H. R. 1625—722 
including hazard trees, to enhance electric reliability, pro-
mote public safety, and avoid fire hazards. 
‘‘(4) SECRETARY
CONCERNED.—The term ‘Secretary con-
cerned’ means— 
‘‘(A) the Secretary, with respect to public lands; and 
‘‘(B) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to 
National Forest System land. 
‘‘(b) GUIDANCE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To enhance the reliability of the electric 
grid and reduce the threat of wildfire damage to, and wildfire 
caused by vegetation-related conditions within, electric trans-
mission and distribution rights-of-way and abutting Federal 
land, including hazard trees, the Secretary concerned shall 
issue and periodically update guidance to ensure that provisions 
are appropriately developed and implemented for utility vegeta-
tion management, facility inspection, and operation and mainte-
nance of rights-of-way, regardless of the means by which the 
rights-of-way are established (including by grant, special use 
authorization, and easement). 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—The guidance issued under paragraph 
(1) shall be compatible with mandatory reliability standards 
established by the Electric Reliability Organization. 
‘‘(3) CONSIDERATIONS.—The guidance issued under para-
graph (1) shall take into account— 
‘‘(A) all applicable law, including fire safety and electric 
system reliability requirements (including reliability stand-
ards established by the Electric Reliability Organization 
under section 215 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 
824o)); and 
‘‘(B) the Memorandum of Understanding on Vegetation 
Management for Powerline Rights-of-Way between the Edi-
son Electric Institute, Utility Arborist Association, the 
Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, 
and the Environmental Protection Agency signed in 2016. 
‘‘(4) REQUIREMENTS.—The guidance issued under paragraph 
(1) shall— 
‘‘(A) be developed in consultation with the owners of 
transmission and distribution facilities that hold rights- 
of-way; 
‘‘(B) seek to minimize the need for case-by-case 
approvals for — 
‘‘(i) routine vegetation management, facility inspec-
tion, and operation and maintenance activities; and 
‘‘(ii) utility vegetation management activities that 
are necessary to control hazard trees; and 
‘‘(C) provide for prompt and timely review of requests 
to conduct vegetation management activities that require 
approval of the Secretary concerned, especially activities 
requiring expedited or immediate action. 
‘‘(c) VEGETATION
MANAGEMENT, FACILITY
INSPECTION, AND 
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PLANS.— 
‘‘(1) DEVELOPMENT AND SUBMISSION.—Consistent with sub-
section (b), the Secretary concerned shall provide owners and 
operators of electric transmission or distribution facilities 
located on public lands and National Forest System land, as 
applicable, with the option to develop and submit a plan.
H. R. 1625—723 
‘‘(2) ERO STANDARDS.—Owners and operators subject to 
mandatory reliability standards established by the Electric Reli-
ability Organization (or superseding standards) may use those 
standards as part of the plan. 
‘‘(3) PLAN REQUIREMENTS.—A plan developed under para-
graph (1) shall— 
‘‘(A) identify the applicable transmission or distribution 
facilities to be maintained; 
‘‘(B) take into account operations and maintenance 
plans for the applicable transmission or distribution line; 
‘‘(C) describe the vegetation management, inspection, 
and operation and maintenance methods that may be used 
to comply with all applicable law, including fire safety 
requirements and reliability standards established by the 
Electric Reliability Organization; 
‘‘(D) include schedules for— 
‘‘(i) the applicable owner or operator to notify the 
Secretary concerned about routine and major mainte-
nance; 
‘‘(ii) the applicable owner or operator to request 
approval from the Secretary concerned about under-
taking routine and major maintenance; and 
‘‘(iii) the Secretary concerned to respond to a 
request by an owner or operator under clause (ii); 
and 
‘‘(E) describe processes for— 
‘‘(i) identifying changes in conditions; and 
‘‘(ii) modifying the approved plan, if necessary. 
‘‘(4) REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCESS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary concerned shall 
jointly develop a consolidated and coordinated process for 
the review and approval of plans submitted under para-
graph (1) that— 
‘‘(i) includes timelines and benchmarks for— 
‘‘(I) the submission of agency comments on 
the plans and schedules for final decision; and 
‘‘(II) the timely review of modifications of the 
plans in cases in which modifications are nec-
essary; 
‘‘(ii) is consistent with applicable law; and 
‘‘(iii) includes a process for modifications to a plan 
in a prompt manner if changed conditions necessitate 
a modification to a plan; and 
‘‘(iv) ensures, to the maximum extent practicable, 
a prompt review and approval process not to exceed 
120 days. 
