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S 564 108th Congress Senate

Emergency Communications and Competition Act of 2003

Official title: A bill to facilitate the deployment of wireless telecommunications networks in order to further the availability of the Emergency Alert System, and for other purposes.

Introduced: March 6, 2003 See on congress.gov
Science, Technology, Communications Cable televisionCitizen participationDirect broadcast satellitesDistance education
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This bill died when the 108th Congress ended
It never became law before the 108th Congress (2003–2004) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 22, 2003
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Communications. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 108-969.
Mar 6, 2003
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3322-3323)
Mar 6, 2003
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3321-3322)
Mar 6, 2003
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action May 22, 2003

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Communications. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 108-969.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Emergency Communications and Competition Act of 2003 - Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to assign licenses in the 12.2 -12.7 gigahertz band for the provision of fixed terrestrial communications services. Prohibits: (1) granting such a license if operations would interfere with direct broadcast satellite service; or (2) such licenses from being used for the provision of personal communications or terrestrial telephony service. Requires licensees to begin providing services within five years after the license is granted.

Requires each licensee to: (1) disseminate Federal, State, and local Emergency Alert System warnings to all subscribers; (2) provide immediate access of its services for national security and emergency preparedness personnel; and (3) adhere to all FCC-established access requirements, including the carriage of local television station signals, access for political candidates, and public interest programming and services.

Directs the FCC to: (1) establish boundaries for license recipients that conform to existing television markets; and (2) redesignate the Multichannel Video Distribution and Data Service as the Terrestrial Direct Broadcast Service.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 2
All 2 Democratic 1 Republican 1
D
Cantwell, Maria
Washington · Jun 12, 2003
 R
Cornyn, John
Texas · May 5, 2003
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 564: Emergency Communications and Competition Act of 2003. 108th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-564/
MLA
"S. 564: Emergency Communications and Competition Act of 2003." 108th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-564/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 564, 108th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-564/.
Markdown link
[S. 564: Emergency Communications and Competition Act of 2003](https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-564/)
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