I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3255 

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to establish a Telecommunications 

Workforce Development Advisory Council within the Federal Communications Commission, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 13, 2019 

Mr. WALBERG (for himself and Ms. CLARKE of New York) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, 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 

A BILL 

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to establish 

a Telecommunications Workforce Development Advisory 

Council within the Federal Communications Commission, 

and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Telecommunications 

5 Opportunities for Workers Engaging in Real InfrastrucVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:38 Jun 24, 2019 Jkt 034408 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3255.IH H3255

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1 ture Deployment Act of 2019’’ or the ‘‘TOWER Infra2 structure Deployment Act’’. 

3 SEC. 2. TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKFORCE DEVELOP4 MENT ADVISORY COUNCIL. 

5 Part I of title III of the Communications Act of 1934 

6 (47 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 

7 the following: 

8 ‘‘SEC. 344. TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKFORCE DEVELOP9 MENT ADVISORY COUNCIL. 

10 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within 

11 the Commission a Telecommunications Workforce Devel12 opment Advisory Council (referred to in this section as 

13 the ‘Advisory Council’). 

14 ‘‘(b) DUTIES.—The Advisory Council shall advise the 

15 Commission on, and develop recommendations with re16 spect to— 

17 ‘‘(1) the needs of the workforce in the commu18 nications industry to promote the deployment of 

19 communications facility installations; 

20 ‘‘(2) ways to encourage participation in indus21 try-led workforce development programs; and 

22 ‘‘(3) ways to improve workforce development in 

23 the communications industry. 

24 ‘‘(c) MEMBERS.— 


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1 ‘‘(1) COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL.—The Advisory 

2 Council shall be composed of members appointed 

3 under paragraph (2) that shall include at least one 

4 member representing, respectively— 

5 ‘‘(A) the Telecommunications Industry 

6 Registered Apprenticeship Program; 

7 ‘‘(B) the National Telecommunications and 

8 Information Administration; 

9 ‘‘(C) a State agency; 

10 ‘‘(D) a local agency; 

11 ‘‘(E) a Tribal agency; 

12 ‘‘(F) the communications industry; and 

13 ‘‘(G) a minority institution (as defined in 

14 section 365 of the Higher Education Act of 

15 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067k)). 

16 ‘‘(2) INITIAL APPOINTMENTS.—Not later than 

17 90 days after the date of the enactment of these sec18 tions, the Chairman of the Commission shall appoint 

19 members to serve on the Advisory Council. 

20 ‘‘(3) TERM.—Each member appointed under 

21 paragraph (2) shall serve on the Advisory Council 

22 until the termination of the Council. 

23 ‘‘(4) CHAIR.—The Chairman of the Commission 

24 shall designate a member of the Advisory Council as 

25 Chair. 


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1 ‘‘(5) VACANCY.—A vacancy in the Advisory 

2 Council shall be filled in the manner in which the 

3 original appointment was made. 

4 ‘‘(6) COMPENSATION.—The members of the Ad5 visory Council shall serve without compensation. 

6 ‘‘(d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

7 of the enactment of this section, the Advisory Council shall 

8 submit a report on the recommendations under subsection 

9 (b) to— 

10 ‘‘(1) the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

11 of the House of Representatives; 

12 ‘‘(2) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

13 Transportation of the Senate; 

14 ‘‘(3) the Committee on Education and Labor of 

15 the House of Representatives; and 

16 ‘‘(4) the Committee on Health, Education, 

17 Labor, and Pensions of the Senate. 

18 ‘‘(e) TERMINATION OF ADVISORY COUNCIL.—Not19 withstanding section 14 of the Federal Advisory Com20 mittee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), the Advisory Council shall ter21 minate on March 1, 2024. 

22 ‘‘(f) DEFINITION OF COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY IN23 STALLATION.—In this section, the term ‘communications 

24 facility installation’ has the meaning given that term in 


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1 section 6409(d) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job 

2 Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455(d)).’’. 

Æ 


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