II 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3439 

To amend title 40, United States Code, to direct the Administrator of General 

Services to install Wi-Fi hotspots and wireless neutral host systems 

in all Federal buildings in order to improve in-building wireless communications coverage and commercial network capacity by offloading wireless traffic onto wireline broadband networks. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 25, 2012 

Ms. SNOWE (for herself and Mr. WARNER) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public 

Works 

A BILL 

To amend title 40, United States Code, to direct the Administrator of General Services to install Wi-Fi hotspots 

and wireless neutral host systems in all Federal buildings 

in order to improve in-building wireless communications 

coverage and commercial network capacity by offloading 

wireless traffic onto wireline broadband networks. 

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 ‘‘Federal Wi-Net Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. INSTALLATION OF FEMTOCELLS IN ALL FEDERAL 

2 BUILDINGS. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter V of chapter 5 of sub4 title I of title 40, United States Code, is amended by add5 ing at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘§ 594. Installation of femtocells in all Federal build7 ings 

8 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

9 ‘‘(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘Adminis10 trator’ means the Administrator of General Services. 

11 ‘‘(2) WI-FI HOTSPOT.—The term ‘Wi-Fi 

12 hotspot’ means a site or area in which the public can 

13 access the Internet via a wireless connection. 

14 ‘‘(3) WIRELESS NEUTRAL HOST SYSTEM.—The 

15 term ‘wireless neutral host system’ means a small 

16 cellular communications base station and related an17 tenna, such as a femtocell, picocell, or similar device 

18 or apparatus, that is connected to a broadband serv19 ice to provide— 

20 ‘‘(A) improved cellular coverage within a 

21 building; and 

22 ‘‘(B) increased network capacity. 

23 ‘‘(b) INSTALLATION OF FEMTOCELLS.—The Admin24 istrator shall— 


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1 ‘‘(1) install Wi-Fi hotspots in all publicly acces2 sible Federal buildings constructed after the date of 

3 enactment of this section; 

4 ‘‘(2) allow for the installation of wireless neu5 tral host systems by any eligible carriers upon re6 quest in all publicly accessible Federal buildings; and 

7 ‘‘(3) in a manner consistent with sound man8 agement principles, retrofit all Federal buildings 

9 constructed prior to the date of enactment of this 

10 section on a timetable that reflects the importance 

11 of wireless communication to the Federal functions 

12 being performed by the occupants of those buildings, 

13 except that all of those buildings shall be retrofitted 

14 not later than December 31, 2015. 

15 ‘‘(c) FUNDING.— 

16 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There shall be made avail17 able from the Federal Buildings Fund established 

18 under section 592 $15,000,000 to carry out this sec19 tion. 

20 ‘‘(2) DERIVATION; AVAILABILITY.—Amounts 

21 made available under paragraph (1) shall— 

22 ‘‘(A) be derived from the unobligated bal23 ance of amounts made available from the Fed24 eral Buildings Fund for fiscal year 2013, and 

25 prior fiscal years, for repairs and alterations 


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1 and other activities (excluding amounts made 

2 available for the energy program); and 

3 ‘‘(B) remain available until expended.’’. 

4 (b) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections for 

5 chapter 5 of subtitle I of title 40, United States Code, 

6 is amended by adding at the end of the items relating to 

7 subchapter V the following: 

‘‘594. Installation of femtocells in all Federal buildings.’’. 

Æ 


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