Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Helping Innovation and Reviving Entrepreneurship Act of 2014” or the “HIRE Act”.
Helping Innovation and Reviving Entrepreneurship Act of 2014
A BILL
To assign the Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis of the Federal Communications Commission the responsibility of bringing institutional focus to the important function of approving new technologies and improving regulatory certainty at the Commission.
Sec. 2 New technologies and services
In general— Section 7 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 157) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(c) Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis
“(1) Definition—In this subsection, the term Office means the Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis of the Commission.
“(2) Duties relating to new technologies and services—The Office shall—
“(A) take steps to ensure that the Commission complies with each deadline under subsection (b);
“(B) review each regulation proposed by the Commission and analyze the impact of the regulation on innovation, economic growth, and job creation; and
“(C) perform any other duty assigned by the Commission.
“(3) Staffing
“(A) Consultation with staff—The Office shall consult with staff from the following offices and bureaus of the Commission as necessary to carry out the duties of the Office under paragraph (2):
“(i) The Office of Engineering and Technology.
“(ii) The Office of Communications Business Opportunities.
“(iii) Any other office or bureau the Office determines appropriate.
“(B) No increase in number of full-time employees—Nothing in subparagraph (A) shall be construed to authorize the Commission to increase the total full-time equivalent number of employees of the Commission to provide consultation to the Office.
“(d) Report on deadlines—If the Commission fails to comply with a deadline under subsection (b) with respect to a petition, application, or proceeding, not later than 7 days after the deadline and every 14 days thereafter until the Commission complies with the deadline, the Commission shall publish and submit to the chairperson and ranking member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the chairperson and ranking member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a letter that—
“(1) identifies the petition, application, or proceeding;
“(2) specifies the deadline; and
“(3) describes the reason for the delay.”
Effective date; applicability; no additional appropriations—
Effective date— The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
Applicability—
In general— The requirements under subsections (c) and (d) of section 7 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 157), as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to any petition or application that is filed, any proceeding that is initiated, and any regulation that is proposed, on or after the effective date described in paragraph (1) of this subsection.
Pending petitions, applications, and proceedings— The requirements under subsections (c) and (d) of section 7 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 157), as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to any petition, application, or proceeding that is pending on the effective date described in paragraph (1) of this subsection as if the petition or application had been filed, or the proceeding had been initiated, on that date.
No additional appropriations authorized— Nothing in this section or the amendment made by this section shall be construed to increase the amount of appropriations that are authorized to be appropriated to the Federal Communications Commission for any fiscal year.