House Commerce Advances Pirate Radio, IoT, Other Telecom Bills
The House Commerce Committee unanimously voted to advance five tech and telecom bills Thursday in a markup of bills, including the Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act (HR-5709) and the State of Modern Application, Research and Trends of IoT…
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Act (HR-6032). The committee also cleared: the National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act (HR-2345), the Advancing Critical Connectivity Expands Service, Small Business Resources, Opportunities, Access and Data Based on Assessed Need and Demand Act (HR-3994) and the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act (HR-4881). The vast majority of debate during the session focused on a resolution from House Commerce ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., on the Department of Health and Human Services' role in tracking and reuniting immigrant children with their parents as part of President Donald Trump's “zero tolerance” illegal immigration policy. HR-2345 and Senate-passed companion S-1015 would direct the FCC to work to designate a new national three-digit dialing code in the style of 911 for a mental health crisis and suicide prevention hotline. An amendment to the bill by Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., would direct that an FCC/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration study on the hotline be sent to the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs committees. HR-3994 would establish the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth within NTIA. HR-4881 and Senate companion S-2343 would establish a task force to identify internet connectivity gaps in agricultural areas. An amendment by House Digital Commerce Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, and Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, would add to the task force experts on broadband network data, geospatial analysis and coverage mapping. HR-5709 would increase fines for illegal pirate operations from $10,000 per violation to $100,000 per day per violation, up to a maximum of $2 million. An amendment from House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Mike Doyle, D-Pa., and Rep. Chris Collins, R-N.Y., would require the FCC to conduct annual “enforcement sweeps” and give the agency more authority to penalize violators. It also would direct the creation of a “Pirate Radio Broadcasting Database” listing licensed stations and known pirate radio outlets. HR-6302 would direct a Department of Commerce study on IoT.