I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4224 
To authorize the Federal Communications Commission to enforce its own 
forfeiture penalties with respect to violations of restrictions on the use 
of telephone equipment. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 20, 2023 
Ms. MATSUI introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 
the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To authorize the Federal Communications Commission to 
enforce its own forfeiture penalties with respect to viola-
tions of restrictions on the use of telephone equipment. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. ENFORCEMENT OF FORFEITURE PENALTIES BY 
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title V of the Communications 
Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 501 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) 
in 
section 
503(b)(3)(B) 
(47 
U.S.C. 
503(b)(3)(B)), by striking ‘‘In such action,’’ and in-
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serting the following: ‘‘If, during the 120-day period 
beginning on the date of a referral of an unpaid for-
feiture penalty imposed for a violation of section 227 
(relating to restrictions on the use of telephone 
equipment), the Attorney General does not com-
mence an action to recover the amount assessed, the 
Commission may commence and supervise the litiga-
tion of such an action and any appeal of such an ac-
tion in its own name by any of its attorneys des-
ignated by it for such purpose. In any action under 
this subparagraph,’’; and 
(2) in section 504(a) (47 U.S.C. 504(a))— 
(A) by striking ‘‘It shall be the duty’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Except as provided in the subsequent 
sentence, it shall be the duty’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘The costs and expenses of 
such prosecutions’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘If, during the 120-day period beginning on the 
date on which the Commission refers an unpaid 
forfeiture penalty imposed for a violation of sec-
tion 227 (relating to restrictions on the use of 
telephone equipment) to the Attorney General 
for prosecution under this subsection, the At-
torney General does not commence such a pros-
ecution, the Commission may prosecute for the 
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recovery of the forfeiture penalty. The costs and 
expenses of a prosecution under this sub-
section’’. 
(b) PRIORITY.—In carrying out the amendments 
made by subsection (a) of this section, the Federal Com-
munications Commission shall prioritize enforcement of 
unpaid forfeiture penalties imposed for a violation of sec-
tion 227 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 
227) (relating to restrictions on the use of telephone 
equipment) that are greater than $25,000,000. 
Æ 
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