Title: TOWER Infrastructure Deployment Act of 2019
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Telecommunications Opportunities for Workers Engaging in Real Infrastructure Deployment Act of 2019 or the TOWER Infrastructure Deployment Act of 2019
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 infastructure deployment, and (2) recommendations to improve the industry's workforce development.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2363 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2363

        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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 31, 2019

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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 of 2019''.

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) Definitions.--In this section--
            ``(1) the term `Advisory Council' means the 
        Telecommunications Workforce Development Advisory Council 
        established under subsection (b);
            ``(2) the term `communications facility installation' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 6409(d) of the Middle 
        Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 
        1455(d)); and
            ``(3) the term `minority institution' has the meaning given 
        the term in section 365 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1067k).
    ``(b) Establishment.--There is established within the Commission a 
Telecommunications Workforce Development Advisory Council.
    ``(c) 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.
    ``(d) Members.--
            ``(1) Composition of council.--The Advisory Council shall 
        be composed of members appointed under paragraph (2) and shall 
        include not less than 1 member representing each of the 
        following:
                    ``(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.
                    ``(G) A minority institution.
            ``(2) Initial appointments.--Not later than 90 days after 
        the date of enactment of this section, 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 date on which the 
        Advisory Council terminates under subsection (f).
            ``(4) Chair.--The Chairman of the Commission shall 
        designate a member of the Advisory Council to serve as Chair of 
        the Advisory Council.
            ``(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.
    ``(e) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Advisory Council shall submit a report containing the 
recommendations developed under subsection (c) to--
            ``(1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation of the Senate;
            ``(2) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
        Pensions of the Senate;
            ``(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.
    ``(f) 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.''.
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