SEC. 2. TELECOMMUNICATIONS INTERAGENCY WORKING 
GROUP. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Part I of title III of the Commu-
nications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 344. TELECOMMUNICATIONS INTERAGENCY WORK-
ING GROUP. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) 5G.—The term ‘5G’, with respect to wire-
less infrastructure and wireless technology, means 
fifth-generation wireless infrastructure and wireless 
technology. 
‘‘(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 in-
habitants; or 
‘‘(B) an urbanized area adjacent to a city 
or town that has a population of more than 
50,000 inhabitants. 
‘‘(3) 
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
INTERAGENCY 
WORKING
GROUP.—The term ‘telecommunications 
interagency working group’ means the interagency 
working group established under subsection (b). 
‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Chairman of 
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the Commission, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Labor, shall establish within the Commission an inter-
agency working group to develop recommendations to ad-
dress the workforce needs of the telecommunications in-
dustry. 
‘‘(c) DUTIES.—In developing recommendations under 
subsection (b), the telecommunications interagency work-
ing group shall— 
‘‘(1) determine whether, and if so how, any 
Federal laws (including regulations), guidance, poli-
cies, or practices, or any budgetary constraints, in-
hibit institutions of higher education (as defined in 
section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1001)) or for-profit businesses from es-
tablishing, adopting, or expanding programs in-
tended to address the workforce needs of the tele-
communications industry, including the workforce 
needed to build and maintain the 5G wireless infra-
structure necessary to support 5G wireless tech-
nology; 
‘‘(2) identify potential policies and programs 
that could encourage and improve coordination 
among Federal agencies, between Federal agencies 
and States, and among States, on telecommuni-
cations workforce needs; 
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‘‘(3) identify ways in which existing Federal 
programs, including programs that help facilitate the 
employment of veterans and military personnel 
transitioning into civilian life, could be leveraged to 
help address the workforce needs of the tele-
communications industry; 
‘‘(4) identify ways to encourage individuals and 
for-profit businesses to participate in qualified in-
dustry-led workforce development programs, includ-
ing the Telecommunications Industry Registered Ap-
prenticeship Program; 
‘‘(5) identify ways to improve recruitment in 
qualified industry-led workforce development pro-
grams, including the Telecommunications Industry 
Registered Apprenticeship Program and other indus-
try-recognized apprenticeship programs; and 
‘‘(6) identify Federal incentives that could be 
provided to institutions of higher education, for-prof-
it businesses, State workforce development boards 
established under section 101 of the Workforce In-
novation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3111), or 
other relevant stakeholders to establish or adopt pro-
grams, or expand current programs, to address the 
workforce needs of the telecommunications industry, 
including such needs in rural areas. 
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‘‘(d) MEMBERS.—The telecommunications inter-
agency working group shall be composed of representatives 
of such Federal agencies and relevant non-Federal indus-
try stakeholder organizations as the Chairman of the 
Commission, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, 
considers appropriate, including— 
‘‘(1) a representative of the Department of 
Education, appointed by the Secretary of Education; 
‘‘(2) a representative of the National Tele-
communications and Information Administration, 
appointed by the Assistant Secretary of Commerce 
for Communications and Information; 
‘‘(3) a representative of the Department of 
Commerce, appointed by the Secretary of Commerce; 
‘‘(4) a representative of the Commission, ap-
pointed by the Chairman of the Commission; 
‘‘(5) a representative of the Telecommuni-
cations Industry Registered Apprenticeship Pro-
gram, appointed by the Secretary of Labor; 
‘‘(6) a representative of a telecommunications 
industry association, appointed by the Chairman of 
the Commission; 
‘‘(7) a representative of an Indian Tribe or 
Tribal organization, appointed by the Secretary of 
Labor; 
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‘‘(8) a representative of a rural telecommuni-
cations carrier, appointed by the Chairman of the 
Commission; 
‘‘(9) a representative of a telecommunications 
contractor firm, appointed by the Chairman of the 
Commission; 
‘‘(10) a representative of a minority institution 
(as defined in section 365 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067k)), appointed by the 
Secretary of Education; and 
‘‘(11) a representative of a labor organization, 
appointed by the Secretary of Labor. 
‘‘(e) NO COMPENSATION.—A member of the tele-
communications interagency working group shall serve 
without compensation. 
‘‘(f) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 180 
days after the date on which the telecommunications inter-
agency working group is established, the working group 
shall submit a report containing recommendations to ad-
dress the workforce needs of the telecommunications in-
dustry to— 
‘‘(1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate; 
‘‘(2) the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; 
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‘‘(3) the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
of the House of Representatives; and 
‘‘(4) the Committee on Education and Labor of 
the House of Representatives. 
‘‘(g) NONAPPLICABILITY OF FACA.—The Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply 
to the telecommunications interagency working group.’’. 
(b) SUNSET.—Section 344 of the Communications 
Act of 1934, as added by subsection (a), shall be repealed 
on the day after the date on which the interagency work-
ing group established under subsection (b) of that section 
submits the report to Congress under subsection (f) of 
that section. 
SEC. 3. TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKFORCE GUIDANCE. 
Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Chairman of the Federal Communications 
Commission, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, 
shall establish and issue guidance on how States can ad-
dress the workforce needs of the telecommunications in-
dustry, including guidance on how a State workforce de-
velopment board established under section 101 of the 
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
3111) can— 
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(1) utilize Federal resources available to States 
to meet the workforce needs of the telecommuni-
cations industry; and 
(2) promote and improve recruitment in quali-
fied industry-led workforce development programs, 
including the Telecommunications Industry Reg-
istered Apprenticeship Program. 
SEC. 4. GAO ASSESSMENT OF WORKFORCE NEEDS OF THE 
TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) 5G.—The term ‘‘5G’’, with respect to wire-
less infrastructure and wireless technology, means 
fifth-generation wireless infrastructure and wireless 
technology. 
(2) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate; 
(B) the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; 
(C) the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce of the House of Representatives; and 
(D) the Committee on Education and 
Labor of the House of Representatives. 
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(3) 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. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 
United States shall submit to the appropriate congres-
sional committees a report that estimates the number of 
skilled telecommunications workers that will be required 
to build and maintain— 
(1) broadband infrastructure in rural areas; 
and 
(2) the 5G wireless infrastructure needed to 
support 5G wireless technology. 
Æ 
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