I
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2639
To authorize appropriations for the promotion and development of the United
States national telecommunications and information infrastructure, the
construction and planning of public broadcasting facilities, and for other
purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 14, 1993
Mr. MARKEY (by request) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To authorize appropriations for the promotion and develop-
ment of the United States national telecommunications
and information infrastructure, the construction and
planning of public broadcasting facilities, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
TITLE I—GENERAL PROVISIONS
SHORT TITLE
SEC. 101. This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Tele-
communications and Information Infrastructure and Pub-
lic Broadcasting Facilities Assistance Act of 1993’’.
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FINDINGS
SEC. 102. The Congress finds and declares that:
(1) A strong commitment to building the na-
tional telecommunications and information infra-
structure will promote economic growth, aid Ameri-
ca’s competitiveness, and increase the Nation’s
standard of living.
(2) A telecommunications and information in-
frastructure initiative that complements private sec-
tor efforts is in the national interest.
(3) Private sector investments in the United
States telecommunications and information infra-
structure do not supplant the Federal role in fund-
ing demonstration projects in which advanced tele-
communications capabilities are used to aid the de-
livery of critical social services such as education and
health care traditionally supported by government.
(4) Government funding of telecommunications
and information infrastructure for health care pro-
viders, educational institutions, research facilities,
State and local governments, libraries, other social
service and public information providers can serve as
a catalyst in promoting increased private sector in-
vestment in, and continued development of, the na-
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tional telecommunications and information infra-
structure.
(5) Federal assistance in the promotion of the
national telecommunications and information infra-
structure will use a wide range of technologies in-
cluding, but not limited to, fiber optic cable, coaxial
cable, satellite systems, and microwave systems.
(6) Providing assistance to help eligible entities
connect to existing and developing telecommuni-
cations networks and information services is in the
public interest.
(7) There are tremendous information resources
in the Nation, but the benefits of an advanced tele-
communications and information infrastructure will
be enhanced when United States citizens have rea-
sonable access to such existing and future informa-
tion resources.
(8) Federal support of public broadcasting has
helped provide valuable and useful educational and
cultural programs that reach nearly all citizens of
the United States.
(9) The distinct characteristics of public broad-
casting projects and telecommunications and infor-
mation infrastructure projects will best be accommo-
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dated by establishing two independent assistance
programs.
PURPOSE
SEC. 103. To facilitate the development of the na-
tional telecommunications and information infrastructure,
the Secretary is authorized to establish and maintain two
separate assistance programs, one for telecommunications
and information infrastructure projects, and one for public
broadcasting projects:
(1) The Telecommunications and Information
Infrastructure Program shall focus on promoting the
widespread availability of advanced telecommuni-
cations technologies to—
(A) enhance the delivery of diverse social
services, including education and health care, to
the public; and
(B) support the eventual formation of a
nationwide, multimedia, high-speed, interactive
infrastructure of varied information tech-
nologies through interconnection and improve-
ment.
(2) The Public Broadcasting Facilities Program
shall focus on—
(A) extending public broadcasting services
to underserved segments of the American pub-
lic;
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(B) increasing public broadcasting services
and facilities available to, operated by, and
owned by minorities and women; and
(C) improving the capability of existing
public broadcasting facilities to provide services
to their coverage areas.
DEFINITIONS
SEC. 104. (a) Paragraphs (1), (3), (13), (14), and
(15) of section 397 of the Communications Act of 1934
are hereby amended as follows and a new paragraph (18)
is added:
‘‘DEFINITIONS
‘‘SEC. 397. For the purposes of this part:
‘‘(1) The term ‘construction’ means acquisition
(including acquisition by lease), installation and
modernization of public broadcasting facilities, and
planning and preparatory steps incidental to any
such acquisition, installation, or modernization.’’.
‘‘(3) The term ‘interconnection’ means an asso-
ciation of transmission channels or telecommuni-
cation circuits, switching units, or other equipment
to provide the means of a transfer of signals between
two or more points in a telecommunications network
or networks.’’.
‘‘(13) The term ‘public broadcasting facilities’
means telecommunications and related equipment