‘‘(B) PLAN
MODIFICATION.—Upon reasonable advance 
notice to an owner or operator of an electric transmission 
or distribution facility of any changed conditions that war-
rant a modification to a plan, the Secretary concerned 
shall— 
‘‘(i) provide an opportunity for the owner or oper-
ator to submit a proposed plan modification, consistent 
with the process described under subparagraph (A)(iii), 
to address the changed condition identified by the Sec-
retary concerned;
H. R. 1625—724 
‘‘(ii) consider the proposed plan modification con-
sistent with the process described under paragraph 
(4)(A); and 
‘‘(iii) allow the owner or operator to continue to 
implement any element of the approved plan that does 
not directly and adversely affect the condition precipi-
tating the need for modification. 
‘‘(5) CATEGORIES
OF
ACTIONS
NOT
REQUIRING
ENVIRON-
MENTAL
ANALYSIS.—With respect to the development and 
approval of plans submitted under paragraph (1), as well as 
with respect to actions carried out under such plans, the Sec-
retary concerned shall identify categories of actions for which 
neither an environmental impact statement nor an environ-
mental assessment shall be required under section 1508.4 of 
title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation). 
‘‘(d) CERTAIN OWNERS AND OPERATORS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The owner or operator of an electric 
transmission or distribution facility that is not subject to the 
mandatory reliability standards established by the Electric Reli-
ability Organization or that sold less than or equal to 1,000,000 
megawatt hours of electric energy for purposes other than 
resale during each of the 3 calendar years immediately pre-
ceding the date of enactment of this section may enter into 
an agreement with the Secretary concerned in lieu of a plan 
under subsection (c). 
‘‘(2) MINIMUM
REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary concerned 
shall ensure that the minimum requirements for an agreement 
under paragraph (1)— 
‘‘(A) reflect the relative financial resources of the 
applicable owner or operator compared to other owners 
or operators of an electric transmission or distribution 
facility; 
‘‘(B) include schedules as described in subsection 
(c)(3)(D); 
‘‘(C) are subject to modification requirements as 
described in subsection (c)(4)(B); and 
‘‘(D) comply with applicable law. 
‘‘(e) EMERGENCY CONDITIONS.—If vegetation or hazard trees 
have contacted or present an imminent danger of contacting an 
electric transmission or distribution line from within or adjacent 
to an electric transmission or distribution right-of-way, the owner 
or operator of the electric transmission or distribution lines— 
‘‘(1) may prune or remove the vegetation or hazard tree— 
‘‘(A) to avoid the disruption of electric service; and 
‘‘(B) to eliminate immediate fire and safety hazards; 
and 
‘‘(2) shall notify the appropriate local agent of the Secretary 
concerned not later than 1 day after the date of the response 
to emergency conditions. 
‘‘(f) ACTIVITIES THAT REQUIRE APPROVAL.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Except as provided under paragraph 
(3), the owner or operator of an electric transmission or distribu-
tion facility may conduct vegetation management activities that 
require approval of the Secretary concerned in accordance with 
a plan approved under subsection (c) or an agreement entered 
into under subsection (d) only with the approval of the Secretary 
concerned.
H. R. 1625—725 
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENT TO RESPOND.—The Secretary concerned 
shall respond to a request for approval to conduct vegetation 
management activities in accordance with the applicable sched-
ules in a plan approved under subsection (c) or an agreement 
entered into under subsection (d). 
‘‘(3) AUTHORIZED
ACTIVITIES.—The owner or operator of 
an electric transmission or distribution facility may conduct 
vegetation management activities that require approval of the 
Secretary concerned in accordance with a plan approved under 
subsection (c) or an agreement entered into under subsection 
(d) without the approval of the Secretary concerned if— 
‘‘(A) the owner or operator submitted a request to 
the Secretary concerned in accordance with the applicable 
schedule in a plan approved under subsection (c) or an 
agreement entered into under subsection (d); 
‘‘(B) the vegetation management activities, including 
the removal of hazard trees, proposed in the request under 
subparagraph (A) are in accordance with a plan approved 
under subsection (c) or an agreement entered into under 
subsection (d); and 
‘‘(C) the Secretary concerned fails to respond to the 
request under subparagraph (A) in accordance with the 
applicable schedule in a plan approved under subsection 
(c) or an agreement entered into under subsection (d). 
