Title: TOWER Infrastructure Deployment Act
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Telecommunications Opportunities for Workers Engaging in Real Infrastructure Deployment Act of 2019 or the TOWER Infrastructure Deployment Act
This bill establishes the Telecommunications Workforce Development Advisory Council to advise the Federal Communications Commission on (1) the needs of the communications industry workforce to promote infrastructure deployment, and (2) recommendations to improve the industry's workforce development.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3255 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3255

        To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to establish a 
 Telecommunications Workforce Development Advisory Council within the 
       Federal Communications Commission, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 13, 2019

  Mr. Walberg (for himself and Ms. Clarke of New York) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
        To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to establish a 
 Telecommunications Workforce Development Advisory Council within the 
       Federal Communications Commission, 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 ``Telecommunications Opportunities for 
Workers Engaging in Real Infrastructure Deployment Act of 2019'' or the 
``TOWER Infrastructure Deployment Act''.

SEC. 2. TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COUNCIL.

    Part I of title III of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 
301 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 344. TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COUNCIL.

    ``(a) Establishment.--There is established within the Commission a 
Telecommunications Workforce Development Advisory Council (referred to 
in this section as the `Advisory Council').
    ``(b) Duties.--The Advisory Council shall advise the Commission on, 
and develop recommendations with respect to--
            ``(1) the needs of the workforce in the communications 
        industry to promote the deployment of communications facility 
        installations;
            ``(2) ways to encourage participation in industry-led 
        workforce development programs; and
            ``(3) ways to improve workforce development in the 
        communications industry.
    ``(c) Members.--
            ``(1) Composition of council.--The Advisory Council shall 
        be composed of members appointed under paragraph (2) that shall 
        include at least one member representing, respectively--
                    ``(A) the Telecommunications Industry Registered 
                Apprenticeship Program;
                    ``(B) the National Telecommunications and 
                Information Administration;
                    ``(C) a State agency;
                    ``(D) a local agency;
                    ``(E) a Tribal agency;
                    ``(F) the communications industry; and
                    ``(G) a minority institution (as defined in section 
                365 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
                1067k)).
            ``(2) Initial appointments.--Not later than 90 days after 
        the date of the enactment of these sections, the Chairman of 
        the Commission shall appoint members to serve on the Advisory 
        Council.
            ``(3) Term.--Each member appointed under paragraph (2) 
        shall serve on the Advisory Council until the termination of 
        the Council.
            ``(4) Chair.--The Chairman of the Commission shall 
        designate a member of the Advisory Council as Chair.
            ``(5) Vacancy.--A vacancy in the Advisory Council shall be 
        filled in the manner in which the original appointment was 
        made.
            ``(6) Compensation.--The members of the Advisory Council 
        shall serve without compensation.
    ``(d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Advisory Council shall submit a report 
on the recommendations under subsection (b) to--
            ``(1) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
        Representatives;
            ``(2) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation of the Senate;
            ``(3) the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
        Representatives; and
            ``(4) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
        Pensions of the Senate.
    ``(e) Termination of Advisory Council.--Notwithstanding section 14 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), the Advisory 
Council shall terminate on March 1, 2024.
    ``(f) Definition of Communications Facility Installation.--In this 
section, the term `communications facility installation' has the 
meaning given that term in section 6409(d) of the Middle Class Tax 
Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455(d)).''.
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