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

This Act may be cited as the ''Federal Communications Commission
Authorization Act of 1994''.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY.

Section 6 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 156) is
amended to read as follows:

''authorization of appropriations

''Sec. 6. There are authorized to be appropriated for the
administration of this Act by the Commission $160,300,000 for fiscal
year 1994 and $198,232,000 for fiscal year 1995, together with such
sums as may be necessary for increases resulting from adjustments in
salary, pay, retirement, other employee benefits required by law, and
other nondiscretionary costs, for fiscal year 1995. Of the sum
appropriated in any fiscal year, a portion, in an amount determined
under sections 8(b) and 9(b), shall be derived from fees authorized by
sections 8 and 9.''.

SEC. 3. TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT AUTHORITY.

Subsection (g) of section 4 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47
U.S.C. 154) is amended--
(1) by striking paragraph (2), and
(2) by redesignating paragraph (3) as (2).

SEC. 4. COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT FROM OLDER AMERICANS.

Section 6(a) of the Federal Communications Commission Authorization
Act of 1988 (47 U.S.C. 154 note) is amended by striking ''1992 and
1993,'' and inserting ''1995 and 1996,''.

SEC. 5. HAWAII MONITORING STATION.

Section 9(a) of the Federal Communications Commission Authorization
Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-594; 102 Stat. 3024) is amended by striking
''1991, 1992, 1993, and 1994'' and inserting ''1995, 1996, and 1997''.

SEC. 6. INSPECTION OF SHIP RADIO STATIONS.

(a) Contracting Out Inspections.--Section 4(f)(3) of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 154(f)(3)) is amended by adding
at the end the following: ''Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of
this paragraph, the Commission may designate an entity to make the
inspections referred to in this paragraph.''.
(b) Annual Inspection Required.--Section 362(b) of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 360(b)) is amended--
(1) by striking ''as may'' in the third sentence and
inserting ''as the Commission determines to'', and
(2) by striking ''thereby'' and all that follows and
inserting the following: ''thereby--
''(1) waive the annual inspection required under this
section for a period of up to 90 days for the sole purpose of
enabling a vessel to complete its voyage and proceed to a port
in the United States where an inspection can be held, or
''(2) waive the annual inspection required under this
section for a vessel that is in compliance with the radio
provisions of the Safety Convention and that is operating
solely in waters beyond the jurisdiction of the United States,
but the inspection shall be performed within 30 days after the
vessel's return to the United States.''.
(c) Conforming Amendment.--Section 385 of the Communications Act of
1934 (47 U.S.C. 385) is amended--
(1) by inserting ''or an entity designated by the
Commission'' after ''Commission'', and
(2) by striking out ''as may'' and inserting ''as the
Commission determines to''.

SEC. 7. EXPEDITED ITFS PROCESSING.

Section 5(c)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C.
155(c)(1)) is amended by striking ''Nothing'' and inserting ''Except
for cases involving the authorization of service in the Instructional
Television Fixed Service, or as otherwise provided in this Act,
nothing''.

SEC. 8. APPLICATION FEES.

(a) Modification of Fees.--Subsection (b) of section 8 of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 158) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as (6), and
(2) by striking out so much of such subsection as precedes
paragraph (6), as redesignated, and inserting the following:
''(b)(1) For fiscal year 1995 and each fiscal year thereafter, the
Commission shall, by regulation, modify the application fees by
proportionate increases or decreases so as to result in estimated total
collections for the fiscal year equal to the sum of--
''(A) $40,000,000, plus
''(B) the amount specified in an appropriation Act for the
Commission for that fiscal year to be collected and credited to
such appropriation, not to exceed necessary expenses of the
Commission.
''(2) The Commission may round the modified fees to the nearest $5,
in the case of fees under $100, or to the nearest $20, in the case of
fees of $100 or more. The Commission shall transmit to the Congress
notification of any adjustment made under this paragraph immediately
upon the adoption of the adjustment.
''(3) The Commission may collect fees at the prior year's rate
until the effective date of modifications, adjustments, or amendments
under this subsection.
''(4) The Commission by regulation shall add, delete, or reclassify
services, categories, applications, or other filings subject to
application fees to reflect additions, deletions, or changes in the
nature of its services or authorization of service processes as a
consequence of rulemaking proceedings or changes in law.
''(5) The amount of any fee modified or amended as a consequence of
action taken under paragraph (4) shall be derived by determining the
fulltime equivalent number of employees performing application
activities adjusted to take into account other expenses that are
reasonably related to the cost of processing the application or other
filing, including all executive and legal costs incurred by the
Commission in the discharge of these functions, and other factors the
Commission determines to be in the public interest. The Commission
shall transmit to the Congress notification of--
''(A) any proposed modification of a fee immediately upon
adoption of the proposal, and
''(B) any amendment immediately upon adoption of an amended
fee.''.
(b) Reimbursement of Appropriations.--Section 8(e) of such Act (47
U.S.C. 8(e)) is amended to read as follows:
''(e) Of the moneys received from fees authorized under this
section, $40,000,000 shall be deposited in the general fund of the
Treasury to reimburse the United States for amounts appropriated for
use by the Commission in carrying out its functions under this Act, and
the remainder shall be deposited as an offsetting collection in, and
credited to, the account providing appropriations to carry out the
functions of the Commission.''.
(c) Derivation of Appropriated Funds.--Section 6(d) of such Act (47
U.S.C. 156(d)) is amended--
(1) by striking ''section 9(b)'' and inserting ''sections
8(b) and 9(b)'', and
(2) by striking ''section 9'' and inserting ''sections 8
and 9, respectively''.

