Rural Telecommunications and Broadband Service Act of 2017

To establish a Rural Telecommunications and Broadband Advisory Committee within the Federal Communications Commission. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Rural Telecommunications and Broadband Service Act of 2017 2. Rural Telecommunications and Broadband Advisory Committee Title I of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 151 13. Rural Telecommunications and Broadband Advisory Committee (a) Establishment There is established within the Commission the Rural Telecommunications and Broadband Advisory Committee (in this section referred to as the Committee (b) Purpose The Committee shall— (1) provide advice to the Commission and reports to Congress with respect to policy issues relating to telecommunications services in rural areas, including advice and recommendations that would— (A) promote the deployment of advanced and next-generation telecommunications services in rural areas; and (B) advance the principles described in section 254(b); and (2) advise the Commission with respect to the impact that agenda items of the Commission could have on the provision of telecommunications services in rural areas. (c) Membership (1) Number of members The Committee shall be composed of not fewer than 5 and not more than 30 members. (2) Appointment The members of the Committee, other than the co-Chairs described in paragraph (6), shall be appointed by the chairman of the Commission with the concurrence of the senior commissioner of the Commission from the party of which the chairman is not a member. (3) Removal A member of the Committee may be removed only upon the concurrence of both the chairman of the Commission and the senior commissioner of the Commission from the party of which the chairman is not a member. (4) Terms Each member of the Committee appointed under paragraph (2)— (A) shall serve for a term of 2 years; and (B) may be reappointed for additional terms. (5) Representation of membership The membership of the Committee shall— (A) be balanced with respect to the functions that the members of the Committee perform; and (B) represent a cross-section of interests in rural telecommunications policy, including individuals— (i) (I) with expertise in spectrum management and efficiency in rural areas; or (II) who have provided policy recommendations with respect to advancing the principles described in section 254(b), including, to ensure that next-generation telecommunications services are deployed in rural areas in a timely manner, experience in— (aa) offering recommendations; (bb) conducting studies, research, or reforms; and (cc) establishing new or novel approaches to policy or spectrum usage or licensing; and (ii) who have— (I) represented— (aa) telecommunications providers that serve rural areas; (bb) technology developers and manufacturers; (cc) Federal, State, regional, and local interests; (dd) national security interests; or (ee) entities that seek to protect consumers; or (II) worked in— (aa) academia; or (bb) the field of public safety. (6) Co-Chairs (A) Appointment The chairman of the Commission and the senior commissioner of the Commission from the party of which the chairman is not a member shall each appoint a co-Chair of the Committee. (B) Removal Each co-Chair of the Committee may be removed only upon the concurrence of both the chairman of the Commission and the senior commissioner of the Commission from the party of which the chairman is not a member. (d) Meetings The Committee— (1) shall meet not less frequently than once every 4 months; and (2) may meet more frequently than as described in paragraph (1), as determined by the co-Chairs. (e) Reports (1) Annual report The Committee shall submit to the Commission, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives an annual report that describes the activities of the Committee during the preceding year. (2) Servicing rural areas (A) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Committee shall submit to the Commission, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report that defines, in accordance with the principles described in section 254(b), what constitutes a rural area that has access to telecommunications and information technologies and services. (B) Updates The Committee may update the report submitted under subparagraph (A), as the co-Chairs determine is appropriate. (f) Advice on agenda items The Committee may be called before the Commission to consider the impact of agenda items of the Commission on the provision of telecommunications services in rural areas. (g) Expenses (1) In general Members of the Committee shall not receive compensation, travel expenses, or a per diem for the work of the members of the Committee. (2) Use of electronic means The Committee shall use telecommunications services and electronic resources to the maximum extent possible to— (A) facilitate the work of the Committee; and (B) minimize the expenses incurred by the members of the Committee in performing the work of the Committee. (h) Applicability of FACA Sections 10 and 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Committee or the activities of the Committee. .

Summary: Rural Telecommunications and Broadband Service Act of 2017 This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to establish within the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) a Rural Telecommunications and Broadband Advisory Committee to: provide advice to the FCC, and reports to Congress, on the deployment of advanced and next-generation telecommunications services in rural areas, the advancement of universal service principles for nationwide access to affordable and quality telecommunications and information services, and other policies relating to telecommunications in rural areas; define what constitutes a rural area that has access to telecommunications and information technologies and services in accordance with universal service principles; and advise on the impact of FCC agenda items on the provision of such services in rural areas.