FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Amendments

Disasters: improve oversight of wireless and broadcast emergency alert systems (S. 3238), S7726, S7735 [17DE]

GAO: conduct a study and submit a report on filing requirements under the Universal Service Fund program (S. 875), S142 [10JA]

Appointments

Conferees: H.R. 6147, Dept. of the Interior, environment, and related agencies and financial services and general Government appropriations, S6101 [6SE], H7900 [6SE]

Articles and editorials

Millions of People Post Comments on Federal Regulations. Many Are Fake, S6 [3JA]

Senate Democrats Move To Revive Net Neutrality Rules—The Wrong Way, S2699 [16MY]

Will the FCC’s Net Neutrality Repeal Grind the Internet to a Halt?, S2700 [16MY]

Bills and resolutions

Advertising: provide for additional disclosure requirements for broadcasters that air or transmit content from registered foreign agents (see H.R. 5331), H1698 [19MR]

Appropriations: reauthorize and provide certain procedural changes to rules to maximize opportunities for public participation and efficient decisionmaking (see H.R. 4986), H1074 [8FE]

Business and industry: issue merger review decisions on transfer of control or assignment of any license or authorization expeditiously (see S. 2847), S2679 [15MY]

Consumers: prohibit debt collectors from making robocalls to individuals’ cell phones (see H.R. 5633), H3705 [26AP]

Correctional institutions: prescribe rules regulating inmate telephone and video service rates (see S. 2520), S1578 [8MR]

Dept. of Agriculture: improve access to broadband telecommunications services in rural areas, including by encouraging provision of broadband loans and grants to increase broadband service in emerging harbor projects (see S. 3360), S5759 [21AU]

Dept. of Commerce: establish Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth (see S. 3346), S5582 [1AU]

Dept. of Justice: convene an interagency working group to study enforcement of section 227(b) of the Communications Act relative to restrictions on use of automated telephone equipment (see H.R. 7370), H10510 [20DE]

Dept. of Transportation: include broadband conduit installation in certain highway construction projects (see H.R. 4800), H403 [16JA]

Disasters: improve oversight of wireless and broadcast emergency alert systems (see S. 3238), S5066 [18JY] (see H.R. 6427), H6557 [18JY]

——— provide for a moratorium on telephone number reassignment after a disaster declaration (see H.R. 7131), H9525 [14NO]

Ecology and environment: ensure any required environmental reviews as a condition of permitting the placement and installation of communications facilities are limited to the areas of impact (see H. Res. 701), H553 [18JA]

——— remove requirement to perform certain environmental reviews as a condition of permitting the placement and installation of communications facilities (see H.R. 4842), H553 [18JA]

——— remove requirement to perform certain environmental reviews as a condition of permitting the placement, installation, or rebuilding of communications facilities following a major disaster or emergency (see H.R. 4845), H581 [19JA]

FCC/FTC: establish a joint robocaller bounty pilot program (see H.R. 7343), H10336 [19DE]

Federal agencies and departments: allow payments from Spectrum Relocation Fund for costs of spectrum research and development and planning activities (see S. 3010), S3035 [6JN] (see H.R. 6017), H4848 [6JN]

——— disclose incident report on false ballistic missile event in Hawaii, review current missile threat notification protocols, and strenthen public health readiness for various weapon attacks (see H.R. 4949), H901 [6FE]

Financial services and general Government: making appropriations (see S. 3107), S4343 [21JN] (see H.R. 6258), H5973 [28JN]

Government regulations: disapprove rule on net neutrality (see S.J. Res. 52), S1243 [27FE] (see H.J. Res. 129), H1333 [27FE] (see H.J. Res. 131), H3052 [29MR]

——— disapprove rule on net neutrality (H.J. Res. 129), consideration (see H. Res. 873), H3782 [7MY]

——— publish on Commission website documents to be voted on by the Commission (see H.R. 6422), H6557 [18JY]

——— require approval or denial of a license transfer application within a certain number of days of submission (see H.R. 7365), H10510 [20DE]