‘‘(g) LIABILITY.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary concerned shall not 
impose strict liability for damages or injury resulting from— 
‘‘(A) the Secretary concerned unreasonably withholding 
or delaying— 
‘‘(i) approval of a plan under subsection (c); or 
‘‘(ii) entrance into an agreement under subsection 
(d); or 
‘‘(B) the Secretary concerned unreasonably failing to 
adhere to an applicable schedule in a plan approved under 
subsection (c) or an agreement entered into under sub-
section (d). 
‘‘(2) DAMAGES.—For the period ending 10 years after the 
date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary con-
cerned shall not impose strict liability in an amount greater 
than $500,000 per incident for damages or injury resulting 
from activities conducted by an owner or operator in accordance 
with an approved agreement under subsection (d). 
‘‘(3) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in paragraph (2) 
shall be construed to effect any liability imposed by the Sec-
retary concerned under section 251.56(d) of title 36, Code of 
Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of the enactment 
of this section) and section 2807.12 of title 43, Code of Federal 
Regulations (as in effect on the date of the enactment of this 
section), for activities conducted by an owner or operator in 
accordance with an approved plan under subsection (c). 
‘‘(h) REPORTING REQUIREMENT.— 
‘‘(1) ACTIVITIES THAT REQUIRE APPROVAL.—The Secretary 
concerned shall report requests and actions made under sub-
section (f) annually on the website of the Secretary concerned. 
‘‘(2) LIABILITY.—Not later than four years after the date 
of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary concerned shall 
prepare and submit a report to the Committee on Natural
H. R. 1625—726 
Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate that describes 
the effect on the Treasury of the strict liability limitation estab-
lished by subsection (g)(2). 
‘‘(i) TRAINING AND GUIDANCE.—In consultation with the electric 
utility industry, the Secretary concerned is encouraged to develop 
a program to train personnel of the Department of the Interior 
and the Forest Service involved in vegetation management decisions 
relating to electric transmission and distribution facilities to ensure 
that the personnel— 
‘‘(1) understand electric system reliability requirements as 
the requirements relate to vegetation management of trans-
mission and distribution rights-of-way on Federal land, 
including reliability standards established by the Electric Reli-
ability Organization and fire safety requirements; 
‘‘(2) assist owners and operators of electric transmission 
and distribution facilities in complying with applicable electric 
reliability and fire safety requirements; 
‘‘(3) encourage and assist willing owners and operators 
of electric transmission and distribution facilities to incorporate 
on a voluntary basis vegetation management practices to 
enhance habitats and forage for pollinators and for other wild-
life if the practices are compatible with the integrated vegeta-
tion management practices necessary for reliability and safety; 
and 
‘‘(4) understand how existing and emerging unmanned tech-
nologies can help electric utilities, the Federal Government, 
State and local governments, and private landowners— 
‘‘(A) to more efficiently identify vegetation management 
needs; 
‘‘(B) to reduce the risk of wildfires; and 
‘‘(C) to lower ratepayer energy costs. 
‘‘(j) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary concerned shall— 
‘‘(1) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this section, propose regulations, or amend existing regula-
tions, to implement this section; and 
‘‘(2) not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this section, finalize regulations, or amend existing regula-
tions, to implement this section. 
‘‘(k) EXISTING VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, FACILITY INSPECTION, 
AND OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PLANS.—Nothing in this section 
requires an owner or operator to develop and submit a new plan 
under this section if a plan consistent with this section has already 
been approved by the Secretary concerned before the date of enact-
ment of this section.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections for the Fed-
eral Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1761 
et seq.), is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
511 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 512. Vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and mainte-
nance relating to electric transmission and distribution facility rights-of- 
way.’’. 
SEC. 212. GOOD NEIGHBOR AUTHORITY IMPROVEMENT. 
Section 8206(a) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (16 U.S.C. 
