I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 588 

To direct the Federal Communications Commission to conduct a study on 

network resiliency during times of emergency, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 17, 2017 

Mr. PALLONE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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 direct the Federal Communications Commission to conduct a study on network resiliency during times of emergency, 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 ‘‘Securing Access to 

5 Networks 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 


srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 588 IH

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

2 study on the public safety benefits and technical feasibility 

3 and cost of— 

4 (1) making telecommunications service pro5 vider-owned WiFi access points, and other commu6 nications technologies operating on unlicensed spec7 trum, available to the general public for access to 9– 

8 1–1 services, without requiring any login credentials, 

9 during times of emergency when mobile service is 

10 unavailable; 

11 (2) the provision by non-telecommunications 

12 service provider-owned WiFi access points of public 

13 access to 9–1–1 services during times of emergency 

14 when mobile service is unavailable; and 

15 (3) other alternative means of providing the 

16 public with access to 9–1–1 services during times of 

17 emergency when mobile service is unavailable. 

18 SEC. 3. ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS DUR19 ING FEDERALLY DECLARED EMERGENCIES. 

20 Section 427(a)(1)(A) of the Robert T. Stafford Dis21 aster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 

22 5189e(a)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘telecommuni23 cations service’’ and inserting ‘‘wireline or mobile tele24 phone service, Internet access service, radio or television 


srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 588 IH

1 broadcasting, cable service, or direct broadcast satellite 

2 service’’. 

3 SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 

4 As used in this Act— 

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

6 Communications Commission; 

7 (2) the term ‘‘mobile service’’ means commer8 cial mobile service (as defined in section 332 of the 

9 Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 332)) or 

10 commercial mobile data service (as defined in section 

11 6001 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Cre12 ation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1401)); 

13 (3) the term ‘‘WiFi access point’’ means wire14 less Internet access using the standard designated as 

15 802.11 or any variant thereof; and 

16 (4) the term ‘‘times of emergency’’ means ei17 ther an emergency as defined in section 102 of the 

18 Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 

19 Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122), or an emergency 

20 as declared by the governor of a State or territory 

21 of the United States. 

Æ 


srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS