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Needless Obstacles to Wireless Act’’ or the ‘‘MOBILE 
NOW Act’’. 
SEC. 702. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title: 
(1) 
APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con-
gress’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate; 
(B) the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce of the House of Representatives; and 
(C) each committee of the Senate or of the 
House of Representatives with jurisdiction over 
a Federal entity affected by the applicable sec-
tion in which the term appears. 
(2) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Federal Communications Commission. 
(3) FEDERAL ENTITY.—The term ‘‘Federal en-
tity’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
113(l) of the National Telecommunications and In-
formation Administration Organization Act (47 
U.S.C. 923(l)). 
(4) NTIA.—The term ‘‘NTIA’’ means the Na-
tional Telecommunications and Information Admin-
istration of the Department of Commerce. 
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(5) OMB.—The term ‘‘OMB’’ means the Office 
of Management and Budget. 
(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Commerce. 
SEC. 703. IDENTIFYING 255 MEGAHERTZ. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than December 31, 
2022, the Secretary, working through the NTIA, 
and the Commission shall identify a total of at least 
255 megahertz of Federal and non-Federal spectrum 
for mobile and fixed wireless broadband use. 
(2) UNLICENSED AND LICENSED USE.—Of the 
spectrum identified under paragraph (1), not less 
than— 
(A) 100 megahertz below the frequency of 
8000 megahertz shall be identified for use on 
an unlicensed basis; 
(B) 100 megahertz below the frequency of 
6000 megahertz shall be identified for use on 
an exclusive, licensed basis for commercial mo-
bile use, pursuant to the Commission’s author-
ity to implement such licensing in a flexible 
manner, and subject to potential continued use 
of such spectrum by incumbent Federal entities 
in designated geographic areas indefinitely or 
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for such length of time stipulated in transition 
plans approved by the Technical Panel under 
section 113(h) of the National Telecommuni-
cations and Information Administration Organi-
zation Act (47 U.S.C. 923(h)) for those incum-
bent entities to be relocated to alternate spec-
trum; and 
(C) 55 megahertz below the frequency of 
8000 megahertz shall be identified for use on 
either a licensed or unlicensed basis, or a com-
bination of licensed and unlicensed. 
(3) NON-ELIGIBLE
SPECTRUM.—For purposes 
of satisfying the requirement under paragraph (1), 
the following spectrum shall not be counted: 
(A) The frequencies between 1695 and 
1710 megahertz. 
(B) The frequencies between 1755 and 
1780 megahertz. 
(C) The frequencies between 2155 and 
2180 megahertz. 
(D) The frequencies between 3550 and 
3700 megahertz. 
(E) Spectrum that the Commission deter-
mines had more than de minimis mobile or 
fixed wireless broadband operations within the 
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band on the day before the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
(4) TREATMENT
OF
CERTAIN
OTHER
SPEC-
TRUM.—Spectrum identified pursuant to this section 
may include eligible spectrum, if any, identified after 
the date of enactment of this Act pursuant to title 
X of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (Public 
Law 114–74). 
(5) SPECTRUM
MADE
AVAILABLE
ON
AND 
AFTER
FEBRUARY 11, 2016.—Any spectrum that 
has been made available for licensed or unlicensed 
use on and after February 11, 2016, and that other-
wise satisfies the requirements of this section may 
be counted towards the requirements of this sub-
section. 
(6) RELOCATION
PRIORITIZED
OVER
SHAR-
ING.—This section shall be carried out in accordance 
with section 113(j) of the National Telecommuni-
cations and Information Administration Organiza-
tion Act (47 U.S.C. 923(j)). 
(7) CONSIDERATIONS.—In identifying spectrum 
for use under this section, the Secretary, working 
through the NTIA, and Commission shall consider— 
(A) the need to preserve critical existing 
and planned Federal Government capabilities; 
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(B) the impact on existing State, local, and 
tribal government capabilities; 
(C) the international implications; 
(D) the need for appropriate enforcement 
mechanisms and authorities; and 
(E) the importance of the deployment of 
wireless broadband services in rural areas of the 
United States. 
