Title: E-FRONTIER Act
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Eliminate From Regulators Opportunities to Nationalize The Internet In Every Respect Act or the E-FRONTIER Act
This bill prohibits the President or an executive agency from constructing, operating, or offering wholesale or retail service on a broadband network unless Congress grants that authority to the President or the agency.
The Government Accountability Office must study and report on potential threats facing U.S. broadband networks from China, Iran, Russia, and other foreign adversaries and the risks from using foreign equipment and services in U.S. broadband networks.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3255 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3255

   To prohibit the President or a Federal agency from constructing, 
   operating, or offering wholesale or retail services on broadband 
 networks without authorization from Congress, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 23, 2018

 Mr. Cruz (for himself and Ms. Cortez Masto) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To prohibit the President or a Federal agency from constructing, 
   operating, or offering wholesale or retail services on broadband 
 networks without authorization from Congress, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Eliminate From Regulators 
Opportunities to Nationalize The Internet In Every Respect Act'' or the 
``E-FRONTIER Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION AGAINST THE PRESIDENT OR A FEDERAL AGENCY 
              CONSTRUCTING, OPERATING, OR OFFERING SERVICES ON 
              BROADBAND NETWORKS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section--
            (1) the term ``agency'' has the meaning given the term in 
        section 902 of title 5, United States Code;
            (2) the term ``broadband network''--
                    (A) means a communications network, the primary 
                purpose of which is to provide consumers with the 
                capability to transmit data to and receive data from 
                all or substantially all internet endpoints; and
                    (B) includes a next-generation mobile broadband 
                network;
            (3) the term ``nationwide public safety broadband network'' 
        has the meaning given the term in section 6001 of the Middle 
        Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1401); 
        and
            (4) the term ``President'' means the President of the 
        United States.
    (b) Prohibition.--Neither the President nor an agency may 
construct, operate, or offer wholesale or retail service on a broadband 
network unless a duly enacted Act of Congress signed into law by the 
President provides the President or the agency, as applicable, with 
that authority.
    (c) Rules of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be 
construed to--
            (1) limit, restrict, or circumvent in any way--
                    (A) the implementation of the nationwide public 
                safety broadband network; or
                    (B) any rules implementing the nationwide public 
                safety broadband network under title VI of the Middle 
                Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 
                U.S.C. 1401 et seq.); or
            (2) affect the authority of the President under section 706 
        of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 606).

SEC. 3. REPORT ON VULNERABILITIES OF UNITED STATES BROADBAND NETWORKS.

    (a) Definition.--In this section, the term ``broadband network'' 
has the meaning given the term in section 2(a).
    (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a 
study and submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
of the House of Representatives a report, which shall include--
            (1) a discussion and analysis of--
                    (A) potential threats facing broadband networks in 
                the United States from--
                            (i) the Government of the People's Republic 
                        of China;
                            (ii) the Government of Iran;
                            (iii) the Government of the Russian 
                        Federation; and
                            (iv) any other potential foreign adversary 
                        of the United States; and
                    (B) the risks associated with using foreign 
                equipment and services in broadband networks in the 
                United States; and
            (2) recommendations, if any, regarding how service 
        providers with respect to broadband networks in the United 
        States can reduce the vulnerabilities of those networks to 
        foreign threats.
                                 <all>