Skip to main content
S 564 108th Congress Senate Science, Technology, Communications Cable television Citizen participation Direct broadcast satellites Distance education Education Educational television Elementary and secondary education Emergency Management Emergency communication systems Government Operations and Politics Health Internet Law Licenses Political advertising Space activities Telemedicine Television broadcasting

Emergency Communications and Competition Act of 2003

Introduced: March 6, 2003 See on congress.gov
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
 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
 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.

What's happening now May 22, 2003

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

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 2
All 2 Democratic 1 Republican 1