SEC. 9. SCHEDULE OF APPLICATION FEES FOR PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS
SERVICES.

The Schedule of Application Fees set forth in section 8(g) of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 158(g)) is amended by adding at
the end of the part relating to Common Carrier Services the following:

''23.Personal Communications Services
''a. Initial or New Application........................ 230
''b. Amendment to Pending Application.................. 35
''c. Application for Assignment or Transfer of Control. 230
''d. Application for Renewal of License................ 35
''e. Request for Special Temporary Authority........... 200
''f. Notification of Completion of Construction........ 35
''g. Request to Combine Service Areas.................. 50.''.

SEC. 10. REGULATORY FEES.

(a) In General.--Section 9(a) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47
U.S.C. 159(a)) is amended to read as follows:
''(a) General Authority.--The Commission, in accordance with this
section, shall assess and collect regulatory fees to recover its costs
arising from all executive and legal costs incurred by the Commission
in the discharge of these functions.''.
(b) Notice to Congress of Adjustments and Amendments.--Section
9(b)(4)(B) of such Act (47 U.S.C. 159(b)(4)(B)) is amended by striking
''90 days'' and inserting ''30 days''.
(c) Authority To Collect at Old Rate Pending Effective Date of New
Rates.--Section 9(b) of such Act (47 U.S.C. 9(b)) is amended by adding
at the end thereof the following:
''(5) Rates pending effective date of modifications.--The
Commission may continue to collect any fee imposed under this
section at the prior year's rate until the effective date of
any adjustment or amendment of that fee under this section.''.

SEC. 11. REPORT OF FEE MODIFICATIONS.

Section 4(k) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 154(k))
is amended--
(1) by striking ''and'' at the end of paragraph (3),
(2) by redesignating paragraph (4) as (5), and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following new
paragraph:
''(4) a detailed explanation of any modification,
adjustment, or amendment of any fees the amount of which was
increased or decreased under section 8 or 9 in the preceding
year, setting forth the reasons for the modification,
adjustment, or amendment, together with a statement of
anticipated modifications, adjustments, or amendments of fees
under those sections in the year in which the report is
submitted and an explanation of the reason such action is
anticipated; and''.

SEC. 12. TARIFF REJECTION AUTHORITY.

Section 203(e) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 203(d))
is amended by inserting the following after the first sentence: ''The
Commission may, after inviting comment from interested parties, reject
a proposed tariff filing in whole or in part if the filing or any part
thereof is patently unlawful. In evaluating whether a proposed tariff
filing is patently unlawful, the Commission may consider additional
information filed by the carrier or any interested party and shall
presume the facts alleged by the carrier to be true.''.

SEC. 13. REFUND AUTHORITY.

Section 205 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 205) is
amended by adding at the end thereof the following:
''(c) The Commission may require by order the refund of a portion
of any charge by a carrier that results from violation of this Act, or
of any rule promulgated under this Act. The refund shall be paid, with
interest, to the person by or on whose behalf the charge was paid. The
Commission may not require payment of a refund under this subsection
unless--
''(1) it issues an order advising the carrier of its
potential refund liability and provides the carrier with an
opportunity to file written comments as to why the refund
should not be required, and
''(2) it issues the order not later than 5 years after the
date on which the charge was paid.''.

SEC. 14. LICENSING OF AVIATION, MARITIME, AND PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES
BY RULE.

