IB 

Union Calendar No. 453 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 3998 

[Report No. 114–583, Part I] 

To direct the Federal Communications Commission to commence proceedings 

related to the resiliency of critical telecommunications networks during 

times of emergency, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 16, 2015 

Mr. PALLONE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 

Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 

as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

MAY 23, 2016 

Additional sponsors: Mr. SIRES, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. PASCRELL, and 

Mr. PAYNE

MAY 23, 2016 

Reported from the Committee on Energy and Commerce with amendments 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

MAY 23, 2016 

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure discharged; committed 

to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on November 16, 2015] 


emcdonald on DSK9F6TC42PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 3998 RH

A BILL 

To direct the Federal Communications Commission to commence proceedings related to the resiliency of critical 

telecommunications networks during times of emergency, 

and for other purposes. 


emcdonald on DSK9F6TC42PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 3998 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Securing Access to Net5 works in Disasters Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. STUDY ON NETWORK RESILIENCY. 

7 Not later than 36 months after the date of enactment 

8 of this Act, the Commission shall submit to Congress, and 

9 make publically available on the Commission’s website, a 

10 study on— 

11 (1) making telecommunications service provider12 owned WiFi access points, and other communications 

13 technologies operating on unlicensed spectrum, avail14 able to the general public for access to 911 services, 

15 without requiring any login credentials, during times 

16 of emergency when mobile service is unavailable; and 

17 (2) whether non-telecommunications service pro18 vider-owned WiFi access points can provide public 

19 access to 911 services during times of emergency. 

20 SEC. 3. ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS DUR21 ING FEDERALLY DECLARED EMERGENCIES. 

22 Section 427(a)(1)(A) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 

23 Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 

24 5189e(a)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘telecommuni25 cations service’’ and inserting ‘‘wireline or mobile telephone 


emcdonald on DSK9F6TC42PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 3998 RH

1 service, Internet access service, radio or television broad2 casting, cable service, or direct broadcast satellite service’’. 

3 SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 

4 As used in this Act and for purposes of the rules re5 quired by this Act— 

6 (1) the term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Federal 

7 Communications Commission; 

8 (2) the term ‘‘mobile service’’ means commercial 

9 mobile service (as defined in section 332 of the Com10 munications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 332)) or commer11 cial mobile data service (as defined in section 6001 of 

12 the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 

13 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1401)); 

14 (3) the term ‘‘WiFi access point’’ means wireless 

15 Internet access using the standard designated as 

16 802.11 or any variant thereof; and 

17 (4) the term ‘‘times of emergency’’ means either 

18 an emergency as defined in section 102 of the Robert 

19 T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 

20 Act (42 U.S.C. 5122), or an emergency as declared by 

21 the governor of a State or territory of the United 

22 States. 

Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to direct the 

Federal Communications Commission to conduct a study 

on network resiliency during times of emergency, and for 

other purposes.’’. 


emcdonald on DSK9F6TC42PROD with BILLS

emcdonald on DSK9F6TC42PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 453 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 3998 

[Report No. 114–583, Part I] 

A BILL 

To direct the Federal Communications Commission 

times of emergency, and for other purposes. of critical telecommunications networks during to commence proceedings related to the resiliency 

MAY 23, 2016 

Reported from the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

with amendments 

MAY 23, 2016 

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

printed House on the State of the Union and ordered to be discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole 


emcdonald on DSK9F6TC42PROD with BILLS