American Broadband for Communities Act
Latest action · Feb 17, 2006 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedFeb 17, 2006
- Passed SenateNot reached
- Passed HouseNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
American Broadband for Communities Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to authorize the use of any unused broadcast television spectrum in the band between 72 and 698 megaHertz, other than between 608 and 614 megaHertz, by unlicensed devices, including wireless broadband devices.
Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to: (1) adopt minimal technical and device rules to develop the use of such spectrum by such unlicensed devices; and (2) establish specified rules and procedures, including to protect incumbent licensed services from harmful interference from such unlicensed devices, and to address complaints from licensed broadcast stations that an unlicensed device using such spectrum causes harmful interference.
Cosponsors
Members who signed on, in the order they did.
Committees 1
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| Senate | Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee | Referred Feb 17, 2006 |
Actions 2
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Feb 17, 2006Introduced in Senate
- Feb 17, 2006Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Printed hearings 1
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| S. Hrg. 109-686 | WIRELESS ISSUES AND SPECTRUM REFORM96 pages | Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee | Mar 14, 2006 |
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR 5085 | American Broadband for Communities Act | Related bill | Apr 19, 2006 |
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- A bill to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to promote and expedite wireless broadband deployment in rural and other areas, and for other purposes.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- American Broadband for Communities Act
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications.
- Administrative procedure
- Broadband
- Federal Communications Commission
- Government Operations and Politics
- Government paperwork
- Independent regulatory commissions
- Law
- Licenses
- Planning
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Television broadcasting
- Television frequency allocation
- Television stations
- Wireless communication
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Feb 17, 2006Introduced in Senate
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.