Information technology: allow States and localities to adopt a one touch make ready policy for utility pole attachments in order to expedite broadband deployment (see H.R. 4858), H582 [19JA]

——— conduct an annual inquiry on availability of advanced telecommunications capability in broadband deserts (see H.R. 4876), H624 [22JA]

——— ensure Federal funds for construction or acquisition of broadband facilities are not spent in areas where sufficient broadband is already offered or where network deployment is already funded (see H. Res. 690), H169 [11JA]

——— promote competition to preserve the ability of local governments to provide broadband capability and services (see H.R. 4814), H477 [17JA]

——— reexamine and revise broadband deployments that are subject to review under the National Historic Preservation Act or the National Environmental Policy Act (see S. 2576), S1845 [20MR] (see H.R. 5378), H1754 [21MR]

Internet: ensure Internet openness, prohibit blocking of content, services, and devices and impairment of Internet traffic, limit authority to preempt State law, and consider Internet service to be an information service (see S. 2510), S1452 [7MR]

——— ensure Internet openness, prohibit blocking or throttling of content and devices, and paid prioritization, require transparency of network management, and classify broadband as an information service (see S. 2853), S2724 [16MY]

——— provide for Internet openness requirements for broadband Internet access service providers (see H.R. 6393), H6462 [17JY]

——— provide that an owner or operator of a social media service that hinders the display of user-generated content shall be treated as a publisher or speaker of such content (see H.R. 7363), H10510 [20DE]

Law enforcement: increase penalty for fraudulent 9-1-1 calls that result in an emergency response from law enforcement agencies (see H.R. 6003), H4776 [5JN]

National Telecommunications and Information Administration: determine value of electromagnetic spectrum assigned or otherwise allocated to Federal entities (see S. 3617), S6964 [14NO]

Native Americans: evaluate broadband coverage in Indian country and on land held by Native corporations and complete a proceeding to address unserved areas (see H.R. 5007), H1126 [13FE]

News media: provide a consistent local broadcast channel to provide emergency news and information in underserved States and ensure such channel can disseminate emergency warnings to broadcast stations around the State (see H.R. 6416), H6557 [18JY]

——— require U.S.-based foreign media outlets to submit semiannual reports (see H.R. 5354), H1728 [20MR]

Office of Rural Broadband: establish (see S. 2959), S2924 [24MY]

Office of Rural Telecommunications: establish (see H.R. 5497), H3209 [12AP]

Political campaigns: require radio and television broadcasters to provide free broadcasting time for political advertising (see H.R. 6248), H5815 [27JN]

Radio: combat pirate radio by increasing fines, enhance liability for those who facilitate pirate operations, streamline enforcement process, and institute enforcement sweeps (see H.R. 5709), H3833 [8MY]

Radioactive substances: establish radiofrequency radiation site safety information database (see H.R. 7236), H9819 [10DE]

Rural areas: establish national standard to determine comparability of mobile and broadband services provided in rural versus urban areas (see S. 2418), S907 [13FE]

Russia: combat subversive activities (see H.R. 6437), H6587 [19JY]

Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support (E-rate) program: improve access by Indian tribes to support (see H.R. 5661), H3741 [27AP]

——— make Wi-Fi access on schoolbuses eligible for support (see S. 2958), S2923 [24MY] (see H.R. 6286), H5974 [28JN]

Task Force for Meeting the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the U.S.: establish (see S. 2343), S520 [25JA] (see H.R. 4881), H629 [25JA]

Telecommunications: allow carriers to use high cost universal service support to aid in restoration of telecommunications capabilities in areas which have been declared a major disaster or emergency (see H.R. 4832), H552 [18JA]

——— facilitate a spectrum pipeline for commercial use and require a portion of proceeds from spectrum auctions to go to wireless broadband infrastructure buildout in unserved and underserved rural areas (see H.R. 4953), H901 [6FE]

——— make grants to establish or expand job training programs for communications tower service, construction, and maintenance (see H.R. 5639), H3706 [26AP]

——— reform Mobility Phase II challenge process relative to mobile voice and wireless broadband coverage (see S. 2955), S2923 [24MY]

