[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 599 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 599
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 24, 2017
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to consolidate the reporting
obligations of the Federal Communications Commission in order to
improve congressional oversight and reduce reporting burdens.
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 ``Federal Communications Commission
Consolidated Reporting Act of 2017''.
SEC. 2. COMMUNICATIONS MARKETPLACE REPORT.
Title I of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 13. COMMUNICATIONS MARKETPLACE REPORT.
``(a) In General.--In the last quarter of every even-numbered year,
the Commission shall publish on its website and submit to the Committee
on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a
report on the state of the communications marketplace.
``(b) Contents.--Each report required by subsection (a) shall--
``(1) assess the state of competition in the communications
marketplace, including competition to deliver voice, video,
audio, and data services among providers of telecommunications,
providers of commercial mobile service (as defined in section
332), multichannel video programming distributors (as defined
in section 602), broadcast stations, providers of satellite
communications, Internet service providers, and other providers
of communications services;
``(2) assess the state of deployment of communications
capabilities, including advanced telecommunications capability
(as defined in section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of
1996 (47 U.S.C. 1302)), regardless of the technology used for
such deployment, including whether advanced telecommunications
capability is being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable
and timely fashion;
``(3) assess whether laws, regulations, or regulatory
practices (whether those of the Federal Government, States,
political subdivisions of States, Indian tribes or tribal
organizations (as such terms are defined in section 4 of the
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25
U.S.C. 5304)), or foreign governments) pose a barrier to
competitive entry into the communications marketplace or to the
competitive expansion of existing providers of communications
services;
``(4) describe the agenda of the Commission for the next 2-
year period for addressing the challenges and opportunities in
the communications marketplace that were identified through the
assessments under paragraphs (1) through (3); and
``(5) describe the actions that the Commission has taken in
pursuit of the agenda described pursuant to paragraph (4) in
the previous report submitted under this section.
``(c) Extension.--If the President designates a Commissioner as
Chairman of the Commission during the last quarter of an even-numbered
year, the portion of the report required by subsection (b)(4) may be
published on the website of the Commission and submitted to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate as
an addendum during the first quarter of the following odd-numbered
year.
``(d) Special Requirements.--
``(1) Assessing competition.--In assessing the state of
competition under subsection (b)(1), the Commission shall
consider all forms of competition, including the effect of
intermodal competition, facilities-based competition, and
competition from new and emergent communications services,
including the provision of content and communications using the
Internet.
``(2) Assessing deployment.--In assessing the state of
deployment under subsection (b)(2), the Commission shall
compile a list of geographical areas that are not served by any
provider of advanced telecommunications capability.
``(3) International comparisons and demographic
information.--The Commission may use readily available data to
draw appropriate comparisons between the United States
communications marketplace and the international communications
marketplace and to correlate its assessments with demographic
information.
``(4) Considering small businesses.--In assessing the state
of competition under subsection (b)(1) and regulatory barriers
under subsection (b)(3), the Commission shall consider market
entry barriers for entrepreneurs and other small businesses in
the communications marketplace in accordance with the national
policy under section 257(b).
``(5) Considering cable rates.--In assessing the state of
competition under subsection (b)(1), the Commission shall
include in each report required by subsection (a) the aggregate
average total amount paid by cable systems in compensation
under section 325 during the period covered by such report.''.
SEC. 3. CONSOLIDATION OF REDUNDANT REPORTS; CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
(a) ORBIT Act Report.--Section 646 of the Communications Satellite
Act of 1962 (47 U.S.C. 765e; 114 Stat. 57) is repealed.
(b) Satellite Competition Report.--Section 4 of Public Law 109-34
(47 U.S.C. 703) is repealed.
(c) International Broadband Data Report.--Section 103 of the
Broadband Data Improvement Act (47 U.S.C. 1303) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (b); and
(2) by redesignating subsections (c) through (e) as
subsections (b) through (d), respectively.
(d) Status of Competition in the Market for the Delivery of Video
Programming Report.--Section 628 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47
U.S.C. 548) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (g);
(2) by redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (g); and
(3) by transferring subsection (g) (as redesignated) so
that it appears after subsection (f).