2113a(a)) is amended—
H. R. 1625—728 
of Bureau of Land Management Land Use Planning Hand-
book H-1601-1 (Rel 1-1693), a special recreation manage-
ment area, or a national natural landmark managed by 
the Bureau of Land Management;’’; and 
(C) by amending subparagraph (D) to read as follows: 
‘‘(D) a National Forest or National Grassland in the 
National Forest System; or’’; 
(3) in section 203 (43 U.S.C. 2302), by inserting the fol-
lowing paragraph after section 203(2) (and redesignating the 
following paragraphs accordingly): 
‘‘(3) INACCESSIBLE
LANDS
THAT
ARE
OPEN
TO
PUBLIC 
HUNTING, FISHING, RECREATIONAL SHOOTING, OR OTHER REC-
REATIONAL PURPOSES.—The term ‘inaccessible lands that are 
open to public hunting, fishing, recreational shooting, or other 
recreational purposes’ means public lands in Alaska and the 
eleven contiguous Western States (as defined in section 103 
of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 
U.S.C. 1702)) consisting of at least 640 contiguous acres on 
which the public is allowed under Federal or State law to 
hunt, fish, target shoot or use the land for other recreational 
purposes but— 
‘‘(A) to which there is no public access or egress; or 
‘‘(B) to which public access or egress to the land is 
significantly restricted, as determined by the Secretary.’’; 
and 
(4) in section 205 (43 U.S.C. 2304)— 
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘section 206’’ and 
all that follows through the period and inserting the fol-
lowing: ‘‘section 206— 
‘‘(1) to complete appraisals and satisfy other legal require-
ments for the sale or exchange of public land identified for 
disposal under approved land use plans under section 202 
of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 
U.S.C. 1712); 
‘‘(2) not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act Reauthoriza-
tion of 2018, to establish and make available to the public, 
on the website of the Department of the Interior, a database 
containing a comprehensive list of all the land referred to 
in paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(3) to maintain the database referred to in paragraph 
(2).’’; and 
(B) by striking subsection (d); 
(5) in section 206(c)(2) (43 U.S.C. 2305(c)(2))— 
(A) in subparagraph(A)(i), by striking ‘‘inholdings; and’’ 
and inserting ‘‘inholdings;’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking ‘‘exceptional 
resources.’’ and inserting ‘‘exceptional resources; or’’; 
(C) in subparagraph (A), by inserting after clause (ii), 
‘‘(iii) adjacent to inaccessible lands open to public hunting, 
fishing, recreational shooting, or other recreational pur-
poses.’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(E) Any funds made available under subparagraph 
(D) that are not obligated or expended by the end of the 
fourth full fiscal year after the date of the sale or exchange
H. R. 1625—729 
of land that generated the funds may be expended in 
any State.’’; 
(6) in section 206(c)(3) (43 U.S.C. 2305(c)(3))— 
(A) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following: 
‘‘(B) the extent to which the acquisition of the land 
or interest therein will increase the public availability of 
resources for, and facilitate public access to, hunting, 
fishing, and other recreational activities;’’; and 
(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as 
subparagraphs (C) and (D); 
(7) by striking section 206(f) (43 U.S.C. 2305(f)); and 
(8) in section 207(b) (43 U.S.C. 2306(b))— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘96–568’’ and inserting ‘‘96–586’’; 
and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘; or’’ and inserting a semicolon; 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘Public Law 105–263;’’ before ‘‘112 
Stat.’’; and 
(ii) by striking the period at the end and inserting 
a semicolon; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) the White Pine County Conservation, Recreation, and 
Development Act of 2006 (Public Law 109–432; 120 Stat. 3028); 
‘‘(4) the Lincoln County Conservation, Recreation, and 
Development Act of 2004 (Public Law 108–424; 118 Stat. 2403); 
‘‘(5) subtitle F of title I of the Omnibus Public Land 
Management Act of 2009 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; Public Law 
111–11); 
‘‘(6) subtitle O of title I of the Omnibus Public Land 
Management Act of 2009 (16 U.S.C. 460www note, 1132 note; 
Public Law 111–11); 
‘‘(7) section 2601 of the Omnibus Public Land Management 
Act of 2009 (Public Law 111–11; 123 Stat. 1108); or 
‘‘(8) section 2606 of the Omnibus Public Land Management 
Act of 2009 (Public Law 111–11; 123 Stat. 1121).’’. 
TITLE 
IV—EXTENSION 
OF 
SECURE 
RURAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY 
SELF-DETERMINATION ACT OF 2000 
SEC. 401. EXTENSION OF SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY 
SELF-DETERMINATION ACT OF 2000. 
(a) SECURE PAYMENTS FOR STATES AND COUNTIES CONTAINING 
FEDERAL LAND.— 
(1) FULL FUNDING AMOUNT.—Section 3(11) of the Secure 
Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (16 
U.S.C. 7102(11)) is amended— 
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘and’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (C)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘and each fiscal year thereafter’’ 
and inserting ‘‘through fiscal year 2015’’; and 
(ii) by striking the period and inserting a semi- 
colon; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following:
H. R. 1625—730 
‘‘(D) for fiscal year 2017, the amount that is equal 
to 95 percent of the full funding amount for fiscal year 
2015; and 
‘‘(E) for fiscal year 2018 and each fiscal year thereafter, 
the amount that is equal to 95 percent of the full funding 
amount for the preceding fiscal year.’’. 
