| Printer-Friendly | Search

 

Summary of Amendments Submitted to the Rules Committee on
H.R. 1542 - Internet Freedom and Broadband Development Act

 

(in alphabetical order)

Tuesday, February 26, 2002 (4:30 p.m.)

Bachus #10 - Withdrawn

Bachus #11 - Withdrawn

Bass #6 - Eliminates Operations Support Systems from the competitive checklist and from the list of items that must be sold to competitors under a system of price control.

Bonilla #8 - Allows the Bell companies to negotiate prices with the CLECs in those areas where the FCC has approved their Section 271 application.

Burr #3 - Repeals the authority of the Justice Department with respect to the Bell company provision of interLATA services.

Buyer/Towns #16 - Guarantees that CLECs have access to customers served by Bell company high speed networks under FCC-regulated rates, terms, and conditions. Preserves rules governing CLECs access to Bell facilities, including a rule that permits CLECs to “line share” on Bell copper facilities exclusively for the purpose of providing high speed Internet service. Requires Bell companies to allow CLECs to connect their own high speed Internet facilities to Bell services and equipment.

Cannon #12 - States that it is the sense of the Congress that broadband deployment will be spurred by new, bandwidth-intensive applications. Points out that entertainment applications were driving broadband demand prior to litigation-related interruption of service and that broadband demand dropped significantly when Napster shut down. It concludes that the Congress should review copyright laws to ensure that they keep up with technology while at the same time protecting artists and copyright holders from widespread infringement.

Cannon/Conyers/Markey/Luther/Flake and Nadler #17 - Line by line change to H.R. 1542: protects competitive investments by preserving the existing rules for telecommunications services that the competitive local exchange carriers and preserves State authority and consumer safeguards from the broad preemption of such authority granted under H.R. 1542. Preserves State authority and consumer safeguards from the preemption of such authority granted under H.R. 1542.

Cannon/Conyers/Markey/Luther/Flake and Nadler #18 - Replaces section 4 of H.R. 1542 with a new section which: protects competitive investments by preserving the existing rules for telecommunications services that the competitive local exchange carriers and preserves State authority and consumer safeguards from the broad preemption of such authority granted under H.R. 1542. Preserves State authority and consumer safeguards from the preemption of such authority granted under H.R. 1542.

Cox #26 - (offered Dec. 13, 2001) Withdrawn

Cox #30 - Requires Bell Operating Companies to open their local telephone markets to competition within one year, in return for receiving the bill’s deregulatory benefits. Late

Gonzalez #13 - Provides that Section 271, which requires prior FCC approval before a BOC can offer interLATA service, will expire on 1/1/03.

Gonzalez #22 - Provides both the FCC and the appropriate state PUC with a 90 day window to either approve or reject the Sec. 271 application. If the FCC or PUC fails to act within their 90 window, the application is deemed approved. If either the State or the FCC rejects the application, they must provide a written point-by-point explanation as to why the application was rejected. Stops the practice of allowing states to add additional conditions to the 14 point checklist. Late

Gonzalez #23 - Provides incentives to carriers to deploy new fiber optic facilities. Late

Gonzalez #24 - Prevents ILECs from being required to provide unbundled access to the high frequency portion of the loop at a remote terminal nor shall such carrier be required to provide collocation in or at a remote terminal. Late

Green (TX) #19 - Requires the FCC to conduct an annual review of the CLECs agreements with ILECs to ascertain the total number of loops leased from the ILEC for the provision of high speed data service. Specifies that the FCC will report on the number of high speed data loops used to serve traditionally underserved areas. The FCC analysis will be broken down by State to give a clearer picture of which carrier is serving whom with respect to high speed data service.

Green(TX)/Menendez #20 - Requires the FCC to conduct an annual review of CLECs agreements with ILECs to ascertain the total number loops leased from the ILEC for the provision of high speed data service. Specifies that at least 5% of all the loops leased from the ILECs must be used to serve “high-cost” areas. High cost is defined as under-served urban and rural consumers. Failure to meet the 5% service requirement will lead to FCC fines of up to $10,000 a day.

Hinchey #9 - Requires Regional Bell Operating Companies that wish to provide high-speed Internet services to provide funds to cover the costs of wiring and monthly services for broadband capability in all public elementary and secondary schools and public libraries.

Jackson-Lee #21 - Requires the Attorney General to conduct a study of the impact of the amendment made in this section on the deployment of high speed data services to urban and rural underserved areas, the rates for telephone data services, the number and quality of the choices available to consumers in selecting providers of telephone and data services and growth and the level of competition in telephone and data services. Requires the FCC to report to Congress within one year after the date of enactment of the Act. Includes a Sense of Congress that nothing in this Act shall impact negatively on the closing of the digital divide in rural and underserved communities.

Jackson-Lee #27 - (submitted Dec. 13, 2001) Withdrawn

Jackson-Lee #28 - (submitted Dec. 13, 2001) Withdrawn

Eddie Bernice Johnson #7 - Ensures that the FCC retains authority to require providers of high speed data services to contribute to the e-rate programs.

Eddie Bernice Johnson #29 - (submitted Dec. 13, 2001) Withdrawn

Largent #1 - (submitted Dec. 13, 2001) Withdrawn

Lucas (OK) #25 - Authorizes the current USDA program run by the Rural Utilities Service to provide loans and grants to rural areas to gain broadband capability. Changes the current program by allowing the Secretary of Agriculture some discretion over the speed and capabilities of new broadband technologies used in the program. Changes the current definition of a rural area from 20,000 persons to 25,000 persons. Late

Radanovich #5 - Limits the Internet service provider access obligation to the larger carriers.

Tauzin/Sensenbrenner #15 - Clarifies that the antitrust laws are not repealed by, not precluded by, not diminished by and not incompatible with the Communications Act of 1934 or the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Requires a Bell Operating Company to notify the Department of Justice thirty days prior to offering an interLATA high speed data or Internet backbone service originating in any in-region State in which the company has not received the authority from the FCC to provide interLATA services.

Terry #4 - Provides a two-tiered tax credit for investment in current or new technology. Tier one provides a 10 percent tax credit for the investment and deployment of current broadband technology in rural and underserved areas. Tier two provides a 20 percent tax credit in any taxable year for the investment and deployment of next-generation broadband services and technologies in non-business areas. Only investments between December 31, 2001 and January 1, 2007 will be eligible.

Upton/Green (TX) #14 - Increases the FCC’s forfeiture penalties for phone companies which violate the telecommunications law by elevating the current cap from $1.2 million to $10 million and increasing the current $120,000 fine per violation or each day of a continuing violation to $1 million. For repeat offenders, the amendment doubles these increased forfeiture penalties to $2 million per violation or each day of a continuing violation, capped at $20 million. The amendment doubles from 1 year to 2 years the statute of limitations for the FCC to bring enforcement actions against phone companies, gives the FCC clear, statutory “cease and desist” authority to use against phone companies which violate any of the telecommunications laws and directs the FCC to study the impact of the enhanced penalties under the bill and report back to Congress within one year after enactment.

Velazquez #2 - (submitted Dec. 13, 2001) Creates a secondary fund to the Universal Service Fund. Small businesses will be able to apply for assistance under this fund to offset both the hook-up fee for the broadband services (up to $30) and a monthly discount (up to $10 per month).

* Summaries derived from information submitted by the amendment sponsors.