I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6836 
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for a moratorium 
on number reassignment after a disaster declaration, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 14, 2023 
Mr. THOMPSON of California (for himself and Mr. NEWHOUSE) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for 
a moratorium on number reassignment after a disaster 
declaration, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Preserving Home and 
Office Numbers in Emergencies Act of 2023’’ or the 
‘‘PHONE Act of 2023’’. 
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SEC. 2. MORATORIUM ON NUMBER REASSIGNMENT AFTER 
DISASTER DECLARATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 251(e) of the Commu-
nications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 251(e)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) MORATORIUM ON NUMBER REASSIGNMENT 
AFTER DISASTER DECLARATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a num-
ber assigned to a subscriber for the provision of 
fixed wireline voice service at a location in a 
designated area during a covered period— 
‘‘(i) the number may not be reas-
signed, except at the request of the sub-
scriber; and 
‘‘(ii) the assignment of the number 
may not be rescinded or otherwise modi-
fied, except at the request of the sub-
scriber. 
‘‘(B) EXTENSION
AT
REQUEST
OF
SUB-
SCRIBER.—During the covered period, at the 
request of a subscriber described in subpara-
graph (A), the prohibition in subparagraph (A) 
shall be extended for the number for 1 year 
after the date on which the covered period ex-
pires. 
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‘‘(C) SUBSCRIBER RIGHT TO CANCEL AND 
RESUBSCRIBE.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a 
number described under subparagraph (A) 
or (B), if the subscriber assigned to such 
number demonstrates to the provider of 
the service (or, under subclause (II), any 
other provider of fixed wireline voice serv-
ice that serves the local area) that the resi-
dence where the number is located is inac-
cessible or uninhabitable— 
‘‘(I) the provider may not charge 
the subscriber an early termination or 
other fee in connection with the can-
cellation of such service, if cancelled 
during the covered period or the ex-
tension of the period described in sub-
paragraph (B); and 
‘‘(II) if the subscriber cancels the 
service during the covered period or 
the extension of the period described 
in subparagraph (B), the provider (or 
any other provider of fixed wireline 
voice service that serves the local 
area)— 
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‘‘(aa) shall permit the sub-
scriber to subscribe or resub-
scribe, as the case may be, to 
fixed wireline voice service with 
the number at the residence or at 
a different residence (if such 
number is available in the loca-
tion of such different residence); 
and 
‘‘(bb) may not charge the 
subscriber a connection fee or 
any other fee relating to the initi-
ation of fixed wireline voice serv-
ice. 
‘‘(ii) CANCELLATION WITHOUT DEM-
ONSTRATION
OF
INACCESSIBILITY
OR 
UNINHABITABILITY.—If a subscriber can-
cels the provision of service assigned to a 
number described in subparagraph (A) or 
(B) and does not demonstrate to the pro-
vider of such service that the residence 
where the number is located is inaccessible 
or uninhabitable as described under clause 
(i), the number is no longer subject to the 
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prohibition under subparagraph (A) or 
(B). 
‘‘(D) IDENTIFICATION
ON
COMMISSION 
WEBSITE.—The Commission shall publicly iden-
tify on the website of the Commission each des-
ignated area that is in a covered period, not 
later than 15 days after the submission of a 
public designation by a State under subpara-
graph (E)(iii) with respect to such area. In 
identifying a designated area under subpara-
graph (E)(iii), a State shall consult with pro-
viders of fixed wireline voice service that serve 
such area and coordinate with the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency to reasonably 
limit the designated area to areas that have 
sustained covered damage. 
‘‘(E) DEFINITIONS.—In this paragraph: 
‘‘(i) COVERED
DAMAGE.—The term 
‘covered damage’ means, with respect to an 
area— 
‘‘(I) damage that renders resi-
dences in such area inaccessible or un-
inhabitable; or 
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‘‘(II) damage that otherwise re-
sults in the displacement of sub-
scribers from or within such area. 
‘‘(ii) COVERED
PERIOD.—The term 
‘covered period’ means a period that— 
‘‘(I) begins on the date of a dec-
laration by the President of a major 
disaster under section 401 of the Rob-
ert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5170) with respect to a designated 
area; and 
‘‘(II) ends on the date that is 1 
year after such date. 
‘‘(iii) DESIGNATED AREA.—The term 
‘designated area’ means a geographic area 
for which a State has submitted a public 
designation to the Commission, within 15 
days after a declaration by the President 
of a major disaster under section 401 of 
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5170) with respect to such area, stipu-
lating that the State has determined 
that— 
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‘‘(I) covered damage was sus-
tained in such area; and 
‘‘(II) the prohibitions described 
in this paragraph are necessary and 
in the public interest. 
‘‘(iv) 
VOICE
SERVICE.—The 
term 
‘voice service’ has the meaning given the 
term ‘voice service’ in section 227(e)(8).’’. 
(b) AMENDMENT OF FCC RULES REQUIRED.—Not 
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall 
amend its rules to reflect the requirements of paragraph 
(5) of section 251(e) of the Communications Act of 1934 
(47 U.S.C. 251(e)), as added by subsection (a). 
(c) APPLICABILITY.—Paragraph (5) of section 251(e) 
of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 251(e)), 
as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to a 
major disaster declared by the President under section 
401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) after the date that 
is 180 days after the date on which the Commission an-
nounces that the Commission is capable of publicly identi-
fying a designated area on the website of the Commission 
under subparagraph (D) of such paragraph (5). 
Æ 
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