---
kind: "section"
citation: "47 U.S.C. § 1606"
title: "47"
title_heading: "Telecommunications"
number: "1606"
heading: "Enforcement"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/47/1606"
units:
  - "Chapter 15 — Secure and Trusted Communications Networks"
---

# §1606. Enforcement

- (a) **Violations—** A violation of this chapter or a regulation promulgated under this chapter shall be treated as a violation of the Communications Act of 1934 ([47 U.S.C. 151](/usc/47/151.md) et seq.) or a regulation promulgated under such Act, respectively. The [Commission](/usc/47/1608.md?p=3) shall enforce this chapter and the regulations promulgated under this chapter in the same manner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the Communications Act of 1934 were incorporated into and made a part of this chapter.
- (b) **Additional penalties—**
  - (1) **In general—** Except as provided in [paragraph (2)](#b-2), in addition to penalties under the Communications Act of 1934, a [recipient](/usc/47/1608.md?p=11) of a reimbursement under the [Program](/usc/47/1608.md?p=9) found to have violated [section 1603 of this title](/usc/47/1603.md), the regulations promulgated under such section, or the commitments made by the [recipient](/usc/47/1608.md?p=11) in the application for the reimbursement—
    - (A) shall repay to the [Commission](/usc/47/1608.md?p=3) all [reimbursement funds](/usc/47/1608.md?p=12) provided to the [recipient](/usc/47/1608.md?p=11) under the [Program](/usc/47/1608.md?p=9);
    - (B) shall be barred from further participation in the [Program](/usc/47/1608.md?p=9);
    - (C) shall be referred to all appropriate law enforcement agencies or officials for further action under applicable criminal and civil laws; and
    - (D) may be barred by the [Commission](/usc/47/1608.md?p=3) from participation in other [programs](/usc/47/1608.md?p=9) of the [Commission](/usc/47/1608.md?p=3), including the Federal universal service support [programs](/usc/47/1608.md?p=9) established under section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 ([47 U.S.C. 254](/usc/47/254.md)).
  - (2) **Notice and opportunity to cure—** The penalties described in [paragraph (1)](#b-1) shall not apply to a [recipient](/usc/47/1608.md?p=11) of a reimbursement under the [Program](/usc/47/1608.md?p=9) unless—
    - (A) the [Commission](/usc/47/1608.md?p=3) provides the [recipient](/usc/47/1608.md?p=11) with notice of the violation; and
    - (B) the [recipient](/usc/47/1608.md?p=11) fails to cure the violation within 180 days after the [Commission](/usc/47/1608.md?p=3) provides such notice.
- (c) **Recovery of funds—** The [Commission](/usc/47/1608.md?p=3) shall immediately take action to recover all [reimbursement funds](/usc/47/1608.md?p=12) awarded to a [recipient](/usc/47/1608.md?p=11) of a reimbursement under the [Program](/usc/47/1608.md?p=9) in any case in which such [recipient](/usc/47/1608.md?p=11) is required to repay [reimbursement funds](/usc/47/1608.md?p=12) under [subsection (b)(1)(A)](#b-1-A).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 116–124, § 7, Mar. 12, 2020, 134 Stat. 167.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Communications Act of 1934, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b)(1), is act June 19, 1934, ch. 652, 48 Stat. 1064, which is classified principally to chapter 5 (§ 151 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 609 of this title and Tables.