TASK DEFINITION: In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Right to Try Act''.

SEC. 2. USE OF UNAPPROVED MEDICAL PRODUCTS BY PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH A 
              TERMINAL ILLNESS.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding the Federal Food, Drug, and 
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), the Controlled Substances Act (21 
U.S.C. 801 et seq.), and any other provision of Federal law, the 
Federal Government shall not take any action to prohibit or restrict--
            (1) the production, manufacture, distribution, prescribing, 
        or dispensing of an experimental drug, biological product, or 
        device that--
                    (A) is intended to treat a patient who has been 
                diagnosed with a terminal illness; and
                    (B) is authorized by, and in accordance with, State 
                law; and
            (2) the possession or use of an experimental drug, 
        biological product, or device--
                    (A) that is described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) 
                of paragraph (1); and
                    (B) for which the patient has received a 
                certification from the patient's treating physician in 
                accordance with subsection (b).
    (b) Physician Certification.--A certification by the patient's 
treating physician referred to in subsection (a)(2)(B) must include 
each of the following:
            (1) A certification that the physician--
                    (A) is in good standing with the physician's 
                certifying organization or board; and
                    (B) has personally examined the patient.
            (2) A certification that there is no reason to conclude the 
        experimental drug, biological product, or device poses an 
        unreasonable and significant risk of danger to the patient.
            (3) A certification that the patient has been diagnosed 
        with a terminal disease or condition and does not have any 
        treatment options that--
                    (A) are comparable to treatment using the 
                experimental drug, biological product, or device or 
                otherwise satisfactory; and
                    (B) are approved, licensed, or cleared for 
                commercial distribution under section 505, 510(k), or 
                515 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 
                U.S.C. 355, 360(k), 360(e)) or section 351 of the 
                Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262) and are 
                available to diagnose, monitor, or treat the patient's 
                disease or condition.
            (4) A certification that the probable risk to the patient 
        from the experimental drug, biological product, or device is 
        not greater than the probable risk from the patient's disease 
        or condition.
            (5) A certification that the physician has provided the 
        patient with a written statement and oral explanation of the 
        medical treatment to be provided using the experimental drug, 
        biological product, or device.
            (6) An acknowledgement signed by the patient (or the 
        patient's legal representative) that the physician has provided 
        the written statement and oral explanation required by 
        paragraph (5), and has disclosed the following:
                    (A) That the medical treatment using the 
                experimental drug, biological product, or device is 
                experimental or nonconventional.
                    (B) That the experimental drug, biological product, 
                or device has not been approved, licensed, or cleared 
                for commercial distribution under section 505, 510(k), 
                or 515 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 
                U.S.C. 355, 360(k), 360(e)) or section 351 of the 
                Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262) for any 
                indication.
                    (C) The material risks generally recognized by a 
                reasonably prudent physician of the medical treatment's 
                side effects.
                    (D) An explanation of the medical treatment, 
                including the expected frequency and duration of the 
                treatment.
    (c) No Liability or Use of Outcomes.--
            (1) No liability.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        law, no liability shall lie against a producer, manufacturer, 
        distributor, prescriber, dispenser, possessor, or user of an 
        experimental drug, biological product, or device for the 
        production, manufacture, distribution, prescribing, dispensing, 
        possession, or use of an experimental drug, biological product, 
        or device that is in compliance, with subsection (a).
            (2) No use of outcomes.--Notwithstanding any other 
        provision of law, the outcome of any production, manufacture, 
        distribution, prescribing, dispensing, possession, or use of an 
        experimental drug, biological product, or device that was done 
        in compliance with subsection (a) shall not be used by a 
        Federal agency reviewing the experimental drug, biological 
        product, or device to delay or otherwise adversely impact 
        review or approval of such experimental drug, biological 
        product, or device.
    (d) Rules of Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
to--
            (1) require a manufacturer or other person to make 
        available any experimental drug, biological product, or device; 
        or
            (2) prohibit a manufacturer or other person from receiving 
        compensation or recovering costs for the production, 
        manufacture, distribution, or sale of an experiment drug, 
        biological product, or device.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Biological product.--The term ``biological product'' 
        has the meaning given to such term in section 351 of the Public 
        Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262).
            (2) Device; drug.--The terms ``device'' and ``drug'' have 
        the meanings given to such terms in section 201 of the Federal 
        Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321).
            (3) Experimental drug, biological product, or device.--The 
        term ``experimental drug, biological product, or device'' means 
        a drug, biological product, or device that--
                    (A) has successfully completed a phase 1 clinical 
                investigation;
                    (B) remains under investigation in a clinical trial 
                approved by the Food and Drug Administration; and
                    (C) is not approved, licensed, or cleared for 
                commercial distribution under section 505, 510(k), or 
                515 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 
                U.S.C. 355, 360(k), 360(e)) or section 351 of the 
                Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262).
            (4) Phase 1 clinical investigation.--The term ``phase 1 
        clinical investigation'' means a phase 1 clinical 
        investigation, as described in section 312.21 of title 21, Code 
        of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulations).
            (5) Terminal illness.--The term ``terminal illness'' has 
        the meaning given to such term in the State law specified in 
        subsection (a)(1)(B).