(2) SECURE PAYMENTS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Section 101 of the Secure Rural 
Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 
(16 U.S.C. 7111) is amended, in subsections (a) and (b), 
by striking ‘‘2015’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘2015, 2017, and 2018’’. 
(B) SPECIAL RULE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017 PAYMENTS.— 
Section 101 of the Secure Rural Schools and Community 
Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7111) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) SPECIAL RULE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017 PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) STATE PAYMENT.—If an eligible county in a State that 
will receive a share of the State payment for fiscal year 2017 
has already received, or will receive, a share of the 25-percent 
payment for fiscal year 2017 distributed to the State before 
the date of enactment of this subsection, the amount of the 
State payment shall be reduced by the amount of the share 
of the eligible county of the 25-percent payment. 
‘‘(2) COUNTY
PAYMENT.—If an eligible county that will 
receive a county payment for fiscal year 2017 has already 
received a 50-percent payment for fiscal year 2017, the amount 
of the county payment shall be reduced by the amount of 
the 50-percent payment. 
‘‘(3) PROMPT PAYMENT.—Not later than 45 days after the 
date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary of the 
Treasury shall make all payments under this title for fiscal 
year 2017.’’. 
(3) PAYMENTS TO STATES AND COUNTIES.— 
(A) ELECTION TO RECEIVE PAYMENT AMOUNT.—Section 
102(b) of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self- 
Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7112(b)) is 
amended— 
(i) in paragraph (1), by adding after subparagraph 
(C) the following: 
‘‘(D) PAYMENTS FOR FISCAL YEARS 2017 AND 2018.—The 
election otherwise required by subparagraph (A) shall not 
apply for fiscal years 2017 or 2018.’’; and 
(ii) in paragraph (2)— 
(I) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘and for 
fiscal years 2017 and 2018’’ after ‘‘2015’’; and 
(II) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘and 
for fiscal years 2017 and 2018’’ after ‘‘2015’’. 
(B) EXPENDITURE RULES FOR ELIGIBLE COUNTIES.—Sec-
tion 102(d) of the Secure Rural Schools and Community 
Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7112(d)) is 
amended— 
(i) in paragraph (1), by adding after subparagraph 
(E) the following: 
‘‘(F) PAYMENTS FOR FISCAL YEARS 2017 AND 2018.—The 
election made by an eligible county under subparagraph 
(B), (C), or (D) for fiscal year 2013, or deemed to be made
H. R. 1625—731 
by the county under paragraph (3)(B) for that fiscal year, 
shall be effective for fiscal years 2017 and 2018.’’; and 
(ii) in paragraph (3)— 
(I) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking ‘‘pur-
pose described in section 202(b)’’ and inserting 
‘‘purposes described in section 202(b), section 
203(c), or section 204(a)(5)’’; and 
(II) by adding after subparagraph (C) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(D) PAYMENTS FOR FISCAL YEARS 2017 AND 2018.—This 
paragraph does not apply for fiscal years 2017 and 2018.’’. 
(C) ELECTIONS AS TO ALLOCATION OF BALANCE.—Section 
102(d)(1) of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self- 
Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7112(d)(1)) is 
amended— 
(i) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking ‘‘not more 
than 7 percent of the total share for the eligible county 
of the State payment or the county payment’’ and 
inserting ‘‘any portion of the balance’’; and 
(ii) by striking subparagraph (C) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(C) COUNTIES
WITH
MAJOR
DISTRIBUTIONS.—In the 
case of each eligible county to which $350,000 or more 
is distributed for any fiscal year pursuant to paragraph 
(1)(B) or (2)(B) of subsection (a), the eligible county shall 
elect to do 1 or more of the following with the balance 
of any funds not expended pursuant to subparagraph (A): 
‘‘(i) Reserve any portion of the balance for projects 
in accordance with title II. 
‘‘(ii) Reserve not more than 7 percent of the total 
share for the eligible county of the State payment 
or the county payment for projects in accordance with 
title III. 
‘‘(iii) Return the portion of the balance not reserved 
under clauses (i) and (ii) to the Treasury of the United 
States.’’. 
(D) TREATMENT AS SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING.—Section 
102 of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self- 
Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7112) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) TREATMENT AS SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—None of the funds made available to 
an eligible county under this Act may be used in lieu of, 
or to otherwise offset, a State funding source for a local school, 
facility, or educational purpose. 