(b) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed— 
(1) to impair or otherwise affect the functions 
of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary, ad-
ministrative, or legislative proposals; 
(2) to require the disclosure of classified infor-
mation, law enforcement sensitive information, or 
other information that must be protected in the in-
terest of national security; or 
(3) to affect any requirement under section 156 
of the National Telecommunications and Informa-
tion Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 
921 note), as added by section 1062(a) of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2000, or any other relevant statutory requirement 
applicable to the reallocation of Federal spectrum. 
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SEC. 704. MILLIMETER WAVE SPECTRUM. 
(a) FCC PROCEEDING.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall 
publish a notice of proposed rulemaking to consider service 
rules to authorize mobile or fixed terrestrial wireless oper-
ations, including for advanced mobile service operations, 
in the radio frequency band between 42000 and 42500 
megahertz. 
(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—In conducting a rulemaking 
under subsection (a), the Commission shall— 
(1) consider how the band described in sub-
section (a) may be used to provide commercial wire-
less broadband service, including whether— 
(A) such spectrum may be best used for li-
censed or unlicensed services, or some combina-
tion thereof; and 
(B) to permit additional licensed oper-
ations in such band on a shared basis; and 
(2) include technical characteristics under 
which the band described in subsection (a) may be 
employed for mobile or fixed terrestrial wireless op-
erations, including any appropriate coexistence re-
quirements. 
(c) SPECTRUM MADE AVAILABLE ON AND AFTER 
FEBRUARY 11, 2016.—Any spectrum that has been made 
available for licensed or unlicensed use on or after Feb-
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ruary 11, 2016, and that otherwise satisfies the require-
ments of section 703 may be counted towards the require-
ments of section 703(a). 
SEC. 705. 3 GIGAHERTZ SPECTRUM. 
(a) BETWEEN 3100 MEGAHERTZ AND 3550 MEGA-
HERTZ.—Not later than 24 months after the date of en-
actment of this Act, and in consultation with the Commis-
sion and the head of each affected Federal agency (or a 
designee thereof), the Secretary, working through the 
NTIA, shall submit to the Commission and the appro-
priate committees of Congress a report evaluating the fea-
sibility of allowing commercial wireless services, licensed 
or unlicensed, to share use of the frequencies between 
3100 megahertz and 3550 megahertz. 
(b) BETWEEN 3700 MEGAHERTZ AND 4200 MEGA-
HERTZ.—Not later than 18 months after the date of en-
actment of this Act, after notice and an opportunity for 
public comment, and in consultation with the Secretary, 
working through the NTIA, and the head of each affected 
Federal agency (or a designee thereof), the Commission 
shall submit to the Secretary and the appropriate commit-
tees of Congress a report evaluating the feasibility of al-
lowing commercial wireless services, licensed or unli-
censed, to use or share use of the frequencies between 
3700 megahertz and 4200 megahertz. 
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(c) REQUIREMENTS.—A report under subsection (a) 
or (b) shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment of the operations of Federal 
entities that operate Federal Government stations 
authorized to use the frequencies described in that 
subsection. 
(2) An assessment of the possible impacts of 
such sharing on Federal and non-Federal users al-
ready operating on the frequencies described in that 
subsection. 
(3) The criteria that may be necessary to en-
sure shared licensed or unlicensed services would not 
cause harmful interference to Federal or non-Fed-
eral users already operating in the frequencies de-
scribed in that subsection. 
(4) If such sharing is feasible, an identification 
of which of the frequencies described in that sub-
section are most suitable for sharing with commer-
cial wireless services through the assignment of new 
licenses by competitive bidding, for sharing with un-
licensed operations, or through a combination of li-
censing and unlicensed operations. 