SOLUTION: Right to Try Act This bill requires the federal government to allow unrestricted manufacturing, distribution, prescribing, and dispensing of experimental drugs, biological products, and medical devices that are authorized by state law and intended to treat terminally ill patients. Patients receiving these treatments must be certified by a physician as having exhausted all other treatment options and as being at greater risk from their medical condition than the treatment. The physician must explain the treatment to the patient, including that the treatment is experimental, and the patient, or the patient's legal representative, must acknowledge the explanation. A manufacturer, distributor, prescriber, dispenser, possessor, or user of such a treatment has no liability regarding the treatment. The outcome of manufacture, distribution, prescribing, dispensing, possession, or use of such a treatment may not be used by a federal agency to adversely impact review or approval of the treatment. The treatment must: (1) have successfully completed a phase 1 (initial, small scale) clinical trial; (2) remain under investigation in a clinical trial approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); and (3) not be approved, licensed, or cleared for sale by the FDA.  

PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Facilitating Access to Speedy 
Transmissions for Networks, E-commerce and Telecommunications (FASTNET) 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Telecommunications Act of 1996 was enacted to 
        foster the rapid deployment of advanced telecommunications and 
        information technologies and services to all Americans by 
        promoting competition and reducing regulation in 
        telecommunications markets nationwide.
            (2) The Telecommunications Act of 1966 specifically 
        recognized the unique abilities and circumstances of local 
        exchange carriers with fewer than two percent of the Nation's 
        subscriber lines installed in the aggregate nationwide.
            (3) Given the markets two percent carriers typically serve, 
        such carriers are uniquely positioned to accelerate the 
        deployment of advanced services and competitive initiatives for 
        the benefit of consumers in less densely populated regions of 
        the Nation.
            (4) Existing regulations are typically tailored to the 
        circumstances of larger carriers and therefore often impose 
        disproportionate burdens on two percent carriers, impeding such 
        carriers' deployment of advanced telecommunications services 
        and competitive initiatives to consumers in less densely 
        populated regions of the Nation.
            (5) Reducing regulatory burdens on two percent carriers 
        will enable such carriers to devote additional resources to the 
        deployment of advanced services and to competitive initiatives 
        to benefit consumers in less densely populated regions of the 
        Nation.
            (6) Reducing regulatory burdens on two percent carriers 
        will increase such carriers' ability to respond to marketplace 
        conditions, allowing them to accelerate deployment of advanced 
        services and competitive initiatives to benefit consumers in 
        less densely populated regions of the Nation.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to accelerate the deployment of advanced services and 
        the development of competition in the telecommunications 
        industry for the benefit of consumers in all regions of the 
        Nation, consistent with the Telecommunications Act of 1996, by 
        reducing regulatory burdens on local exchange carriers with 
        fewer than two percent of the Nation's subscriber lines 
        installed in the aggregate nationwide;
            (2) to improve such carriers' flexibility to undertake such 
        initiatives; and
            (3) to allow such carriers to redirect resources from 
        paying the costs of such regulatory burdens to increasing 
        investment in such initiatives.

SEC. 3. DEFINITION.

    Section 3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153) is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (51) and (52) as paragraphs 
        (52) and (53), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (50) the following:
            ``(51) Two percent carrier.--The term `two percent carrier' 
        means an incumbent local exchange carrier within the meaning of 
        section 251(h) whose access lines, when aggregated with the 
        access lines of any local exchange carrier that such incumbent 
        local exchange carrier directly or indirectly controls, is 
        controlled by, or is under common control with, are fewer than 
        two percent of the Nation's subscriber lines installed in the 
        aggregate nationwide.''.

SEC. 4. REGULATORY RELIEF FOR TWO PERCENT CARRIERS.