Section 307(e) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 307(e))
is amended--
(1) by striking ''radio control service and the citizens
band radio service'' in paragraph (1) and inserting:
''following radio services: (A) personal radio services, (B)
aviation radio service for aircraft stations operated on
domestic flights when such aircraft are not otherwise required
to carry a radio station, and (C) maritime radio service for
ship stations navigated on domestic voyages when such ships are
not otherwise required to carry a radio station'', and
(2) by striking out ''the terms 'radio control service' and
'citizens band radio service' shall'' in paragraph (3) and
inserting: ''the terms 'personal radio services', 'aircraft
station', and 'ship station' shall''.

SEC. 15. AUCTION TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.

Section 309(j)(8) of the of the Communications Act of 1934 (47
U.S.C. 309(j)(8)) is amended--
(1) by inserting ''are authorized to remain available until
expended and'' after ''Such offsetting collections'' in the
second sentence of subparagraph (B), and
(2) by adding at the end thereof the following:
''(C) Revenues on deposit.--The Commission is
authorized, based on the competitive bidding
methodology selected, to provide for the deposit of
monies for bids in an interest-bearing account until
such time as the Commission accepts a deposit from the
high bidder. All interest earned on bid monies received
from the winning bidder shall be deposited into the
general fund of the Treasury. All interest earned on
bid monies deposited from unsuccessful bidders shall be
paid to those bidders, less any applicable fees and
penalties.''.

SEC. 16. FORFEITURE FOR ACT OR RULE VIOLATIONS IMPERILING SAFETY OF
LIFE.

(a) Administrative Sanctions.--Section 312(a) of the Communications
Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 312(a)) is amended--
(1) by striking ''or'' at the end of paragraph (6),
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (7) and
inserting a semicolon and the word ''or'', and
(3) by adding at the end thereof the following:
''(8) for failure to comply with any requirement of this
Act or the Commission's rules that imperils the safety of
life.''.
(b) Forfeitures.--Section 503(b)(1) of such Act (47 U.S.C.
503(b)(1)) is amended--
(1) by striking out ''or'' at the end of subparagraph (C);
(2) by inserting ''or'' after the semicolon at the end of
subparagraph (D), and
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following:
''(E) failed to comply with any requirement of this
Act or the Commission's rules that imperils the safety
of life;''.

SEC. 17. STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR FORFEITURE PROCEEDINGS AGAINST
COMMON CARRIERS.

Section 503(b)(6) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C.
503(b)(6)) is amended--
(1) by striking ''or'' at the end of subparagraph (A),
(2) by inserting ''and is not a common carrier'' after
''Act'' in subparagraph (B),
(3) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as (C), and
(4) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
''(B) such person is a common carrier and the
required notice of apparent liability is issued more
than 5 years after the date on which the violation
occurred; or''.
A:
Federal Communications Commission Authorization Act of 1994 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 (the Act) to authorize appropriations for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for FY 1994 and 1995. Derives a portion of such appropriations from application and regulatory fees.
Repeals provisions regarding reimbursement of FCC travel expenses.
Amends the Federal Communications Commission Authorization Act of 1988 to extend the FCC's: (1) authorization to make grants or enter into agreements to utilize the talents of older Americans in FCC programs through FY 1996; and (2) authorization for the relocation of the Hawaii monitoring station through FY 1997.
Waives annual equipment inspections for vessels in compliance with the radio provisions of the Safety Convention that are operating solely in waters beyond U.S. jurisdiction, provided that an inspection is performed within 30 days after return to the United States.
Revises application fee provisions to require the FCC, beginning in FY 1995, to modify such fees by proportionate increases or decreases so as to result in estimated total collections for the fiscal year equal to the sum of $40 million plus the amount specified in an appropriation Act to be collected, not to exceed necessary FCC expenses.
Sets forth a schedule of application fees for personal communications services.
Permits the FCC to reject a proposed tariff filing if the filing or any part is patently unlawful.
Authorizes the FCC, subject to certain conditions, to require the refund of a portion of any charge by a carrier that results from violation of this Act.
Permits the operation of the following radio services without individual licenses: (1) personal radio services; (2) specified aviation radio service on domestic flights; and (3) maritime radio service for ship stations navigated on domestic voyages when such ships are not otherwise required to carry a radio station.
Adds a failure to comply with the Act's requirements or FCC rules that imperils the safety of life to the list of offenses for which the FCC may revoke a station license or construction permit. Imposes a forfeiture penalty for such violation.
Bars forfeiture proceedings against common carriers to whom the notice of liability is issued five years after the date of the violation.