TELECOMMUNICATIONS see also Public Broadcasting

Bills and resolutions

Armed Forces: expand and enhance authorities on protected communications (see S. 1081), S3844 [23MY]

Children and youth: extend, enhance, and revise certain laws on collection, use, and disclosure of personal information of children and establish additional protections (see S. 1700), S8049 [14NO] (see H.R. 3481), H7109 [14NO]

Commission on Health Care Savings Through Innovative Wireless Technologies: establish (see H.R. 3577), H7353 [21NO]

Computers: clarify definition of ‘‘access without authorization,’’ eliminate redundant laws allowing charges to be brought for violations of such access, and reform penalties for violations (see S. 1196), S4792 [20JN] (see H.R. 2454), H3988 [20JN]

Corporations: prohibit corporations which employ or retain registered lobbyists from making expenditures or disbursements for electioneering communications (see H.R. 1118), H1395 [13MR]

Credit: clarify Federal law relative to reporting positive and negative consumer credit information to consumer reporting agencies by public utility or telecommunications companies (see S. 1613), S7673 [30OC]

——— clarify Federal law relative to reporting positive consumer credit information to consumer reporting agencies by public utility or telecommunications companies (see H.R. 2538), H4142 [27JN]

Crime: amend provisions relative to disclosures to governments by communications-related service providers of certain information consisting of or relating to communications (see H.R. 983), H1318 [6MR]

Dept. of Education: reauthorize and strengthen the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program (see S. 1127), S4058 [10JN] (see H.R. 2515), H4078 [26JN]

Dept. of HHS: amend and reauthorize the Controlled Substance Monitoring Program (see H.R. 3528), H7187 [18NO]

Dept. of Homeland Security: modernize and implement the integrated public alert and warning system to disseminate homeland security and other information (see H.R. 3283), H6492 [10OC]

——— revoke requirement on use of privately owned communications resources in Executive order on assignment of national security and emergency preparedness communications function (see H.R. 294), H170 [15JA]

Dept. of Justice: reauthorize the Missing Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Alert Program (see H.R. 2976), H5344 [1AU]

Dept. of Transportation: establish a grant program to encourage States to enact laws to reduce injuries and deaths caused by cellphone use and texting while driving (see H.R. 1664), H2245 [23AP]

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

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: improve opportunity for veterans to use video conferencing for hearings before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (see H.R. 2119), H2911 [22MY]

——— prohibit the recording of a patient in a facility without the informed consent of the patient (see H.R. 1490), H1955 [11AP]

Economy: provide tax relief for workers and businesses, rebuild and modernize country’s infrastructure, and provide pathways back to work for those looking for jobs (see H.R. 2821), H5050 [24JY]

Education: award grants to prepare individuals for the 21st century workplace and increase global competitiveness (see H.R. 2653), H4482 [11JY]

Electronics: make it illegal to alter or remove the unique equipment identification number of a mobile electronic device (see S. 1070), S3844 [23MY]

——— prohibit mobile service providers from providing service on mobile electronic devices that have been reported stolen and enable consumers to remotely delete data from such devices (see H.R. 1730), H2349 [25AP]

FBI: report and obtain court approval for broad telephony metadata collection searches (see H.R. 2684), H4483 [11JY]

FCC: 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]

——— 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]

——— 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]

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

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

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

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

——— 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]

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

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

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

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

——— 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]

FEC: establish and operate a website for the public to view the contents of political advertisements and require sponsors of advertisements to furnish such contents (see H.R. 648), H500 [13FE]

Federal agencies and departments: review efforts to reduce travel expenses through the use of video conferencing (see H.R. 2643), H4369 [10JY]

FTC: establish the Office for the Prevention of Fraud Targeting Seniors (see S. 1358), S5907 [24JY] (see H.R. 1953), H2574 [13MY]

——— prohibit providers of social media services from using self-images uploaded by minors for commercial purposes (see H.R. 2645), H4369 [10JY]

——— revise ‘‘do-not-call’’ registry regulations to prohibit politically-oriented recorded message telephone calls (see H.R. 1315), H1821 [21MR]

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

Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative Advisory Committee: develop information sharing and interoperability recommendations and pursue benefits for local, State, tribal, and Federal justice agencies (see H.R. 817), H627 [25FE]

