Securing Access to Networks in Disasters Act

Bill: 115-hr-588
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Pallone, Frank, Jr. [D-NJ-6]
Introduced: 2017-01-17
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Congressional oversight

Disaster relief and insurance

Emergency communications systems

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Government studies and investigations

Internet and video services

Internet, web applications, social media

Telephone and wireless communication
Latest action: action_date: 2017-01-24
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-01-17
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Securing Access to Networks in Disasters Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to submit to Congress and publish on the FCC website a study on the public safety benefits, technical feasibility, and cost of providing the public with access to 9-1-1 services during times of emergency when mobile service is unavailable, through:</p> <ul> <li>telecommunications service provider-owned WiFi access points and other communications technologies operating on unlicensed spectrum, without requiring any login credentials; </li> <li>non-telecommunications service provider-owned WiFi access points; and </li> <li>other alternative means. </li></ul> <p>The types of emergencies subject to this bill are: (1) occasions or instances under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act for which the President determines that federal assistance is needed to supplement state and local efforts and capabilities to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in any part of the United States; or (2) an emergency declared by the governor of a state or U.S. territory.</p> <p>The Stafford Act is amended to expand the categories of essential service providers that may access a disaster site to restore and repair essential services in an emergency or major disaster without being denied or impeded by a federal agency. Services to be considered essential are wireline or mobile telephone service, Internet access service, radio or television broadcasting, cable service, or direct broadcast satellite service.</p>

action_date: 2017-01-23
action_desc: Passed House without amendment
text: <p>(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)</p> <p><b>Securing Access to Networks in Disasters Act</b></p> <p>(Sec. 2) This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to submit to Congress and publish on the FCC website a study on the public safety benefits, technical feasibility, and cost of providing the public with access to 9-1-1 services during times of emergency when mobile service is unavailable, through:</p> <ul> <li>telecommunications service provider-owned WiFi access points and other communications technologies operating on unlicensed spectrum, without requiring any login credentials; </li> <li>non-telecommunications service provider-owned WiFi access points; and </li> <li>other alternative means. </li></ul> <p>The types of emergencies subject to this bill are: (1) occasions or instances under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act for which the President determines that federal assistance is needed to supplement state and local efforts and capabilities to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in any part of the United States; or (2) an emergency declared by the governor of a state or U.S. territory.</p> <p>(Sec. 3) The Stafford Act is amended to expand the categories of essential service providers that may access a disaster site to restore and repair essential services in an emergency or major disaster without being denied or impeded by a federal agency. Services to be considered essential are wireline or mobile telephone service, Internet access service, radio or television broadcasting, cable service, or direct broadcast satellite service.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 588 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To direct the Federal Communications Commission to conduct a study on network resiliency during times of emergency, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Securing Access to Networks in Disasters Act . 2. Study on network resiliency Not later than 36 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to Congress, and make publically available on the Commission’s website, a study on the public safety benefits and technical feasibility and cost of— (1) making telecommunications service provider-owned WiFi access points, and other communications technologies operating on unlicensed spectrum, available to the general public for access to 9–1–1 services, without requiring any login credentials, during times of emergency when mobile service is unavailable; (2) the provision by non-telecommunications service provider-owned WiFi access points of public access to 9–1–1 services during times of emergency when mobile service is unavailable; and (3) other alternative means of providing the public with access to 9–1–1 services during times of emergency when mobile service is unavailable. 3. Access to essential service providers during federally declared emergencies Section 427(a)(1)(A) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5189e(a)(1)(A) ) is amended by striking telecommunications service and inserting wireline or mobile telephone service, Internet access service, radio or television broadcasting, cable service, or direct broadcast satellite service . 4. Definitions As used in this Act— (1) the term Commission means the Federal Communications Commission; (2) the term mobile service means commercial mobile service (as defined in section 332 of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 332 )) or commercial mobile data service (as defined in section 6001 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 ( 47 U.S.C. 1401 )); (3) the term WiFi access point means wireless Internet access using the standard designated as 802.11 or any variant thereof; and (4) the term times of emergency means either an emergency as defined in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5122 ), or an emergency as declared by the governor of a State or territory of the United States.

Passed the House of Representatives January 23, 2017. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 588 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 17, 2017 Mr. Pallone introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure , and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce , 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 direct the Federal Communications Commission to conduct a study on network resiliency during times of emergency, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Securing Access to Networks in Disasters Act . 2. Study on network resiliency Not later than 36 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to Congress, and make publically available on the Commission’s website, a study on the public safety benefits and technical feasibility and cost of— (1) making telecommunications service provider-owned WiFi access points, and other communications technologies operating on unlicensed spectrum, available to the general public for access to 9–1–1 services, without requiring any login credentials, during times of emergency when mobile service is unavailable; (2) the provision by non-telecommunications service provider-owned WiFi access points of public access to 9–1–1 services during times of emergency when mobile service is unavailable; and (3) other alternative means of providing the public with access to 9–1–1 services during times of emergency when mobile service is unavailable. 3. Access to essential service providers during federally declared emergencies Section 427(a)(1)(A) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5189e(a)(1)(A) ) is amended by striking telecommunications service and inserting wireline or mobile telephone service, Internet access service, radio or television broadcasting, cable service, or direct broadcast satellite service . 4. Definitions As used in this Act— (1) the term Commission means the Federal Communications Commission; (2) the term mobile service means commercial mobile service (as defined in section 332 of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 332 )) or commercial mobile data service (as defined in section 6001 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 ( 47 U.S.C. 1401 )); (3) the term WiFi access point means wireless Internet access using the standard designated as 802.11 or any variant thereof; and (4) the term times of emergency means either an emergency as defined in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5122 ), or an emergency as declared by the governor of a State or territory of the United States.

tv_txt: IIB 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 588 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 24, 2017 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation AN ACT To direct the Federal Communications Commission to conduct a study on network resiliency during times of emergency, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Securing Access to Networks in Disasters Act . 2. Study on network resiliency Not later than 36 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to Congress, and make publically available on the Commission’s website, a study on the public safety benefits and technical feasibility and cost of— (1) making telecommunications service provider-owned WiFi access points, and other communications technologies operating on unlicensed spectrum, available to the general public for access to 9–1–1 services, without requiring any login credentials, during times of emergency when mobile service is unavailable; (2) the provision by non-telecommunications service provider-owned WiFi access points of public access to 9–1–1 services during times of emergency when mobile service is unavailable; and (3) other alternative means of providing the public with access to 9–1–1 services during times of emergency when mobile service is unavailable. 3. Access to essential service providers during federally declared emergencies Section 427(a)(1)(A) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5189e(a)(1)(A) ) is amended by striking telecommunications service and inserting wireline or mobile telephone service, Internet access service, radio or television broadcasting, cable service, or direct broadcast satellite service . 4. Definitions As used in this Act— (1) the term Commission means the Federal Communications Commission; (2) the term mobile service means commercial mobile service (as defined in section 332 of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 332 )) or commercial mobile data service (as defined in section 6001 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 ( 47 U.S.C. 1401 )); (3) the term WiFi access point means wireless Internet access using the standard designated as 802.11 or any variant thereof; and (4) the term times of emergency means either an emergency as defined in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5122 ), or an emergency as declared by the governor of a State or territory of the United States.

Passed the House of Representatives January 23, 2017. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.