——— repeal requirement to reallocate and auction the T-Band spectrum (see S. 3347), S5582 [1AU] (see H.R. 5085), H1265 [26FE]

——— require carriers to provide call location information to law enforcement during emergencies (see S. 2973), S2924 [24MY] (see H.R. 5983), H4732 [25MY]

——— require phone, cable, and Internet providers to include all charges in the prices they advertise for service and provide remedies for consumers that have been wrongfully charged (see H.R. 6987), H9405 [28SE]

——— streamline siting processes for small cell infrastructure deployment (see S. 3157), S4733 [28JN]

Telephones: clarify acceptable 9-1-1 obligations or expenditures relative to wireless communications (see H.R. 6424), H6557 [18JY]

——— clarify prohibitions on making robocalls (see S. 3078), S3982 [18JN] (see H.R. 6026), H4979 [7JN]

——— designate a national dialing short code for users of mobile voice service to reach public safety personnel in critical, but non-emergency, circumstances (see H.R. 5700), H3833 [8MY]

——— expand and clarify prohibition on inaccurate caller identification information and require telephone service providers to offer technology to subscribers to reduce unwanted telephone calls (see S. 2705), S2261 [18AP] (see H.R. 5573), H3441 [18AP]

——— improve enforcement and enhance penalties for violations involving illegal robocalls (see S. 3149), S4512 [27JN] (see S. 3655), S7051 [15NO] (see H.R. 7392), H10586 [21DE]

——— lengthen statute of limitations for enforcing robocall violations (see S. 2694), S2261 [18AP]

——— prescribe regulations on caller identification information authentication technology (see H.R. 6822), H8725 [13SE]

——— reduce number of unlawful robocalls and unlawful spoofed calls received by consumers (see H.R. 7151), H9568 [16NO]

——— reinstate rules regulating inmate telephone service rates, which include immigrant detention facilities, and ensure immigrant parents can call their separated children without charge (see H.R. 6254), H5815 [27JN]

Television: move Berkshire County, MA, from the Albany, NY, television market into the Springfield, MA, market in order to provide carriage of television stations covering Massachusetts news (see S. 3524), S6356 [27SE]

——— provide for carriage of certain television broadcast stations (see H.R. 6954), H9150 [27SE]

——— provide for greater access to in-State television broadcast programming for cable and satellite subscribers in certain counties (see S. 3232), S5066 [18JY]

——— repeal certain carriage, retransmission, and ownership regulations (see H.R. 6465), H6648 [23JY]

——— require continued application of certain local broadcasting requirements to licensees even if such licensees change from a very high frequency station to an ultra high frequency station (see S. 3632), S7050 [15NO]

Letters

Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services (RAY BAUM’S) Act: Representative Gowdy, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (House), H1409 [6MR]

——— Representative Shuster, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (House), H1409 [6MR]

——— Representative Walden, Committee on Energy and Commerce (House), H1409 [6MR]

Motions

Government regulations: disapprove rule on net neutrality (S.J. Res. 52), S2698 [16MY]

Remarks in House

Appropriations: reauthorize and provide certain procedural changes to rules to maximize opportunities for public participation and efficient decisionmaking (H.R. 4986), H1398–H1414 [6MR], E271, E272 [7MR]

Dept. of Commerce: establish Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth (H.R. 3994), H6608–H6610 [23JY], H10122 [12DE]

Dept. of the Treasury: establish additional fund to reimburse costs incurred by terrestrial radio stations as a result of reorganization of broadcast television spectrum, E272 [7MR]

Dept. of Transportation: include broadband conduit installation in certain highway construction projects, H1414 [6MR]

Disasters: improve oversight of wireless and broadcast emergency alert systems (H.R. 6427), H7692 [26JY]

Emergency medical personnel: adopt rules to ensure the accuracy of call location information for 9-1-1 calls, H1414 [6MR]

FAA: submit report to Congress on possible unmanned aircraft systems operation on spectrum allocated for aviation use, H3656 [26AP]

Financial services and general Government: making appropriations, H6272, H6275–H6282, H6344–H6461 [17JY], H6477, H6530–H6554 [18JY], H6569–H6572 [19JY], H7894–H7896 [6SE]