Health: improve provision of telehealth services under Medicare and other Federal health care programs (see H.R. 3306), H6675 [22OC] (see H.R. 3750), H8108 [12DE]

House Rules: permit absent Members to participate in committee hearings using video conferencing and establish a remote voting system under which absent Members may cast votes on motions to suspend the rules (see H. Res. 287), H4175 [28JN]

Information technology: provide for greater transparency in and user control over the treatment of data collected by mobile applications and enhance the security of such data (see H.R. 1913), H2567 [9MY]

——— require retail establishments that use mobile device tracking technology to display notices to that effect (see H.R. 210), H52 [4JA]

——— specify circumstances in which a person may acquire geolocation information through an electronic communications device (see S. 639), S2146 [21MR] (see H.R. 1312), H1821 [21MR]

Intelligence services: enhance transparency for certain surveillance programs authorized by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (see S. 1452), S6207 [1AU] (see S. 1621), S7674 [30OC]

Internet: affirm U.S. policy to preserve and advance the multistakeholder governance model (see H.R. 1580), H2065 [16AP]

——— 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]

Law enforcement: require carriers to provide call location information to law enforcement during emergencies (see S. 721), S2649 [15AP] (see H.R. 1575), H2026 [15AP]

Local Radio Freedom Act: support (see S. Con. Res. 6), S1229 [6MR] (see H. Con. Res. 16), H596 [15FE]

Medicare: allow certain critical access and sole community hospitals to use interactive telecommunications systems to satisfy available physician requirements for emergency medical conditions (see S. 328), S772 [14FE]

National Digital Literacy Day: designate (see H. Res. 81), H659 [26FE]

National objectives: support growth through deregulation, additional broadband deployment, commercial use of spectrum, high-speed data transmission, and intellectual property protection (see H. Res. 57), H413 [6FE]

National Public Radio: prohibit Federal funding and the use of Federal funds to acquire radio content (see H.R. 2597), H4174 [28JN]

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

Printing: ensure citizens continue to be provided with paper-based information, products and services, and public notices while providing the ability to opt-in to electronic access to such documents (see H. Res. 97), H982 [5MR]

Privacy: allow entities required to comply with orders or directives requiring the provision of electronic data to the Federal Government to publicly disclose the volume and type of such data (see H.R. 2736), H4724 [18JY]

——— consolidate congressional oversight provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (see S. 1631), S7728 [31OC]

——— extend protections against unreasonable searches and seizures to electronic communications information and require specific court-issued warrants to obtain such information (see S. 1037), S3843 [23MY]

——— improve privacy of electronic communications (see S. 607), S1950 [19MR] (see H.R. 1847), H2483 [7MY]

——— notify consumers before a video service collects visual or auditory information from the viewing area and provide consumers with choices that do not collect such information (see H.R. 2356), H3590 [13JN]

——— permit telecommunications and Internet service providers to publicly estimate the number of Federal data requests they receive and the number of individuals targeted for data collection orders (see H.R. 3035), H5398 [2AU]

——— prevent mass collection of records of innocent Americans and provide greater accountability and transparency of Government surveillance activities and programs (see H.R. 2399), H3687 [17JN]

——— prohibit any U.S. agency, including the National Security Agency, from searching telephone records of U.S. citizens without a warrant based on probable cause (see S. 1121), S4021 [7JN]

——— provide for public disclosure of information regarding surveillance activities under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (see H.R. 3756), H8108 [12DE]

——— reform Federal authority to require production of business records, conduct surveillance, and certain forms of information gathering for foreign intelligence, counterterrorism, and criminal purposes (see S. 1599), S7615 [29OC] (see H.R. 3361), H6900 [29OC]

——— require specific evidence for access to business records and other tangible things and provide appropriate transition procedures (see S. 1182), S4585 [18JN]

——— strengthen privacy protections, accountability, and oversight relative to domestic surveillance (see S. 1215), S5017 [24JN]

——— update privacy protections for electronic communications information that is stored by third-party service providers in order to protect consumer privacy while meeting law enforcement needs (see H.R. 1852), H2483 [7MY]

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

Supreme Court: permit televising of proceedings (see H.R. 96), H30 [3JA]

Taxation: make permanent the moratorium on Internet access taxation and multiple and discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce (see S. 31), S42 [22JA] (see S. 1431), S6206 [1AU] (see H.R. 434), H300 [29JA] (see H.R. 3086), H5546 [12SE]

