A bill to provide authorization of appropriations for activities of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
PL 100-584 (H.R.2472), enacted 11/03/1988

102 STAT. 2970 
PUBLIC LAW 100-584—NOV. 3, 1988 
Public Law 100-584 
100th Congress 
An Act 
Nov. 3, 1988 
[H.R. 2472] 
Minorities. 
Women. 
Federal 
Register, 
publication. 
Reports. 
Grants. 
47 u s e 390 note. 
Reports. 
To provide authorization of appropriations for activities of the National Telecom-
munications and Information Administration. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That there are 
authorized to be appropriated for activities of the National Tele-
communications and Information Administration $14,718,000 for 
fiscal year 1988 and $15,000,000 for fiscal year 1989, together with 
such sums as may be necessary for increases resulting from adjust-
ments in salary, pay, retirement, other employee benefits required 
by law, and other nondiscretionary costs, for each of the fiscal years 
1988 and 1989. 
SEC. 2. (a) The Administrator of the National Telecommunications 
and Information Administration (hereinafter referred to as the 
'Administrator") shall establish semiannual goals for recruiting 
and hiring minority members and women to the staff of the 
Administration. Such goals shall be published in the Federal Reg-
ister not later than thirty days after the date of enactment of this 
Act. 
(b) The Administrator shall, not later than September 30, 1988, 
March 31, 1989, and September 30, 1989, submit a report on the 
success of the Administration in achieving the goals established 
under subsection (a) of this section to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives. 
SEC. 3. The Administrator shall enter into discussions with the 
Federal Communications Commission for the purposes of determin-
ing the feasibility of awarding public telecommunications facilities 
program grants for low-power television stations and television 
translator stations on a conditional basis pending the award by the 
Commission of licenses for such stations. The Administrator shall 
also work with the Commission to establish a schedule for the 
expedited and coordinated consideration, on a regular basis, of 
future grant requests and license applications for low-power tele-
vision stations and television translator stations. The Administrator 
shall, within ninety days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
House of Representatives on the progress made in carrying out the 
requirements of this section. 
SEC. 4. (a) The Congress finds that— 
(1) the Pacific Ocean region is of strategic importance to the 
United States, and other nations are seeking to establish their 
influence in this region; 
(2) the Pacific Basin communities are important economically 
to the United States, and have sought a close relationship with 
the United States; 
PUBLIC LAW 100-584—NOV. 3, 1988 
102 STAT. 2971 
Community 
development. 
Defense and 
national 
security. 
(3) because the Pacific Basin communities are geographically 
isolated and because many of such communities are relatively 
poor, they are in great need of quality, low cost communications 
services to maintain contact among themselves and with other 
countries; and 
(4) since August 1985, the Pacific Basin communities have 
been without a vital communications service because the ATS-1 
satellite of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
ceased operation. 
(b) It is the purpose of this section to assist in the acquisition of 
satellite communications services until commercially viable alter-
natives are available and to provide initial funding in order that the 
Pan-Pacific Educational and Cultural Experiments by Satellite Pro-
gram again serves the educational, medical, and cultural needs of 
the Pacific Basin communities. 
(c)(1) The Secretary of Commerce shall expeditiously negotiate 
and acquire satellite space segment capacity for communications 
services for the Pacific Ocean region for former users of the ATS-1 
satellite of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 
(2)(A) Such satellite space segment capacity may, for a period of 
three years from the time it is acquired, operate in those portions of 
the UHF frequency band (225-400 Megahertz) assigned to the 
Department of the Navy, unless the President finds that the use of 
such spectrum solely by the Department of Defense is essential to 
the national security of the United States. 
(B) The Secretary of the Navy shall join with the Secretary of 
Commerce in the negotiation and acquisition of satellite space seg-
ment capacity under this section in any case where the capacity to 
be used is the capacity specified in subparagraph (A) of this para-
graph. 
(3)(A) The Secretary of Commerce shall provide to the managers of 
the Pan-Pacific Educational and Cultural Experiments by Satellite 
Program such funds as the Secretary of Commerce considers nec-
essary to manage the operation of satellite communications services 
acquired under this subsection. 
(B) The recipient of funds under subparagraph (A) of this para- Records, 
graph shall keep such records as may reasonably be necessary to 
enable the Secretary of Commerce to conduct an effective audit of 
such funds. 
(C) The Secretary of Commerce and the Comptroller General of 
the United States, or any of their duly authorized representatives, 
shall have access for the purpose of audit and examination to any 
books, documents, papers, and records of such recipient that are 
pertinent to the funds received under subparagraph (A) of this 
paragraph. 
(d) There are authorized to be appropriated $1,700,000 for each of 
the fiscal years 1988 and 1989 for use by the Secretary of Commerce 
in the development, including the acquisition, of satellite commu-
nications services under subsection (c) of this section. Sums appro-
priated pursuant to this subsection may be used by the Secretary of 
Commerce to cover administrative costs associated with the provi-
sions of this section. 
(e) The Secretary of Commerce shall consult with appropriate 
departments and agencies of the Federal Government, representa-
tives of the Pan-Pacific Educational and Cultural Experiments by 
Satellite Program, and other affected parties regarding the develop-
ment of a long-term commercial solution to the communication 
102 STAT. 2972 
PUBLIC LAW 100-584—NOV. 3, 1988 
Reports. 
needs of the Pacific Ocean region. Within one year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall report to the 
Congress regarding such consultation. 
Approved November 3, 1988. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2472 (S. 828): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 100-362 (Ck)mm. on Energy and Commerce). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 100-93 accompanying S. 828 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 133 (1987): Oct. 13, considered and passed House. 
Vol. 134 (1988): Aug. 4, H.R. 2472 considered and passed Senate, amended, in 
lieu of S. 828. 
Oct. 19, House concurred in Senate amendment.