‘‘(2) CONTINUATION
OF
DIRECT
PAYMENTS.—Payments to 
States made under the Secure Rural Schools and Community 
Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) and 
25-percent payments made to States and Territories under 
the Acts of May 23, 1908, and March 1, 1911 (16 U.S.C. 500), 
shall continue to be made as direct payments and not as Federal 
financial assistance.’’. 
(E) DISTRIBUTION
OF
PAYMENTS
TO
ELIGIBLE
COUN-
TIES.—Section 103(d)(2) of the Secure Rural Schools and 
Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 
7113(d)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘2015’’ and inserting 
‘‘and for fiscal years 2017 and 2018’’.
H. R. 1625—732 
(b) CONTINUATION
OF
AUTHORITY
TO
CONDUCT
SPECIAL 
PROJECTS ON FEDERAL LAND.— 
(1) REPEAL
OF
CONTRACTING
PILOT
PROGRAM.—Section 
204(e) of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Deter-
mination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7124(e)) is amended by striking 
paragraph (3). 
(2) RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMITTEES.—Section 205(a)(4) of 
the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination 
Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7125(a)(4)) is amended by striking ‘‘2012’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘2018’’. 
(3) AVAILABILITY OF PROJECT FUNDS.—Section 207(d)(2) of 
the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination 
Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7127(d)(2)) is amended by striking 
‘‘subparagraph (B)’’ and inserting ‘‘subparagraph (B)(i), (B)(ii),’’. 
(4) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—Section 208 of the Secure 
Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 
(16 U.S.C. 7128) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘2017’’ and inserting 
‘‘2020’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘2021’’. 
(c) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—Section 304 of the Secure 
Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 
U.S.C. 7144) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘2017’’ and inserting 
‘‘2020’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘2021’’. 
SEC. 402. ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZED USE OF RESERVED FUNDS FOR 
TITLE III COUNTY PROJECTS. 
Section 302(a) of the Secure Rural Schools and Community 
Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7142(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘and law enforcement patrols’’ after 
‘‘including firefighting’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(2) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘and carry out’’ after 
‘‘develop’’; 
(3) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and 
(4) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new para-
graph (3): 
‘‘(3) to cover training costs and equipment purchases 
directly related to the emergency services described in para-
graph (2); and’’. 
TITLE V—STRATEGIC PETROLEUM 
RESERVE DRAWDOWN 
SEC. 501. STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE DRAWDOWN. 
(a) DRAWDOWN AND SALE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 161 of the 
Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6241), except 
as provided in subsection (b), the Secretary of Energy shall 
draw down and sell 10,000,000 barrels of crude oil from the
H. R. 1625—733 
Strategic Petroleum Reserve during the period of fiscal years 
2020 through 2021. 
(2) DEPOSIT OF AMOUNTS RECEIVED FROM SALE.—Amounts 
received from a sale under paragraph (1) shall be deposited 
in the general fund of the Treasury during the fiscal year 
in which the sale occurs. 
(b) EMERGENCY PROTECTION.—The Secretary of Energy may 
not draw down and sell crude oil under this section in quantities 
that would limit the authority to sell petroleum products under 
subsection (h) of section 161 of the Energy Policy and Conservation 
Act (42 U.S.C. 6241) in the full quantity authorized by that sub-
section. 
(c) STRATEGIC PETROLEUM DRAWDOWN LIMITATIONS.—Section 
161(h)(2) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 
6241(h)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘350,000,000’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘340,000,000’’. 
DIVISION P—RAY BAUM’S ACT OF 2018 
SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This division may be cited as the ‘‘Repack 
Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services Act 
of 2018’’ or the ‘‘RAY BAUM’S Act of 2018’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for this division 
is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Commission defined. 
TITLE I—FCC REAUTHORIZATION 
Sec. 101. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 102. Application and regulatory fees. 
Sec. 103. Effective date. 
TITLE II—APPLICATION OF ANTIDEFICIENCY ACT 
Sec. 201. Application of Antideficiency Act to Universal Service Program. 
TITLE III—SECURING ACCESS TO NETWORKS IN DISASTERS 
Sec. 301. Study on network resiliency. 
Sec. 302. Access to essential service providers during federally declared emer-
gencies. 
Sec. 303. Definitions. 
TITLE IV—FCC CONSOLIDATED REPORTING 
Sec. 401. Communications marketplace report. 
Sec. 402. Consolidation of redundant reports; conforming amendments. 
Sec. 403. Effect on authority. 
Sec. 404. Other reports. 
