: decrease the frequency of sports blackouts and require the application of the antitrust laws to Major League Baseball (see S. 1721), S8100 [18NO] (see H.R. 3452), H6997 [12NO]

Technology: direct wireless providers to permit the unlocking of mobile devices (see S. 481), S1229 [6MR]

Telecommunications: encourage spectrum licensees to make unused spectrum available to rural and smaller carriers to expand wireless coverage (see S. 1776), S8457 [21NO]

——— expand and clarify prohibition on provision of inaccurate caller identification information (see H.R. 3670), H7566 [5DE]

——— increase consumer choice and competition in the online video programming distribution marketplace (see S. 1680), S7951 [12NO]

——— provide incentives for reallocation of Federal Government spectrum for commercial use (see H.R. 3674), H7607 [9DE]

——— require reallocation and auction for commercial use of certain frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum (see H.R. 2739), H4724 [18JY]

Telephones: improve service in rural areas and express that no entity may unreasonably discriminate against telephone users in those areas (see S. Res. 157), S3844 [23MY]

——— prescribe rules regulating inmate telephone service rates (see H.R. 1403), H1836 [25MR]

——— prohibit unauthorized third-party charges on wireline telephone bills (see S. 1144), S4405 [12JN]

——— prohibit use of funds for the Lifeline free cell phone program (see H.R. 989), H1318 [6MR]

Television: allow multichannel video programming distributors to provide subscribers a la carte video programming, penalize broadcasters for downgrading services, and eliminate sports blackout rule (see S. 912), S3326 [9MY]

——— establish signal quality and content requirements for the carriage of public, educational, and governmental channels and preserve support for such channels (see S. 1789), S8601 [10DE]

——— prevent television blackouts, ensure consumer choice in cable programming, facilitate retransmission consent negotiations between cable and content providers, and study sports programming costs (see H.R. 3719), H8107 [12DE]

——— prohibit from adopting certain rules or policies relating to multichannel video programming distributors (see H.R. 3196), H5883 [26SE]

——— repeal certain carriage, retransmission, and ownership regulations (see H.R. 3720), H8107 [12DE]

Universal Service Fund Lifeline Assistance Program: reform and modernize (see H.R. 1685), H2246 [23AP]

Wireless microphones: expand eligibility for FCC part 74 licenses to certain users, establish safe haven channels, and authorize access by owners and operators to TV bands databases to protect from interference (see H.R. 2911), H5341 [1AU]

Cloture motions

Wheeler, Thomas E.: nomination to the FCC, S7565 [28OC]

Motions

Wheeler, Thomas E.: nomination to the FCC, S7565 [28OC]

Remarks in House

Financial services and general Government: making appropriations, H5777 [20SE], H6077 [1OC]

Government regulations: consolidate reporting obligations to improve congressional oversight and reduce reporting burdens (H.R. 2844), H5414–H5416 [9SE]

Knapp, Julius: Executive Office of the President Distinguished Executive Presidential Rank Award recipient, E677 [16MY]

Kwerel, Evan: Executive Office of the President Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank Award recipient, E677 [16MY]

Sports: decrease the frequency of sports blackouts and require the application of the antitrust laws to Major League Baseball (H.R. 3452), H7062 [14NO]

Remarks in Senate

Lifeline program: prohibit universal service support of commercial mobile service, S3645 [21MY]

National Academy of Sciences: study impact of violent video games and violent video programming on children (S. 134), S287 [24JA]

O’Rielly, Michael P.: nomination to the FCC, S7559 [16OC], S7584 [29OC]

Presidential appointments: nominations considered and confirmed en bloc, S7634 [29OC]

Telecommunications: increase consumer choice and competition in the online video programming distribution marketplace (S. 1680), S7953 [12NO]

Telephones: prohibit unauthorized third-party charges on wireline telephone bills (S. 1144), S4407 [12JN]

Wheeler, Thomas E.: nomination to the FCC, S7584, S7610 [29OC]

Reports filed

FCC Consolidated Reporting Act: Committee on Energy and Commerce (House) (H.R. 2844) (H. Rept. 113–189), H5434 [9SE]

Financial Services and General Government Appropriations: Committee on Appropriations (House) (H.R. 2786) (H. Rept. 113–172), H4978 [23JY]

——— Committee on Appropriations (Senate) (S. 1371) (S. Rept. 113–80), S5968 [25JY]

Improve Telephone Service in Rural Areas and Express That No Entity May Unreasonably Discriminate Against Telephone Users in Those Areas: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate) (S. Res. 157) (S. Rept. 113–130), S9051 [19DE]

Nomination of Thomas E. Wheeler to the FCC: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate), S6069 [30JY]

Violent Content Research Act: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate) (S. 134) (S. Rept. 113–126), S8912 [17DE]

Texts of

H.R. 2844, FCC Consolidated Reporting Act, H5414 [9SE]

S. 134, Violent Content Research Act, S288 [24JA]

S. 1144, Fair Telephone Billing Act, S4408 [12JN]

S. 1680, Consumer Choice in Online Video Act, S7954–S7961 [12NO]

S. Res. 157, improve telephone service in rural areas and express that no entity may unreasonably discriminate against telephone users in those areas, S3865 [23MY]