(d) COMMISSION ACTION.—The Commission, in con-
sultation with the NTIA, shall seek public comment on 
the reports required under subsections (a) and (b), includ-
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ing regarding the bands identified in such report as fea-
sible pursuant to subsection (c)(4). 
SEC. 706. BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE DEPLOYMENT. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) APPROPRIATE STATE AGENCY.—The term 
‘‘appropriate State agency’’ means a State govern-
mental agency that is recognized by the executive 
branch of the State as having the experience nec-
essary to evaluate and carry out projects relating to 
the proper and effective installation and operation of 
broadband infrastructure. 
(2) BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE.—The term 
‘‘broadband infrastructure’’ means any buried, un-
derground, or aerial facility, and any wireless or 
wireline connection, that enables users to send and 
receive voice, video, data, graphics, or any combina-
tion thereof. 
(3) BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE ENTITY.— 
The term ‘‘broadband infrastructure entity’’ means 
any entity that— 
(A) installs, owns, or operates broadband 
infrastructure; and 
(B) provides broadband services in a man-
ner consistent with the public interest, conven-
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ience, and necessity, as determined by the 
State. 
(4) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means— 
(A) a State; 
(B) the District of Columbia; and 
(C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 
(b) BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE DEPLOYMENT.— 
To facilitate the installation of broadband infrastructure, 
the Secretary of Transportation shall promulgate regula-
tions to ensure that each State that receives funds under 
chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code, meets the fol-
lowing requirements: 
(1) BROADBAND
CONSULTATION.—The State 
department of transportation, in consultation with 
appropriate State agencies, shall— 
(A) identify a broadband utility coordi-
nator, that may have additional responsibilities, 
whether in the State department of transpor-
tation or in another State agency, that is re-
sponsible for facilitating the broadband infra-
structure right-of-way efforts within the State; 
(B) establish a process for the registration 
of broadband infrastructure entities that seek 
to be included in those broadband infrastruc-
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ture right-of-way facilitation efforts within the 
State; 
(C) establish a process to electronically no-
tify broadband infrastructure entities identified 
under subparagraph (B) of the State transpor-
tation improvement program on an annual basis 
and provide additional notifications as nec-
essary to achieve the goals of this section; and 
(D) coordinate initiatives carried out under 
this section with other statewide telecommuni-
cation and broadband plans and State and local 
transportation and land use plans, including 
strategies to minimize repeated excavations that 
involve the installation of broadband infrastruc-
ture in a right-of-way. 
(2) PRIORITY.—If a State chooses to provide 
for the installation of broadband infrastructure in 
the right-of-way of an applicable Federal-aid high-
way project under this subsection, the State depart-
ment of transportation shall carry out any appro-
priate measures to ensure that any existing 
broadband infrastructure entities are not disadvan-
taged, as compared to other broadband infrastruc-
ture entities, with respect to the program under this 
subsection. 
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(c) EFFECT OF SECTION.—This section applies only 
to activities for which Federal obligations or expenditures 
are initially approved on or after the date regulations 
under subsection (b) become effective. Nothing in this sec-
tion establishes a mandate or requirement that a State 
install or allow the installation of broadband infrastruc-
ture in a highway right-of-way. Nothing in this section au-
thorizes the Secretary of Transportation to withhold or re-
serve funds or approval of a project under title 23, United 
States Code. 
SEC. 707. REALLOCATION INCENTIVES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 24 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary 
of Commerce for Communications and Information, in 
consultation with the Commission, the Director of OMB, 
and the head of each affected Federal agency (or a des-
ignee thereof), after notice and an opportunity for public 
comment, shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report that includes legislative or regulatory 
recommendations to incentivize a Federal entity to relin-
quish, or share with Federal or non-Federal users, Federal 
spectrum for the purpose of allowing commercial wireless 
broadband services to operate on that Federal spectrum. 