    Title II of the Communications Act of 1934 is amended by adding at 
the end thereof a new part IV as follows:

         ``PART IV--PROVISIONS CONCERNING TWO PERCENT CARRIERS

``SEC. 281. REDUCED REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS FOR TWO PERCENT CARRIERS.

    ``(a) Commission To Take Into Account Differences.--In adopting 
rules that apply to incumbent local exchange carriers (within the 
meaning of section 251(h)), the Commission shall separately evaluate 
the burden that any proposed regulatory, compliance, or reporting 
requirements would have on two percent carriers.
    ``(b) Effect of Commission's Failure To Take Into Account 
Differences.--If the Commission adopts a rule that applies to incumbent 
local exchange carriers and fails to separately evaluate the burden 
that any proposed regulatory, compliance, or reporting requirement 
would have on two percent carriers, the Commission shall not enforce 
the rule against two percent carriers unless and until the Commission 
performs such separate evaluation.
    ``(c) Additional Review Not Required.--Nothing in this section 
shall be construed to require the Commission to conduct a separate 
evaluation under subsection (a) if the rules adopted do not apply to 
two percent carriers, or such carriers are exempted from such rules.
    ``(d) Savings Clause.--Nothing in this section shall be construed 
to prohibit any size-based differentiation among carriers mandated by 
this Act, chapter 6 of title 5, United State Code, the Commission's 
rules, or any other provision of law.
    ``(e) Effective Date.--The provisions of this section shall apply 
with respect to any rule adopted on or after the date of enactment of 
this section.

``SEC. 282. LIMITATION OF REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

    ``(a) Limitation.--The Commission shall not require a two percent 
carrier--
            ``(1) to file cost allocation manuals or to have such 
        manuals audited or attested, but a two percent carrier that 
        qualifies as a class A carrier shall annually certify to the 
        Commission that the two percent carrier's cost allocation 
        complies with the rules of the Commission; or
            ``(2) to file Automated Reporting and Management 
        Information Systems (ARMIS) reports, except for purposes of 
        section 224.
    ``(b) Preservation of Authority.--Except as provided in subsection 
(a), nothing in this Act limits the authority of the Commission to 
obtain access to information under sections 211, 213, 215, 218, and 220 
with respect to two percent carriers.

``SEC. 283. INTEGRATED OPERATION OF TWO PERCENT CARRIERS.

    ``The Commission shall not require any two percent carrier to 
establish or maintain a separate affiliate to provide any common 
carrier or noncommon carrier services, including local and 
interexchange services, commercial mobile radio services, advanced 
services (within the meaning of section 706 of the Telecommunications 
Act of 1996), paging, Internet, information services or other enhanced 
services, or other services. The Commission shall not require any two 
percent carrier and its affiliates to maintain separate officers, 
directors, or other personnel, network facilities, buildings, research 
and development departments, books of account, financing, marketing, 
provisioning, or other operations.

``SEC. 284. PARTICIPATION IN TARIFF POOLS AND PRICE CAP REGULATION.

    ``(a) NECA Pool.--The participation or withdrawal from 
participation by a two percent carrier of one or more study areas in 
the common line tariff administered and filed by the National Exchange 
Carrier Association or any successor tariff or administrator shall not 
obligate such carrier to participate or withdraw from participation in 
such tariff for any other study area. The Commission may require a two 
percent carrier to give 60 days notice of its intent to participate or 
withdraw from participation in such common line tariff with respect to 
a study area. Except as permitted by section 310(f)(3), a two percent 
carrier's election under this subsection shall be binding for one year 
from the date of the election.
    ``(b) Price Cap Regulation.--A two percent carrier may elect to be 
regulated by the Commission under price cap rate regulation, or elect 
to withdraw from such regulation, for one or more of its study areas. 
The Commission shall not require a carrier making an election under 
this subsection with respect to any study area or areas to make the 
same election for any other study area. Except as permitted by section 
310(f)(3), a two percent carrier's election under this subsection shall 
be binding for one year from the date of the election.

``SEC. 285. DEPLOYMENT OF NEW TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES BY TWO 
              PERCENT COMPANIES.

    ``(a) One-Day Notice of Deployment.--The Commission shall permit 
two percent carriers to introduce new interstate telecommunications 
services by filing a tariff on one day's notice showing the charges, 
classifications, regulations, and practices therefor, without obtaining 
a waiver, or make any other showing before the Commission in advance of 
the tariff filing. The Commission shall not have authority to approve 
or disapprove the rate structure for such services shown in such 
tariff.
    ``(b) Definition.--For purposes of subsection (a), the term `new 
interstate telecommunications service' means a class or subclass of 
service not previously offered by the two percent carrier that enlarges 
the range of service options available to ratepayers of such carrier.