Government regulations: disapprove rule on net neutrality, H4985 [8JN]

Independent inspector general: establish, H1412 [6MR]

Information technology: call for interagency coordination of broadband Internet infrastructure funding in order to maximize benefits of broadband investment, H10122 [12DE]

Internet: expand broadband Internet access service to rural areas, H1231 [26FE], H10275 [19DE]

Mental health: study feasibility of designating a simple, easy-to-remember dialing code to be used for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system (H.R. 2345), H6592–H6595 [23JY], H8167 [12SE]

Native Americans: evaluate broadband coverage in Indian country and on land held by Native corporations and complete a proceeding to address unserved areas, H1412 [6MR]

Political campaigns: require radio and television broadcasters to provide free broadcasting time for political advertising (H.R. 6248), E935 [27JN]

Radio: combat pirate radio by increasing fines, enhance liability for those who facilitate pirate operations, streamline enforcement process, and institute enforcement sweeps (H.R. 5709), H6597, H6598 [23JY]

Russia: combat subversive activities (H.R. 6437), H7846 [5SE]

Task Force for Meeting the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the U.S.: establish, H4128 [16MY]

——— establish (H.R. 4881), H6595–H6597 [23JY]

Telecommunications: encourage licensees to make unused spectrum available to rural and smaller carriers to expand wireless coverage, H1411 [6MR]

——— provide for deposits of bidders in auctions of spectrum frequencies to be deposited in the Treasury, H1411 [6MR]

Telephones: ensure the integrity of voice communications and prevent discrimination among areas in the delivery of such communications by requiring providers to register and comply with basic quality standards (S. 96), H990–H992, H1002 [8FE]

Veterans: submit to Congress a report on promoting broadband Internet access service for veterans, H1411 [6MR]

Remarks in Senate

Carr, Brendan: nomination to the FCC, S8054 [2JA]

Congress: accomplishments of the 115th Congress, S232–S234 [17JA]

Dept. of Agriculture: improve access to broadband telecommunications services in rural areas, including by encouraging provision of broadband loans and grants to increase broadband service in emerging harbor projects (S. 3360), S5761 [21AU]

Dept. of Transportation: prohibit certain cell phone voice communications during passenger flights, S6468 [3OC]

Disasters: improve oversight of wireless and broadcast emergency alert systems (S. 3238), S7734 [17DE]

Financial services and general Government: making appropriations, S5123–S5126 [23JY], S5227, S5230–S5237, S5240, S5241, S5245–S5249 [24JY], S5315–S5317, S5327, S5342, S5351 [25JY], S5394, S5399 [26JY], S5466, S5468, S5469, S5496–S5499 [31JY], S5527–S5531, S5533–S5539, S5573 [1AU], S6045 [6SE]

——— making appropriations (S. 3107), S6203 [18SE]

GAO: conduct a study and submit a report on filing requirements under the Universal Service Fund program (S. 875), S141, S142 [10JA]

Government regulations: decision to repeal net neutrality regulations, S5–S8 [3JA], S174 [16JA], S1204 [26FE]

——— disapprove rule on net neutrality (S.J. Res. 52), S1224, S1231 [27FE], S1346 [6MR], S2559, S2560, S2564, S2568, S2581–S2589 [9MY], S2672 [15MY], S2688–S2710 [16MY], S2741 [17MY], S3397 [11JN], S3744 [12JN]

Internet: ensure Internet openness, prohibit blocking or throttling of content and devices, and paid prioritization, require transparency of network management, and classify broadband as an information service (S. 2853), S2699–S2701, S2708 [16MY]

——— ensure openness, prohibit blocking or throttling of content and devices, and paid prioritization, require transparency of network management, and classify broadband as an information service (S. 2853), unanimous-consent request, S2700, S2701 [16MY]

——— expand broadband Internet access service to rural areas, S900 [13FE]

Mental health: study feasibility of designating a simple, easy-to-remember dialing code to be used for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system (H.R. 2345), S5560 [1AU], S6214 [18SE]