(b) POST-AUCTION PAYMENTS.— 
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(1) REPORT.—In preparing the report under 
subsection (a), the Assistant Secretary of Commerce 
for Communications and Information shall— 
(A) consider whether permitting eligible 
Federal entities that are implementing a transi-
tion plan submitted under section 113(h) of the 
National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 
923(h)) to accept payments could result in ac-
cess to the eligible frequencies that are being 
reallocated for exclusive non-Federal use or 
shared use sooner than would otherwise occur 
without such payments; and 
(B) include the findings under subpara-
graph (A), including the analysis under para-
graph (2) and any recommendations for legisla-
tion, in the report. 
(2) ANALYSIS.—In considering payments under 
paragraph (1)(A), the Assistant Secretary of Com-
merce for Communications and Information shall 
conduct an analysis of whether and how such pay-
ments would affect— 
(A) bidding in auctions conducted under 
section 309(j) of the Communications Act of 
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1934 (47 U.S.C. 309(j)) of such eligible fre-
quencies; and 
(B) receipts collected from the auctions de-
scribed in subparagraph (A). 
(3) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
(A) 
PAYMENT.—The 
term 
‘‘payment’’ 
means a payment in cash or in-kind by any 
auction winner, or any person affiliated with an 
auction winner, of eligible frequencies during 
the period after eligible frequencies have been 
reallocated by competitive bidding under section 
309(j) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
U.S.C. 309(j)) but prior to the completion of 
relocation or sharing transition of such eligible 
frequencies per transition plans approved by the 
Technical Panel. 
(B) ELIGIBLE
FREQUENCIES.—The term 
‘‘eligible frequencies’’ has the meaning given 
the term in section 113(g)(2) of the National 
Telecommunications and Information Adminis-
tration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 923(g)(2)). 
SEC. 708. BIDIRECTIONAL SHARING STUDY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, including an oppor-
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tunity for public comment, the Commission, in collabora-
tion with the NTIA, shall— 
(1) conduct a bidirectional sharing study to de-
termine the best means of providing Federal entities 
flexible access to non-Federal spectrum on a shared 
basis across a range of short-, mid-, and long-range 
timeframes, including for intermittent purposes like 
emergency use; and 
(2) submit to Congress a report on the study 
under paragraph (1), including any recommenda-
tions for legislation or proposed regulations. 
(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—In conducting the study 
under subsection (a), the Commission shall— 
(1) consider the regulatory certainty that com-
mercial spectrum users and Federal entities need to 
make longer-term investment decisions for shared 
access to be viable; and 
(2) evaluate any barriers to voluntary commer-
cial arrangements in which non-Federal users could 
provide access to Federal entities. 
SEC. 709. UNLICENSED SERVICES IN GUARD BANDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—After public notice and comment, 
and in consultation with the Assistant Secretary of Com-
merce for Communications and Information and the head 
of each affected Federal agency (or a designee thereof), 
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with respect to frequencies allocated for Federal use, the 
Commission shall adopt rules that permit unlicensed serv-
ices where feasible to use any frequencies that are des-
ignated as guard bands to protect frequencies allocated 
after the date of enactment of this Act by competitive bid-
ding under section 309(j) of the Communications Act of 
1934 (47 U.S.C. 309(j)), including spectrum that acts as 
a duplex gap between transmit and receive frequencies. 
(b) LIMITATION.—The Commission may not permit 
any use of a guard band under this section that would 
cause harmful interference to a licensed service or a Fed-
eral service. 
(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed as limiting the Commission or the 
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and 
Information from otherwise making spectrum available for 
licensed or unlicensed use in any frequency band in addi-
tion to guard bands, including under section 703, con-
sistent with their statutory jurisdictions. 
SEC. 710. AMENDMENTS TO THE SPECTRUM PIPELINE ACT 
OF 2015. 