——— promote neutrality, simplicity, and fairness in the taxation of digital goods and services (see S. 1364), S5968 [25JY] (see H.R. 3724), H8107 [12DE]

——— repeal excise tax on telephone use and other communications services (see S. 213), S469 [4FE]

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]

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

——— restrict any State or local jurisdiction from imposing a new discriminatory tax on cell phone services, providers, or property (see S. 1235), S5264 [26JN] (see H.R. 2309), H3286 [11JN]

Television: 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]

Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required To Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT) Act: repeal (see H.R. 2818), H5050 [24JY]

Veterans: improve ability of health care professionals to treat veterans via telemedicine (see H.R. 2001), H2654 [15MY]

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]

Letters

Intelligence services authority to collect business records under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: Peter J. Kadzik, Dept. of Justice, H5025 [24JY]

Oversight and accountability review of surveillance programs authorized by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: I. Charles McCullough III, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, S7873 [6NO]

——— several Senators, Committee on the Judiciary (Senate), S7872 [6NO]

Remarks in House

Augusta, ME: Central Maine Regional Communications Center Maine National Emergency Number Association Critical Incident of the Year Award recipient, E785 [4JN]

——— prevent video depictions of animal cruelty, E1002 [28JN]

Dept. of Agriculture: Rural Utilities Service Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program funding, H3895, H3896 [19JN]

Dept. of Homeland Security: border security fencing, infrastructure, and technology funding, H3135 [5JN]

——— Office of National Capital Region Coordination funding, H3176 [5JN]

Dept. of Transportation: distracted driving prevention and research funding, H5124 [30JY]

——— establish a grant program to encourage States to enact laws to reduce injuries and deaths caused by cellphone use and texting while driving (H.R. 1664), H5124 [30JY]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: prohibit the recording of a patient in a facility without the informed consent of the patient (H.R. 1490), E423 [11AP]

Economy: provide tax relief for workers and businesses, rebuild and modernize country’s infrastructure, and provide pathways back to work for those looking for jobs, H157 [15JA], H1576 [19MR], H3106 [5JN], H5430 [9SE]

——— provide tax relief for workers and businesses, rebuild and modernize country’s infrastructure, and provide pathways back to work for those looking for jobs (H.R. 2821), H4990 [24JY], H5184 [31JY], H5275 [1AU], H5516 [12SE], H5599 [18SE], H5678 [19SE]

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

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: provide safeguards for communications involving persons inside the U.S., H3240–H3242 [6JN]

Hurricanes: implement emergency preparedness plans, E847 [12JN]

Information technology: provide for greater transparency in and user control over the treatment of data collected by mobile applications and enhance the security of such data (H.R. 1913), H2558 [9MY]

——— specify circumstances in which a person may acquire geolocation information through an electronic communications device (H.R. 1312), H7569 [9DE]

Internet: affirm U.S. policy to preserve and advance the multistakeholder governance model (H.R. 1580), H2582–H2584 [14MY]

LifeFlight of Maine (organization): Maine National Emergency Number Association Critical Incident of the Year Award recipient, E785 [4JN]

McKay, Bob: Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame inductee, H3368 [13JN]

Monge, F. Marie Calvo: First Hawaiian Bank and Guam Business (publication) Guam Businesswoman of the Year Award recipient, E591 [6MY]

National Security Agency: prohibit funding to acquire information for purpose of targeting U.S. citizens or to acquire, monitor, or store electronic communications by citizens, H5022, H5023 [24JY]

Privacy: effects of domestic surveillance, H5080–H5083 [25JY]

——— extend protections against unreasonable searches and seizures to electronic communications information and require specific court-issued warrants to obtain such information, H3261 [11JN]

——— prevent mass collection of records of innocent Americans and provide greater accountability and transparency of Government surveillance activities and programs (H.R. 2399), H7337 [21NO], E899 [17JN]

——— prohibit Federal agencies, employers, or prospective employers from requiring the disclosure of passwords to social networking web sites or personal accounts, H2142–H2144 [18AP]

——— prohibit funding to any U.S. agency, including the National Security Agency, to collect records that pertain to persons not subject to an investigation, H4991, H5022–H5027 [24JY], E1130 [24JY], E1135, E1145 [25JY], E1244 [2AU]

Public broadcasting: funding, H4983 [24JY]