``SEC. 286. ENTRY OF COMPETING CARRIER.

    ``(a) Pricing Flexibility.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
this Act, any two percent carrier shall be permitted to de-average its 
interstate switched or special access rates, file tariffs on one day's 
notice, and file contract-based tariffs for interstate switched or 
special access services immediately upon certifying to the Commission 
that a telecommunications carrier unaffiliated with such carrier is 
engaged in facilities-based entry within such carrier's service area. A 
two percent carrier subject to rate-of-return regulation with respect 
to an interstate switched or special access service, for which pricing 
flexibility has been exercised pursuant to this subsection, shall 
compute its interstate rate of return based on the nondiscounted rate 
for such service.
    ``(b) Streamlined Pricing Regulation.--Notwithstanding any other 
provision of this Act, upon receipt by the Commission of a 
certification by a two percent carrier that--
            ``(1) a local exchange carrier, or its affiliate, or
            ``(2) a local exchange carrier operated by, or owned in 
        whole or part by, a governmental authority,
is engaged in facilities-based entry within the two percent carrier's 
service area, the Commission shall regulate the two percent carrier as 
non-dominant and shall not require the tariffing of the interstate 
service offerings of the two percent carrier.
    ``(c) Participation in Exchange Carrier Association Tariff.--A two 
percent carrier that meets the requirements of subsection (a) or (b) of 
this section with respect to one or more study areas shall be permitted 
to participate in the common line tariff administered and filed by the 
National Exchange Carrier Association or any successor tariff or 
administrator, by electing to include one or more of its study areas in 
such tariff.
    ``(d) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            ``(1) Facilities-based entry.--The term `facilities-based 
        entry' means, within the service area of a two percent 
        carrier--
                    ``(A) the provision or procurement of local 
                telephone exchange switching or its equivalent; and
                    ``(B) the provision of telephone exchange service 
                to at least one unaffiliated customer.
            ``(2) Contract-based tariff.--The term `contract-based 
        tariff' shall mean a tariff based on a service contract entered 
        into between a two percent carrier and one or more customers of 
        such carrier. Such tariff shall include--
                    ``(A) the term of the contract, including any 
                renewal options;
                    ``(B) a brief description of each of the services 
                provided under the contract;
                    ``(C) minimum volume commitments for each service, 
                if any;
                    ``(D) the contract price for each service or 
                services at the volume levels committed to by the 
                customer or customers;
                    ``(E) a brief description of any volume discounts 
                built into the contract rate structure; and
                    ``(F) a general description of any other 
                classifications, practices, and regulations affecting 
                the contract rate.
            ``(3) Service area.--The term `service area' has the same 
        meaning as in section 214(e)(5).

``SEC. 287. SAVINGS PROVISIONS.

    ``(a) Commission Authority.--Nothing in this part shall be 
construed to restrict the authority of the Commission under sections 
201 through 208.
    ``(b) Rural Telephone Company Rights.--Nothing in this part shall 
be construed to diminish the rights of rural telephone companies 
otherwise accorded by this Act, or the rules, policies, procedures, 
guidelines, and standards of the Commission as of the date of enactment 
of this section.
    ``(c) State Authority.--Nothing in this part shall be construed to 
limit or affect any authority (as of August 1, 2001) of the States over 
charges, classifications, practices, services, facilities, or 
regulations for or in connection with intrastate communications service 
by wire or radio of any carrier.''.

SEC. 5. LIMITATION ON MERGER REVIEW.

    (a) Amendment.--Section 310 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
U.S.C. 310) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Deadline for Making Public Interest Determination.--
            ``(1) Time limit.--In connection with any merger between 
        two percent carriers, or the acquisition, directly or 
        indirectly, by a two percent carrier or its affiliate of 
        securities or assets of another carrier or its affiliate, if 
the merged or acquiring carrier remains a two percent carrier after the 
merger or acquisition, the Commission shall make any determinations 
required by this section and section 214, and shall rule on any 
petition for waiver of the Commission's rules or other request related 
to such determinations, not later than 60 days after the date an 
application with respect to such merger or acquisition is submitted to 
the Commission.
            ``(2) Approval absent action.--If the Commission does not 
        approve or deny an application as described in paragraph (1) by 
        the end of the period specified, the application shall be 
        deemed approved on the day after the end of such period. Any 
        such application deemed approved under this subsection shall be 
        deemed approved without conditions.
            ``(3) Election permitted.--The Commission shall permit a 
        two percent carrier to make an election pursuant to section 284 
        with respect to any local exchange facilities acquired as a 
        result of a merger or acquisition that is subject to the review 
        deadline established in paragraph (1) of this subsection.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The provisions of this section shall apply 
with respect to any application that is submitted to the Commission on 
or after the date of enactment of this Act. Applications pending with 
the Commission on the date of enactment of this Act shall be subject to 
the requirements of this section as if they had been filed with the 
Commission on the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 6. TIME LIMITS FOR ACTION ON PETITIONS FOR RECONSIDERATION OR 
              WAIVER.

