Title: ITS Codification Act
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Institute for Telecommunication Sciences Codification Act or the ITS Codification Act
This bill provides statutory authority for the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences, which serves as the telecommunications research and engineering arm of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
In addition, the institute must establish an initiative to support the development of emergency communication and tracking technologies for use in locating trapped individuals in confined spaces where conventional radio communication is limited.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4990 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4990

 To codify the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences and to direct 
the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information 
  to establish an initiative to support the development of emergency 
    communication and tracking technologies, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            August 10, 2021

Mr. Carter of Georgia introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To codify the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences and to direct 
the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information 
  to establish an initiative to support the development of emergency 
    communication and tracking technologies, 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 ``Institute for Telecommunication 
Sciences Codification Act'' or the ``ITS Codification Act''.

SEC. 2. INSTITUTE FOR TELECOMMUNICATION SCIENCES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) The test center within National Telecommunications and 
        Information Administration (in this subsection referred to as 
        the ``NTIA'') represents executive branch agencies on spectrum 
        issues before the Federal Communications Commission.
            (2) Understanding radio frequency propagation 
        characteristics and modeling is a critical component of making 
        spectrum decisions.
            (3) Federal agencies rely on expert engineering studies, 
        simulations, and analyses to make determinations about system 
        relocations to make spectrum available for commercial use as 
        well as identify spectrum sharing opportunities through the 
        NTIA.
            (4) Clearing of Federal spectrum, when feasible, is the 
        priority action to make Federal spectrum available for 
        commercial uses.
            (5) Sharing of Federal spectrum between Federal entities 
        and commercial entities provides access to Federal spectrum for 
        commercial uses in circumstances where clearing is not 
        possible.
            (6) The test center within NTIA, is the Government's 
        premier expert laboratory for spectrum research activities, 
        spectrum sharing innovation and testing, spectrum interference 
        studies, and all activities related to advancing next 
        generation wireless technologies.
            (7) The test center within NTIA is critical for undertaking 
        engineering studies and analyses, identifying clearing or 
        sharing opportunities, and facilitating policy decisions to 
        maximize the efficient use of spectrum resources.
    (b) Operation of Test Center.--Part A of the National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act (47 
U.S.C. 901 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 106. INSTITUTE FOR TELECOMMUNICATION SCIENCES.

    ``(a) Establishment.--
            ``(1) In general.--Under the authority provided to the 
        Assistant Secretary under section 103, the Assistant Secretary 
        shall operate a test center to be known as the Institute for 
        Telecommunication Sciences (in this section referred to as 
        `ITS').
            ``(2) Functions.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In addition to any functions 
                delegated by the Assistant Secretary under subparagraph 
                (B), ITS shall serve as the primary laboratory for the 
                Federal Government to--
                            ``(i) study radio frequency emissions, 
                        including technologies and techniques to 
                        control such emissions and interference caused 
                        by such emissions;
                            ``(ii) determine spectrum propagation 
                        characteristics;
                            ``(iii) conduct tests on technology that 
                        enhances the sharing of electromagnetic 
                        spectrum between Federal and non-Federal users;
                            ``(iv) improve the interference tolerance 
                        of Federal systems operating with, or using, 
                        Federal spectrum;
                            ``(v) promote activities relating to access 
                        to Federal spectrum by non-Federal users and 
                        the sharing of Federal spectrum between Federal 
                        and non-Federal users; and
                            ``(vi) conduct such other activities as 
                        determined necessary by the Assistant 
                        Secretary.
                    ``(B) Additional functions.--The Assistant 
                Secretary may delegate to ITS any of the functions 
                assigned to the Assistant Secretary under section 
                103(b)(1).
            ``(3) Agreements and transactions.--The Assistant 
        Secretary, acting through the head of ITS, may enter into such 
        agreements, including contracts, cooperative agreements, and 
        interagency agreements, as may be necessary.
            ``(4) Funds from federal and non-federal entities.--In 
        addition to such other sums as may be made available to carry 
        out this section, the Assistant Secretary, acting through the 
        head of ITS may accept, hold, administer, and use funds from 
        any Federal entity or non-Federal entity, including a State 
        government, local government, or private sector entity, for ITS 
        to perform analysis or conduct a technical study on behalf of 
        such entity.
            ``(5) Federal spectrum defined.--In this subsection, the 
        term `Federal spectrum' means frequencies assigned on a primary 
        basis to a Federal entity (as defined in section 113(l) of the 
        National Telecommunications and Information Administration 
        Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 923(l))).
    ``(b) Emergency Communication and Tracking Technologies 
Initiative.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--The Assistant Secretary, acting 
        through the head of ITS, shall establish an initiative to 
        support the development of emergency communication and tracking 
        technologies for use in locating trapped individuals in 
        confined spaces, such as underground mines, and other shielded 
        environments, such as high-rise buildings or collapsed 
        structures, where conventional radio communication is limited.
            ``(2) Activities.--In order to carry out this subsection, 
        the Assistant Secretary, acting through the head of ITS, shall 
        work with private sector entities and the heads of appropriate 
        Federal agencies to--
                    ``(A) perform a needs assessment to identify and 
                evaluate the measurement, technical specifications, and 
                conformity assessment needs required to improve the 
                operation and reliability of such emergency 
                communication and tracking technologies; and
                    ``(B) support the development of technical 
                specifications and conformance architecture to improve 
                the operation and reliability of such emergency 
                communication and tracking technologies.
            ``(3) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall submit 
        to Congress, and make publicly available, a report on the 
        assessment performed under paragraph (2)(A).''.
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