Republican Party: characterization by news media relative to role in Government shutdown, H6241 [4OC]

Skowhegan, ME: Somerset Regional Communications Center Maine National Emergency Number Association Critical Incident of the Year Award recipient, E785 [4JN]

Technology: enhance security and resiliency of U.S. cyber and communications infrastructure, H3164 [5JN]

Time Warner Cable, Inc.: tribute to Centennial, CO, data center, E1054 [11JY]

Veterans: improve ability of health care professionals to treat veterans via telemedicine (H.R. 2001), H3004 [3JN]

Remarks in Senate

Alaska: tribute to American Radio Relay League Field Day, S4055 [10JN]

Dept. of Agriculture: ensure rural areas receiving grants and loans for broadband telecommunications services do not already have access to broadband, S3938 [4JN]

——— establish a pilot program for ultra-high-speed Internet in rural areas, S4029, S4051 [10JN], S4473 [13JN]

Dept. of Education: reauthorize and strengthen the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program (S. 1127), S4060 [10JN]

Electronic Communications Privacy Act: anniversary, S7570 [28OC]

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

——— prohibit universal service support of commercial mobile service through the Lifeline program, S3645 [21MY]

Intelligence services: enhance transparency for certain surveillance programs authorized by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (S. 1452), S7872 [6NO]

Privacy: improve privacy of electronic communications (S. 607), S1951 [19MR], S7411 [11OC], S7570 [28OC], S9044 [19DE]

——— prohibit any U.S. agency, including the National Security Agency, from searching telephone records of U.S. citizens without a warrant based on probable cause, S4203 [11JN], S6052–S6056 [30JY]

——— prohibit any U.S. agency, including the National Security Agency, from searching telephone records of U.S. citizens without a warrant based on probable cause (S. 1121), S4024 [7JN], S4027 [10JN]

——— reform Federal authority to require production of business records, conduct surveillance, and certain forms of information gathering for foreign intelligence, counterterrorism, and criminal purposes (S. 1599), S7618 [29OC], S7715 [31OC], S7871 [6NO], S8025 [14NO], S8346 [20NO], S8956 [18DE], S9045 [19DE]

——— require specific evidence for access to business records and other tangible things and provide appropriate transition procedures (S. 1182), S4589 [18JN]

——— strengthen privacy protections, accountability, and oversight relative to domestic surveillance (S. 1215), S5019 [24JN]

Taxation: moratorium on Internet access taxation and multiple and discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce, S3153, S3154 [7MY]

Technology: enhance security and resiliency of U.S. cyber and communications infrastructure, S1685 [12MR]

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

Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required To Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT) Act: repeal or reform certain provisions, S5782 [18JY], S6052–S6056 [30JY]

Universal Service Administration Co.: wireless phone subsidization funding, S2315 [22MR]

Reports filed

Affirm U.S. Policy To Preserve and Advance the Multistakeholder Internet Governance Model: Committee on Energy and Commerce (House) (H.R. 1580) (H. Rept. 113–50), H2404 [3MY]

Electronic Communications Privacy Improvement: Committee on the Judiciary (Senate) (S. 607), S3028 [25AP]

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

FISA Improvements Act: Committee on Intelligence (Senate, Select) (S. 1631), S7724 [31OC]

——— Committee on Intelligence (Senate, Select) (S. 1631) (S. Rept. 113–119), S7951 [12NO]

Improve Privacy of Electronic Communications: Committee on the Judiciary (Senate) (S. 607) (S. Rept. 113–34), S3568 [16MY]

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]

Statements

Amash Amendment to H.R. 2397, Dept. of Defense Apppropriations, Prohibiting Funding to Any U.S. Agency To Collect Records That Pertain to Persons Not Subject to an Investigation: Representative Van Hollen, E1170 [31JY]

Texts of

H.R. 1580, affirm U.S. policy to preserve and advance the multistakeholder Internet governance model, H2582 [14MY]

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

S. 607, improve privacy of electronic communications, S1952 [19MR]

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

S. 1215, FISA Accountability and Privacy Protection Act, S5020–S5027 [24JN]

S. 1599, Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ending Eavesdropping, Dragnet-Collection, and Online Monitoring (USA FREEDOM) Act, S7619–S7631 [29OC]

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

S. Con. Res. 6, Local Radio Freedom Act support, S1237 [6MR]

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]