    (a) Amendment.--Section 405 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
U.S.C. 405) is amended by adding to the end the following:
    ``(c) Expedited Action Required.--
            ``(1) Time limit.--Within 90 days after receiving from a 
        two percent carrier a petition for reconsideration or other 
        review filed under this section or a petition for waiver of a 
        rule, policy, or other Commission requirement, the Commission 
        shall issue an order granting or denying such petition. If the 
        Commission fails to act on a petition for waiver subject to the 
        requirements of this section within this 90-day period, the 
        relief sought in such petition shall be deemed granted. If the 
        Commission fails to act on a petition for reconsideration or 
        other review subject to the requirements of this section within 
        such 90-day period, the Commission's enforcement of any rule 
        the reconsideration or other review of which was specifically 
        sought by the petitioning party shall be stayed with respect to 
        that party until the Commission issues an order granting or 
        denying such petition.
            ``(2) Finality of action.--Any order issued under paragraph 
        (1), or any grant of a petition for waiver that is deemed to 
        occur as a result of the Commission's failure to act under 
        paragraph (1), shall be a final order and may be appealed.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The provisions of this section shall apply 
with respect to any petition for reconsideration or other review or 
petition for waiver that is submitted to the Commission on or after the 
date of enactment of this Act. Petitions for reconsideration or 
petitions for waiver pending with the Commission on the date of 
enactment of this Act shall be subject to the requirements of this 
section as if they had been filed on the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 7. NATIONAL SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT EXCEPTIONS.

    Notwithstanding sections 310 and 405 of the Communications Act of 
1934 (47 U.S.C. 310 and 405), the 60-day time period under section 
310(f)(1) of that Act, as added by section 5 of this Act, and the 90-
day time period under section 405(c)(1) of that Act, as added by 
section 6 of this Act, shall not apply to a petition or application 
under section 310 or 405 if an Executive Branch agency with cognizance 
over national security, law enforcement, or public safety matters, 
including the Department of Defense, Department of Justice, and the 
Federal Bureau of Investigation, submits a written filing to the 
Federal Communications Commission advising the Commission that the 
petition or application may present national security, law enforcement, 
or public safety concerns that may not be resolved within the 60-day or 
90-day time period, respectively.

SOLUTION: Facilitating Access to Speedy Transmissions for Networks, E-commerce and Telecommunications (FASTNET) Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to define a "two percent carrier" (carrier) as an incumbent local exchange carrier whose access lines, when combined with the access lines of any other carrier that such carrier controls, are fewer than two percent of the subscriber lines installed in the aggregate nationwide.Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in adopting rules that apply to such carriers, to separately evaluate the burden that any proposed regulatory, compliance, or reporting requirements would have on such carriers. Prohibits the FCC from requiring such carriers to: (1) file cost allocation manuals or Automated Reporting and Management Information Systems reports; or (2) establish or maintain a separate affiliate to provide any common carrier or noncommon carrier services.Limits carrier participation in tariff pools and price cap regulation.Requires the FCC to permit such carriers to introduce new interstate telecommunications services by filing a tariff on one day's notice.Allows such carriers to de-average its interstate switched or special access rates, file tariffs on one day's notice, and file contract-based tariffs for switched or special access services upon certifying that a telecommunications carrier unaffiliated with such carrier is engaged in facilities-based entry within such carrier's service area. Limits FCC carrier merger review authority. Provides time limits for FCC action on petitions for reconsideration or waiver of a rule, policy, or requirement.

PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

     This Act may be cited as the ``Local Emergency Radio Service 
Preservation Act of 2004''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

     The Congress finds and declares the following:
            (1) A primary objective and benefit of the Nation's 
        regulation of radio broadcasting is the local origination of 
        programming. There is a substantial governmental interest in 
        ensuring its continuation.
            (2) Local broadcast radio stations are an important source 
        of local news and weather programming and other local broadcast 
        services critical to the public.
            (3) Local radio broadcasting is particularly important in 
        times of emergencies or disasters when other means of 
        communications may not be available.
            (4) Radio is the most ubiquitous of all mass media, with 
        receivers located in almost every home and automobile in the 
        country.
            (5) Because radio receivers are universally available and 
        frequently battery-powered or located in automobiles, the 
        Federal Communications Commission's Media Security and 
        Reliability Council concluded that ``radio broadcasters are 
        likely to be the last line of defense for communicating with 
        the public under extremely adverse conditions that could result 
        in the event of a local disaster''. There is a substantial 
        governmental interest in ensuring the continuation of this 
        capability.
            (6) Broadcast radio programming is supported by revenues 
        generated from advertising broadcast over stations. Such 
        programming is free to listeners. There is a substantial 
        governmental interest in promoting the continued availability 
        of free radio programming.
            (7) Because radio programming is supported by advertising, 
        the ability of local stations to continue to provide local news 
        and other services and to ensure communications during 
        emergencies could be jeopardized by a diversion of the 
        listening audience away from local radio programming.
            (8) When the Federal Communications Commission authorized 
        the digital audio radio satellite service, it stated that it 
        remained ``committed to supporting a vibrant and vital 
        terrestrial radio service for the public''.
            (9) When the Federal Communications Commission authorized 
        the digital audio radio satellite service, it understood that 
        digital audio radio satellite service licensees would provide 
        only national programming and accepted the contentions of the 
        proponents of digital audio radio satellite service that the 
        new service would not affect local broadcasting because ``the 
        ability to offer local content will give terrestrial 
        broadcasters a competitive advantage''.
            (10) Digital audio radio satellite service licensees have 
        announced plans to offer local traffic and weather channels 
        through the use of their satellites.
            (11) Developments in receiver technology will enable 
        digital audio radio satellite service licensees to offer new 
        services in the future, including localized content that may be 
        intermixed with other national content or that would be 
        selected based on the listener's location.

SEC. 3. LIMITS ON LOCALIZED DIGITAL AUDIO RADIO SATELLITE SERVICE 
              PROGRAMMING.

     The Federal Communications Commission shall revise section 25.144 
of its regulations (47 C.F.R. 25.144) to provide that--
            (1) digital audio radio satellite service licensees shall 
        not, using any capability either on a satellite or in a radio 
        receiver, provide services that are locally differentiated or 
        that result in programming being delivered to consumers in one 
        geographic market that is different from the programming that 
        is delivered to consumers in any other geographic market; and
            (2) digital audio radio satellite service repeaters shall 
        be restricted to simultaneously retransmitting the programming 
        transmitted by satellite directly to digital audio radio 
        satellite service subscribers' receivers, and may not be used 
        to distribute any information not also transmitted to all 
        subscribers' receivers.

SEC. 4. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION RULEMAKING ON LOCAL SERVICES 
              BY SATELLITE PROVIDERS.

     Within 270 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Federal Communications Commission shall complete a rulemaking 
proceeding to determine whether digital audio radio satellite service 
licensees should be permitted to provide locally oriented services on 
nationally distributed channels, taking into account--
            (1) the impact of locally oriented satellite radio services 
        on the viability of local radio broadcast stations and their 
        ability to provide news and other services to the public;
            (2) the ability of digital audio radio satellite service 
        licensees to afford listeners the same emergency and other 
        information as is afforded listeners of local broadcast radio 
        stations;
            (3) whether digital audio radio satellite service licensees 
        committed to providing only national services in order to 
        obtain authorization for their service; and
            (4) whether the same level and quality of emergency 
        communications services could be provided to consumers by 
        digital audio radio satellite service licensees as by local 
        broadcast radio stations.

SOLUTION:
Local Emergency Radio Service Preservation Act of 2004 - Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to revise its regulations to provide that digital audio radio satellite service (DARSS): (1) licensees shall not provide services that are locally differentiated or that result in programming being delivered to consumers in one geographic market that is different from programming delivered in any other geographic market; and (2) repeaters shall be restricted to simultaneously retransmitting the programming transmitted by satellite directly to DARSS subscribers' receivers.

Requires the FCC to complete a rulemaking proceeding to determine whether DARSS licensees should be permitted to provide locally oriented services on nationally distributed channels, taking into account, among other things, the ability of such licensees to afford listeners the same emergency and other information as is afforded listeners of local broadcast stations.