(e) Report on Cable Industry Prices.--
(1) In general.--Section 623 of the Communications Act of
1934 (47 U.S.C. 543) is amended--
(A) by striking subsection (k); and
(B) by redesignating subsections (l) through (o) as
subsections (k) through (n), respectively.
(2) Conforming amendment.--Section 613(a)(3) of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 533(a)(3)) is amended by
striking ``623(l)'' and inserting ``623(k)''.
(f) Triennial Report Identifying and Eliminating Market Entry
Barriers for Entrepreneurs and Other Small Businesses.--Section 257 of
the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 257) is amended by striking
subsection (c).
(g) Section 706 Report.--Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act
of 1996 (47 U.S.C. 1302) is amended--
(1) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
``(b) Determination.--If the Commission determines in its report
under section 13 of the Communications Act of 1934, after considering
the availability of advanced telecommunications capability to all
Americans (including, in particular, elementary and secondary schools
and classrooms), that advanced telecommunications capability is not
being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion, the
Commission shall take immediate action to accelerate deployment of such
capability by removing barriers to infrastructure investment and by
promoting competition in the telecommunications market.'';
(2) by striking subsection (c);
(3) in subsection (d), by striking ``this subsection'' and
inserting ``this section''; and
(4) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c).
(h) State of Competitive Market Conditions With Respect to
Commercial Mobile Radio Services.--Section 332(c)(1)(C) of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 332(c)(1)(C)) is amended by
striking the first and second sentences.
(i) Previously Eliminated Annual Report.--
(1) In general.--Section 4 of the Communications Act of
1934 (47 U.S.C. 154) is amended--
(A) by striking subsection (k); and
(B) by redesignating subsections (l) through (o) as
subsections (k) through (n), respectively.
(2) Conforming amendments.--The Communications Act of 1934
(47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) is amended--
(A) in section 9(i), by striking ``In the
Commission's annual report, the Commission shall
prepare an analysis of its progress in developing such
systems and'' and inserting ``The Commission''; and
(B) in section 309(j)(8)(B), by striking the last
sentence.
(j) Additional Outdated Reports.--The Communications Act of 1934 is
further amended--
(1) in section 4--
(A) in subsection (b)(2)(B)(ii), by striking ``and
shall furnish notice of such action'' and all that
follows through ``subject of the waiver''; and
(B) in subsection (g), by striking paragraph (2);
(2) in section 215--
(A) by striking subsection (b); and
(B) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection
(b);
(3) in section 227(e), by striking paragraph (4);
(4) in section 309(j)--
(A) by striking paragraph (12); and
(B) in paragraph (15)(C), by striking clause (iv);
(5) in section 331(b), by striking the last sentence;
(6) in section 336(e), by amending paragraph (4) to read as
follows:
``(4) Report.--The Commission shall annually advise the
Congress on the amounts collected pursuant to the program
required by this subsection.'';
(7) in section 339(c), by striking paragraph (1);
(8) in section 396--
(A) by striking subsection (i);
(B) in subsection (k)--
(i) in paragraph (1), by striking
subparagraph (F); and
(ii) in paragraph (3)(B)(iii), by striking
subclause (V);
(C) in subsection (l)(1)(B), by striking ``shall be
included'' and all that follows through ``The audit
report''; and
(D) by striking subsection (m);
(9) in section 398(b)(4), by striking the third sentence;
(10) in section 624A(b)(1)--
(A) by striking ``Report; regulations'' and
inserting ``Regulations'';
(B) by striking ``Within 1 year after'' and all
that follows through ``on means of assuring'' and
inserting ``The Commission shall issue such regulations
as are necessary to assure''; and
(C) by striking ``Within 180 days after'' and all
that follows through ``to assure such compatibility.'';
and
(11) in section 713, by striking subsection (a).
SEC. 4. EFFECT ON AUTHORITY.
Nothing in this Act or the amendments made by this Act shall be
construed to expand or contract the authority of the Federal
Communications Commission.
SEC. 5. OTHER REPORTS.
Nothing in this Act or the amendments made by this Act shall be
construed to prohibit or otherwise prevent the Federal Communications
Commission from producing any additional reports otherwise within the
authority of the Commission.
Passed the House of Representatives January 23, 2017.
Attest:
KAREN L. HAAS,
Clerk.