Section 1008 of the Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2015 
(Public Law 114–74; 129 Stat. 584) is amended in the 
matter preceding paragraph (1) by inserting ‘‘, after no-
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tice and an opportunity for public comment,’’ after ‘‘the 
Commission’’. 
SEC. 711. GAO ASSESSMENT OF UNLICENSED SPECTRUM 
AND WI-FI USE IN LOW-INCOME NEIGHBOR-
HOODS. 
(a) STUDY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of 
the United States shall conduct a study to evaluate 
the availability of broadband Internet access using 
unlicensed spectrum and wireless networks in low-in-
come neighborhoods. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—In conducting the study 
under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall 
consider and evaluate— 
(A) the availability of wireless Internet hot 
spots and access to unlicensed spectrum in low- 
income neighborhoods, particularly for elemen-
tary and secondary school-aged children in such 
neighborhoods; 
(B) any barriers preventing or limiting the 
deployment and use of wireless networks in low- 
income neighborhoods; 
(C) how to overcome any barriers described 
in subparagraph (B), including through incen-
tives, policies, or requirements that would in-
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crease the availability of unlicensed spectrum 
and related technologies in low-income neigh-
borhoods; and 
(D) how to encourage home broadband 
adoption by households with elementary and 
secondary school-age children that are in low- 
income neighborhoods. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on En-
ergy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a re-
port that— 
(1) summarizes the findings of the study con-
ducted under subsection (a); and 
(2) makes recommendations with respect to po-
tential incentives, policies, and requirements that 
could help achieve the goals described in subpara-
graphs (C) and (D) of subsection (a)(2). 
SEC. 712. RULEMAKING RELATED TO PARTITIONING OR 
DISAGGREGATING LICENSES. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED
SMALL
CARRIER.—The term 
‘‘covered small carrier’’ means a carrier (as defined 
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in section 3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
U.S.C. 153)) that— 
(A) has not more than 1,500 employees (as 
determined under section 121.106 of title 13, 
Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor 
thereto); and 
(B) offers services using the facilities of 
the carrier. 
(2) RURAL
AREA.—The term ‘‘rural area’’ 
means any area other than— 
(A) a city, town, or incorporated area that 
has a population of more than 20,000 inhab-
itants; or 
(B) an urbanized area contiguous and ad-
jacent to a city or town that has a population 
of more than 50,000 inhabitants. 
(b) RULEMAKING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission 
shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding to assess 
whether to establish a program, or modify existing 
programs, under which a licensee that receives a li-
cense for the exclusive use of spectrum in a specific 
geographic area under section 301 of the Commu-
nications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 301) may partition 
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or disaggregate the license by sale or long-term 
lease— 
(A) in order to— 
(i) provide services consistent with the 
license; and 
(ii) make unused spectrum available 
to— 
(I) an unaffiliated covered small 
carrier; or 
(II) an unaffiliated carrier to 
serve a rural area; and 
(B) if the Commission finds that such a 
program would promote— 
(i) the availability of advanced tele-
communications services in rural areas; or 
(ii) spectrum availability for covered 
small carriers. 
(2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In conducting the rule-
making proceeding under paragraph (1), the Com-
mission shall consider, with respect to the program 
proposed to be established under that paragraph— 
(A) whether reduced performance require-
ments with respect to spectrum obtained 
through the program would facilitate deploy-
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ment of advanced telecommunications services 
in the areas covered by the program; 
(B) what conditions may be needed on 
transfers of spectrum under the program to 
allow covered small carriers that obtain spec-
trum under the program to build out the spec-
trum in a reasonable period of time; 
(C) what incentives may be appropriate to 
encourage licensees to lease or sell spectrum, in-
cluding— 
(i) extending the term of a license 
granted under section 301 of the Commu-
nications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 301); or 
(ii) modifying performance require-
ments of the license relating to the leased 
or sold spectrum; and 
(D) the administrative feasibility of— 
(i) the incentives described in sub-
paragraph (C); and 
(ii) other incentives considered by the 
Commission that further the goals of this 
section. 
