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H.R. 3998 — what changed

Securing Access to Networks in Disasters Act

From Introduced in House to Reported in House. 3 sections amended and 1 removed between Introduced in House and Reported in House.

Sec. 2 Study on network resiliency

added Not later than 36 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—

(a)
removed 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)
removed 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)
removed Directory—
(1)
removed 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)
removed Confidentiality— The directory established under this subsection shall be available to telecommunications service providers and public safety answering points on a confidential basis.
(3)
removed 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)
removed 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)
removed mobile service providers supplying outage data to public safety answering points in times of emergency on a confidential basis; and
(2)
removed
(1)
renumbered was (5)(4)(1) 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
(2)
renumbered was (5)(4)(2) whether non-telecommunications service provider-owned WiFi access points can provide public access to 911 services during times of emergency.

Sec. 3 Access to essential service providers during federally declared emergencies

added Section 427(a)(1)(A) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5189e(a)(1)(A)) is amended by striking “telecommunications service” and inserting “wireline or mobile telephone service, Internet access service, radio or television broadcasting, cable service, or direct broadcast satellite service”.

(a)
removed Study— The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study on—
(1)
removed the resiliency of telecommunications networks power utility during times of emergency;
(2)
removed how Federal agencies can better ensure critical telecommunications networks remain operational during times of emergency;
(3)
removed 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)
removed the feasibility and advisability of adding points of contact for local utilities to the directory described in section 2(c); and
(5)
removed any legislative matters Congress should consider to help promote network resiliency.
(b)
removed 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).

Sec. 4 Definitions

changed Section 427 As used in this Act and for purposes of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5189e) is amended—rules required by this Act—

(1)
changed 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”;the term Commission means the Federal Communications Commission;
(2)
changed by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (e); andthe 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)
changed by inserting after subsection (b) the following:term WiFi access point means wireless Internet access using the standard designated as 802.11 or any variant thereof; and
(4)
added 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.

removed “(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—

removed “(1) priority access to relevant locations and resources; and

removed “(2) escorts to relevant locations.

removed “(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.”

Sec. 5 Definitions

removed

removed As used in this Act and for purposes of the rules required by this Act—

(1)
removed the term Commission means the Federal Communications Commission;
(2)
removed 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)
removed the term mobile service infrastructure means a site or similar facility used to transmit or receive mobile service signals;
(4)
removed the term WiFi access point means wireless Internet access using the standard designated as 802.11 or any variant thereof; and
(5)
removed 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.