——— study feasibility of designating a simple, easy-to-remember dialing code to be used for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system (S. 1015), S3867 [13JN], S5675 [16AU]

Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support (E-rate) program: make Wi-Fi access on schoolbuses eligible for support (S. 2958), S2935 [24MY]

Starks, Geoffrey A.: nomination to the FCC, S8054 [2JA]

Task Force for Meeting the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the U.S.: establish (S. 2343), S7367, S7368 [6DE]

Telecommunications: reform Mobility Phase II challenge process relative to mobile voice and wireless broadband coverage (S. 2955), S2934 [24MY]

Telephones: establish a methodology for collection of mobile service coverage data (S. 1621), S1320 [1MR]

Reports filed

Advancing Critical Connectivity Expands Service, Small Business Resources, Opportunities, Access, and Data Based on Assessed Need and Demand (ACCESS BROADBAND) Act: Committee on Energy and Commerce (House) (H.R. 3994) (H. Rept. 115–841), H6556 [18JY]

Consideration of H.R. 6147, Dept. of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies and Financial Services and General Government Appropriations: Committee on Rules (House) (H. Res. 996) (H. Rept. 115–830), H6262 [16JY]

Financial Services and General Government Appropriations: Committee on Appropriations (House) (H.R. 6258) (H. Rept. 115–792), H5973 [28JN]

——— Committee on Appropriations (Senate) (S. 3107) (S. Rept. 115–281), S4343 [21JN]

National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate) (S. 1015) (S. Rept. 115–213), S1686 [13MR]

——— Committee on Energy and Commerce (House) (H.R. 2345) (H. Rept. 115–836), H6556 [18JY]

Nomination of Brendan Carr to the FCC: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate), S298 [18JA]

Nomination of Geoffrey A. Starks to the FCC: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate), S4512 [27JN]

Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate) (S. 2343) (S. Rept. 115–342), S6438 [2OC]

——— Committee on Energy and Commerce (House) (H.R. 4881) (H. Rept. 115–837), H6556 [18JY]

Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement (PIRATE) Act: Committee on Energy and Commerce (House) (H.R. 5709) (H. Rept. 115–843), H6556 [18JY]

Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services (RAY BAUM’S) Act: Committee on Energy and Commerce (House) (H.R. 4986) (H. Rept. 115–587), H1440 [6MR]

Rural Reasonable and Comparable Wireless Access Act: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate) (S. 2418) (S. Rept. 115–345), S6731 [9OC]

Rural Wireless Access Act: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate) (S. 1621) (S. Rept. 115–206), S703 [7FE]

Tables

Dept. of the Interior, environment, and related agencies and financial services and general Government appropriations (H.R. 6147), H6346–H6378 [17JY]

Texts of

H. Res. 996, consideration of H.R. 6147, Dept. of the Interior, environment, and related agencies and financial services and general Government appropriations, H6274 [17JY]

H.R. 2345, National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act, H6592 [23JY]

H.R. 3994, Advancing Critical Connectivity Expands Service, Small Business Resources, Opportunities, Access, and Data Based on Assessed Need and Demand (ACCESS BROADBAND) Act, H6608 [23JY]

H.R. 4881, Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act, H6595 [23JY]

H.R. 4986, Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services (RAY BAUM’S) Act, H1399–H1408 [6MR]

H.R. 5709, Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement (PIRATE) Act, H6597 [23JY]

H.R. 6147, Dept. of the Interior, environment, and related agencies and financial services and general Government appropriations, H6383–H6434 [17JY]

S. 96, Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act, H990 [8FE]

S. 875, GAO study and report on filing requirements under the Universal Service Fund program, S142 [10JA]

S. 1621, Rural Wireless Access Act, S1320 [1MR]

S. 2343, Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act, S7367 [6DE]

S. 2958, make Wi-Fi access on schoolbuses eligible for support from FCC Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support (E-rate), S2935 [24MY]

S. 3360, Broadband Internet for Small Ports Act, S5761 [21AU]

S.J. Res. 52, disapprove FCC rule on net neutrality, S2709 [16MY]