H.R. 3998 — Introduced in House

I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3998 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 16, 2015 Mr. Pallone introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 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 commence proceedings related to the resiliency of critical telecommunications networks 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. Proceedings related to cellular network resiliency (a) Roaming agreements Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall commence a proceeding on the provision of roaming agreements between mobile service providers which shall allow for mobile service at reasonable rates during times of emergency during which there is a mobile service outage lasting longer than 24 hours. (b) Emergency communications Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall commence a proceeding on the provision of roaming agreements between mobile service providers at no charge for all communications during times of emergency to or from 911 services. (c) Directory (1) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall create a master point of contact directory to provide for effective communication between public safety answering points and telecommunications service providers. (2) Confidentiality The directory established under this subsection shall be available to telecommunications service providers and public safety answering points on a confidential basis. (3) Exemption from Paperwork Reduction Act requirements In establishing this directory, the Commission shall be exempted from chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (commonly known as the Paperwork Reduction Act). (d) Study on network resiliency Not later than 18 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— (1) mobile service providers supplying outage data to public safety answering points in times of emergency on a confidential basis; and (2) (A) making telecommunications service provider-owned WiFi access points, and other communications technologies operating on unlicensed spectrum, available to the general public for access to 911 services, without requiring any login credentials, during times of emergency when mobile service is unavailable; and (B) whether non-telecommunications service provider-owned WiFi access points can provide public access to 911 services during times of emergency. 3. GAO study and report (a) Study The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study on— (1) the resiliency of telecommunications networks power utility during times of emergency; (2) how Federal agencies can better ensure critical telecommunications networks remain operational during times of emergency; (3) the feasibility of mobile service infrastructure receiving backup electrical power from the infrastructure or buildings to which such mobile service infrastructure are affixed during times of emergency; (4) the feasibility and advisability of adding points of contact for local utilities to the directory described in section 2(c); and (5) any legislative matters Congress should consider to help promote network resiliency. (b) Report Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall transmit a report to Congress containing the findings and recommendations of the study required by subsection (a). 4. Priority access to essential service providers during federally declared emergencies Section 427 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5189e) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)(1)(A), by striking telecommunications service and inserting communications service, including wireline and mobile telephone service, Internet access service, radio and television broadcasting, cable service, and direct broadcast satellite service; (2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (e); and (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following: (c) Priority access and escorts Unless exceptional circumstances apply, in an emergency or major disaster, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to the greatest extent practicable, shall take actions to ensure that an essential service provider has— (1) priority access to relevant locations and resources; and (2) escorts to relevant locations. (d) Credentials Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall establish a program to provide credentials to essential service providers to facilitate access to relevant locations and resources for such providers. . 5. Definitions As used in this Act and for purposes of the rules required by 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 mobile service infrastructure means a site or similar facility used to transmit or receive mobile service signals; (4) the term WiFi access point means wireless Internet access using the standard designated as 802.11 or any variant thereof; and (5) 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.