House Passes Communications and Technology Bills

The House of Representatives passed three communications and technology bills:

H.R. 7132, the “Safe Connections Act of 2022,” was introduced by Reps. Annie Kuster (D-NH) and Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA). The legislation amends the Communications Act by requiring mobile service providers, after receiving a line separation request from a survivor of domestic violence, human trafficking, or other related crimes for a mobile service contract shared with an abuser, to separate the line of the survivor (and the line of any individual in the care of the survivor) from the shared mobile service contract or separate the line of the abuser from the shared mobile service contract when technically feasible.  The bill passed by an en bloc vote of 336-90.

H.R. 7624, the “Spectrum Innovation Act of 2022,” was introduced by Chairman Doyle and 20 original bipartisan cosponsors. The legislation would make available additional frequencies in the 3.1–3.45 gigahertz band for non-federal use, shared federal and non-federal use, or a combination thereof. It also extends spectrum auction authority for the Federal Communications Commission and funds the Secure and Trusted Reimbursement Program and a newly authorized Next Generation 9-1-1 grant program from spectrum auction proceeds.  The bill passed by an en bloc vote of 336-90.

H.R. 4990, the “Institute for Telecommunication Sciences Codification (ITS Codification) Act,” was introduced by Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA). The legislation amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act by providing statutory authority for the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS). It also requires the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information to establish an initiative at ITS to develop emergency communication technologies for use in locating individuals trapped in areas where mobile connectivity may not be available.  The bill passed by voice vote.