(3) FORFEITURE
OF
SPECTRUM.—If a party 
fails to meet any build out requirements set by the 
Commission for any spectrum sold or leased under 
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this section, the right to the spectrum shall be for-
feited to the Commission unless the Commission 
finds that there is good cause for the failure of the 
party. 
(4) REQUIREMENT.—The Commission may 
offer a licensee incentives or reduced performance 
requirements under this section only if the Commis-
sion finds that doing so would likely result in in-
creased availability of advanced telecommunications 
services in a rural area. 
SEC. 713. UNLICENSED SPECTRUM POLICY. 
(a) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It is the policy of the 
United States— 
(1) to maximize the benefit to the people of the 
United States of the spectrum resources of the 
United States; 
(2) to advance innovation and investment in 
wireless broadband services; and 
(3) to promote spectrum policy that makes 
available on an unlicensed basis radio frequency 
bands to address consumer demand for unlicensed 
wireless broadband operations. 
(b) COMMISSION RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Commis-
sion shall ensure that the efforts of the Commission re-
lated to spectrum allocation and assignment made avail-
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able on an unlicensed basis radio frequency bands to ad-
dress demand for unlicensed wireless broadband oper-
ations if doing so is, after taking into account the future 
needs of homeland security, national security, and other 
spectrum users— 
(1) reasonable; and 
(2) in the public interest. 
(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion confers any additional rights on unlicensed users or 
users licensed by rule under part 96 of title 47, Code of 
Federal Regulations, to protection from harmful inter-
ference. 
SEC. 714. NATIONAL PLAN FOR UNLICENSED SPECTRUM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) SPECTRUM RELOCATION FUND.—The term 
‘‘Spectrum Relocation Fund’’ means the Fund es-
tablished under section 118 of the National Tele-
communications and Information Administration Or-
ganization Act (47 U.S.C. 928). 
(2) UNLICENSED OR LICENSED BY RULE OPER-
ATIONS.—The term ‘‘unlicensed or licensed by rule 
operations’’ means the use of spectrum on a non-ex-
clusive basis under— 
(A) part 15 of title 47, Code of Federal 
Regulations; or 
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(B) licensing by rule under part 96 of title 
47, Code of Federal Regulations. 
(b) NATIONAL PLAN.—Not later than 18 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission, 
in consultation with the NTIA, shall develop a national 
plan for making additional radio frequency bands available 
for unlicensed or licensed by rule operations. 
(c) REQUIREMENTS.—The plan developed under this 
section shall— 
(1) identify an approach that ensures that con-
sumers have access to additional spectrum to con-
duct unlicensed or licensed by rule operations in a 
range of radio frequencies to meet consumer de-
mand; 
(2) recommend specific actions by the Commis-
sion and the NTIA to permit unlicensed or licensed 
by rule operations in additional radio frequency 
ranges that the Commission finds— 
(A) are consistent with the statement of 
policy under section 713(a); 
(B) will— 
(i) expand opportunities for unli-
censed or licensed by rule operations in a 
spectrum band; or 
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the Commission recommendations about how to reform 
the Spectrum Relocation Fund— 
(1) to address costs incurred by Federal entities 
related to sharing radio frequency bands with radio 
technologies conducting unlicensed or licensed by 
rule operations; and 
(2) to ensure the Spectrum Relocation Fund 
has sufficient funds to cover— 
(A) the costs described in paragraph (1); 
and 
(B) other expenditures allowed of the 
Spectrum Relocation Fund under section 118 of 
the National Telecommunications and Informa-
tion Administration Organization Act (47 
U.S.C. 928). 
(e) REPORT REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commis-
sion shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report that describes the plan developed 
under this section, including any recommendations 
for legislative change. 
