[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 120, 109th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

120 STAT. 3399

Public Law 109-459
109th Congress

An Act


 
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to make efforts to
reduce telephone rates for Armed Forces personnel deployed
overseas.  NOTE: Dec. 22, 2006 -  [S. 2653]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,  NOTE: Call Home Act of
2006.

SECTION 1.  NOTE: 47 USC 609 note.  SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Call Home Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2.  NOTE: 47 USC 201 note.  TELEPHONE RATES FOR MEMBERS OF ARMED
FORCES DEPLOYED ABROAD.

(a) In General.--The Federal Communications Commission shall take
such action as may be necessary to reduce the cost of calling home for
Armed Forces personnel who are stationed outside the United States under
official military orders or deployed outside the United States in
support of military operations, training exercises, or other purposes as
approved by the Secretary of Defense, including the reduction of such
costs through the waiver of government fees, assessments, or other
charges for such calls. The Commission may not regulate rates in order
to carry out this section.
(b) Factors To Consider.--In taking the action described in
subsection (a), the Commission, in coordination with the Department of
Defense and the Department of State, shall--
(1) evaluate and analyze the costs to Armed Forces personnel
of such telephone calls to and from American military bases
abroad;
(2) evaluate methods of reducing the rates imposed on such
calls, including deployment of new technology such as voice over
Internet protocol or other Internet protocol technology;
(3) encourage telecommunications carriers (as defined in
section 3(44) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C.
153(44))) to adopt flexible billing procedures and policies for
Armed Forces personnel and their dependents for telephone calls
to and from such Armed Forces personnel; and
(4) seek agreements with foreign governments to reduce
international surcharges on such telephone calls.

(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Armed forces.--The term ``Armed Forces'' has the meaning
given that term by section 2101(2) of title 5, United States
Code.
(2) Military base.--The term ``military base'' includes
official duty stations to include vessels, whether such vessels
are in port or underway outside of the United States.

[[Page 3400]]
120 STAT. 3400

SEC. 3. REPEAL OF EXISTING AUTHORIZATION.

Section 213 of the Telecommunications Authorization Act of 1992 (47
U.S.C. 201 note) is repealed.

SEC. 4. PUBLIC SAFETY INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATIONS GRANTS.

NOTE: Deadline.  Pursuant to section 3006 of Public Law 109-171
(47 U.S.C. 309 note), the Assistant Secretary for Communications and
Information of the Department of Commerce, in consultation with the
Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, shall award no less
than $1,000,000,000 for public safety interoperable communications
grants no later than September 30, 2007 subject to the receipt of
qualified applications as determined by the Assistant Secretary.

Approved December 22, 2006.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 2653:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 152 (2006):
Dec. 6, considered and passed Senate.
Dec. 8, considered and passed House.