TITLE V—ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS 
Sec. 501. Independent Inspector General for FCC. 
Sec. 502. Authority of Chief Information Officer. 
Sec. 503. Spoofing prevention. 
Sec. 504. Report on promoting broadband Internet access service for veterans. 
Sec. 505. Methodology for collection of mobile service coverage data. 
Sec. 506. Accuracy of dispatchable location for 9–1–1 calls. 
Sec. 507. NTIA study on interagency process following cybersecurity incidents. 
Sec. 508. Tribal digital access. 
Sec. 509. Terms of office and vacancies. 
Sec. 510. Joint board recommendation. 
Sec. 511. Disclaimer for press releases regarding notices of apparent liability. 
Sec. 512. Reports related to spectrum auctions.
H. R. 1625—734 
TITLE VI—MOBILE NOW 
Sec. 601. Short title. 
Sec. 602. Definitions. 
Sec. 603. Identifying 255 megahertz. 
Sec. 604. Millimeter wave spectrum. 
Sec. 605. 3 gigahertz spectrum. 
Sec. 606. Communications facilities deployment on Federal property. 
Sec. 607. Broadband infrastructure deployment. 
Sec. 608. Communications facilities installation. 
Sec. 609. Reallocation incentives. 
Sec. 610. Bidirectional sharing study. 
Sec. 611. Unlicensed services in guard bands. 
Sec. 612. Pre-auction funding. 
Sec. 613. Immediate transfer of funds. 
Sec. 614. Amendments to the Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2015. 
Sec. 615. GAO assessment of unlicensed spectrum and Wi-Fi use in low-income 
neighborhoods. 
Sec. 616. Rulemaking related to partitioning or disaggregating licenses. 
Sec. 617. Unlicensed spectrum policy. 
Sec. 618. National plan for unlicensed spectrum. 
Sec. 619. Spectrum challenge prize. 
Sec. 620. Wireless telecommunications tax and fee collection fairness. 
Sec. 621. Rules of construction. 
Sec. 622. Relationship to Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. 
Sec. 623. No additional funds authorized. 
SEC. 2. COMMISSION DEFINED. 
In this division, the term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Federal 
Communications Commission. 
TITLE I—FCC REAUTHORIZATION 
SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 6 of the Communications Act of 1934 
(47 U.S.C. 156) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘(a) AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized to be appropriated 
to the Commission to carry out the functions of the Commission 
$333,118,000 for fiscal year 2019 and $339,610,000 for fiscal year 
2020. 
‘‘(b) OFFSETTING COLLECTIONS.—The sum appropriated in any 
fiscal year to carry out the activities described in subsection (a), 
to the extent and in the amounts provided for in Appropriations 
Acts, shall be derived from fees authorized by section 9.’’. 
(b) DEPOSITS OF BIDDERS TO BE DEPOSITED IN TREASURY.— 
Section 309(j)(8)(C) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 
309(j)(8)(C)) is amended— 
(1) in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘an interest bearing 
account’’ and all that follows and inserting ‘‘the Treasury.’’; 
(2) in clause (i)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘paid to the Treasury’’ and inserting 
‘‘deposited in the general fund of the Treasury (where 
such deposits shall be used for the sole purpose of deficit 
reduction)’’; and 
(B) by striking the semicolon and inserting ‘‘; and’’; 
(3) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and inserting ‘‘, and 
payments representing the return of such deposits shall not 
be subject to administrative offset under section 3716(c) of 
title 31, United States Code.’’; and 
(4) by striking clause (iii).
H. R. 1625—735 
(c) ELIMINATION OF DUPLICATIVE AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA-
TIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 710 of the Telecommunications 
Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–104) is repealed. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of contents in 
section 2 of such Act is amended by striking the item relating 
to section 710. 
(d) TRANSFER OF FUNDS.—On the effective date described in 
section 103 of this title, any amounts in the account providing 
appropriations to carry out the functions of the Commission that 
were collected in excess of the amounts provided for in Appropria-
tions Acts in any fiscal year prior to such date shall be transferred 
to the general fund of the Treasury of the United States for the 
sole purpose of deficit reduction. 
SEC. 102. APPLICATION AND REGULATORY FEES. 
(a) APPLICATION FEES.—Section 8 of the Communications Act 
of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 158) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 8. APPLICATION FEES. 
‘‘(a) GENERAL AUTHORITY; ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHEDULE.—The 
Commission shall assess and collect application fees at such rates 
as the Commission shall establish in a schedule of application 
fees to recover the costs of the Commission to process applications. 