(2) PUBLICATION ON COMMISSION WEBSITE.— 
Not later than the date on which the Commission 
submits the report under paragraph (1), the Com-
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mission shall make the report publicly available on 
the website of the Commission. 
(f) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion confers any additional rights on unlicensed users or 
users licensed by rule under part 96 of title 47, Code of 
Federal Regulations, to protection from harmful inter-
ference. 
SEC. 715. SPECTRUM CHALLENGE PRIZE. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the 
‘‘Spectrum Challenge Prize Act’’. 
(b) DEFINITION OF PRIZE COMPETITION.—In this 
section, the term ‘‘prize competition’’ means a prize com-
petition conducted by the Secretary under subsection 
(c)(1). 
(c) SPECTRUM CHALLENGE PRIZE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consulta-
tion with the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for 
Communications and Information and the Under 
Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Tech-
nology, shall, subject to the availability of funds for 
prize competitions under this section— 
(A) conduct prize competitions to dramati-
cally accelerate the development and commer-
cialization of technology that improves spectrum 
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efficiency and is capable of cost-effective deploy-
ment; and 
(B) define a measurable set of perform-
ance goals for participants in the prize competi-
tions to demonstrate their solutions on a level 
playing field while making a significant ad-
vancement over the current state of the art. 
(2) AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY.—In carrying 
out paragraph (1), the Secretary may— 
(A) enter into a grant, contract, coopera-
tive agreement, or other agreement with a pri-
vate sector for-profit or nonprofit entity to ad-
minister the prize competitions; 
(B) invite the Defense Advanced Research 
Projects Agency, the Commission, the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Na-
tional Science Foundation, or any other Federal 
agency to provide advice and assistance in the 
design or administration of the prize competi-
tions; and 
(C) award not more than $5,000,000, in 
the aggregate, to the winner or winners of the 
prize competitions. 
(d) CRITERIA.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date on which funds for prize competitions are made avail-
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able pursuant to this section, the Commission shall publish 
a technical paper on spectrum efficiency providing criteria 
that may be used for the design of the prize competitions. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this section. 
SEC. 716. WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS TAX AND FEE 
COLLECTION FAIRNESS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the 
‘‘Wireless Telecommunications Tax and Fee Collection 
Fairness Act’’. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) FINANCIAL TRANSACTION.—The term ‘‘fi-
nancial transaction’’ means a transaction in which 
the purchaser or user of a wireless telecommuni-
cations service upon whom a tax, fee, or surcharge 
is imposed gives cash, credit, or any other exchange 
of monetary value or consideration to the person 
who is required to collect or remit the tax, fee, or 
surcharge. 
(2) LOCAL JURISDICTION.—The term ‘‘local ju-
risdiction’’ means a political subdivision of a State. 
(3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means any of 
the several States, the District of Columbia, and any 
territory or possession of the United States. 
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(4) STATE OR LOCAL JURISDICTION.—The term 
‘‘State or local jurisdiction’’ includes any govern-
mental entity or person acting on behalf of a State 
or local jurisdiction that has the authority to assess, 
impose, levy, or collect taxes or fees. 
(5) WIRELESS
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
SERV-
ICE.—The term ‘‘wireless telecommunications serv-
ice’’ means a commercial mobile radio service, as de-
fined in section 20.3 of title 47, Code of Federal 
Regulations, or any successor thereto. 
(c) FINANCIAL TRANSACTION REQUIREMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A State, or a local jurisdic-
tion of a State, may not require a person who is nei-
ther a resident of such State or local jurisdiction nor 
an entity having its principal place of business in 
such State or local jurisdiction to collect from, or 
remit on behalf of, any other person a State or local 
tax, fee, or surcharge imposed on a purchaser or 
user with respect to the purchase or use of any wire-
less telecommunications service within the State un-
less the collection or remittance is in connection with 
a financial transaction. 
(2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
subsection shall be construed to affect the right of 
a State or local jurisdiction to require the collection 
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