‘‘(b) ADJUSTMENT OF SCHEDULE.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—In every even-numbered year, the 
Commission shall review the schedule of application fees estab-
lished under this section and, except as provided in paragraph 
(2), set a new amount for each fee in the schedule that is 
equal to the amount of the fee on the date when the fee 
was established or the date when the fee was last amended 
under subsection (c), whichever is later— 
‘‘(A) increased or decreased by the percentage change 
in the Consumer Price Index during the period beginning 
on such date and ending on the date of the review; and 
‘‘(B) rounded to the nearest $5 increment. 
‘‘(2) THRESHOLD FOR ADJUSTMENT.—The Commission may 
not adjust a fee under paragraph (1) if— 
‘‘(A) in the case of a fee the current amount of which 
is less than $200, the adjustment would result in a change 
in the current amount of less than $10; or 
‘‘(B) in the case of a fee the current amount of which 
is $200 or more, the adjustment would result in a change 
in the current amount of less than 5 percent. 
‘‘(3) CURRENT
AMOUNT
DEFINED.—In paragraph (2), the 
term ‘current amount’ means, with respect to a fee, the amount 
of the fee on the date when the fee was established, the date 
when the fee was last adjusted under paragraph (1), or the 
date when the fee was last amended under subsection (c), 
whichever is latest. 
‘‘(c) AMENDMENTS TO SCHEDULE.—In addition to the adjust-
ments required by subsection (b), the Commission shall by rule 
amend the schedule of application fees established under this sec-
tion if the Commission determines that the schedule requires 
amendment— 
‘‘(1) so that such fees reflect increases or decreases in 
the costs of processing applications at the Commission; or
H. R. 1625—736 
‘‘(2) so that such schedule reflects the consolidation or 
addition of new categories of applications. 
‘‘(d) EXCEPTIONS.— 
‘‘(1) PARTIES TO WHICH FEES ARE NOT APPLICABLE.—The 
application fees established under this section shall not be 
applicable to— 
‘‘(A) a governmental entity; 
‘‘(B) a nonprofit entity licensed in the Local Govern-
ment, Police, Fire, Highway Maintenance, Forestry-Con-
servation, Public Safety, or Special Emergency Radio radio 
services; or 
‘‘(C) a noncommercial radio station or noncommercial 
television station. 
‘‘(2) COST
OF
COLLECTION.—If, in the judgment of the 
Commission, the cost of collecting an application fee established 
under this section would exceed the amount collected, the 
Commission may by rule eliminate such fee. 
‘‘(e) DEPOSIT OF COLLECTIONS.—Moneys received from applica-
tion fees established under this section shall be deposited in the 
general fund of the Treasury.’’. 
(b) REGULATORY FEES.—Section 9 of the Communications Act 
of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 159) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 9. REGULATORY FEES. 
‘‘(a) GENERAL AUTHORITY.—The Commission shall assess and 
collect regulatory fees to recover the costs of carrying out the 
activities described in section 6(a) only to the extent, and in the 
total amounts, provided for in Appropriations Acts. 
‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT
OF SCHEDULE.—The Commission shall 
assess and collect regulatory fees at such rates as the Commission 
shall establish in a schedule of regulatory fees that will result 
in the collection, in each fiscal year, of an amount that can reason-
ably be expected to equal the amounts described in subsection 
(a) with respect to such fiscal year. 
‘‘(c) ADJUSTMENT OF SCHEDULE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For each fiscal year, the Commission 
shall by rule adjust the schedule of regulatory fees established 
under this section to— 
‘‘(A) reflect unexpected increases or decreases in the 
number of units subject to the payment of such fees; and 
‘‘(B) result in the collection of the amount required 
by subsection (b). 
‘‘(2) ROUNDING.—In making adjustments under this sub-
section, the Commission may round fees to the nearest $5 
increment. 
‘‘(d) AMENDMENTS TO SCHEDULE.—In addition to the adjust-
ments required by subsection (c), the Commission shall by rule 
amend the schedule of regulatory fees established under this section 
if the Commission determines that the schedule requires amend-
ment so that such fees reflect the full-time equivalent number 
of employees within the bureaus and offices of the Commission, 
adjusted to take into account factors that are reasonably related 
to the benefits provided to the payor of the fee by the Commission’s 
activities. In making an amendment under this subsection, the 
Commission may not change the total amount of regulatory fees 
required by subsection (b) to be collected in a fiscal year. 
‘‘(e) EXCEPTIONS.—