HR 3919 · 110th Congress 2007–2009, ended

Broadband Census of America Act of 2007

Latest action · Nov 14, 2007 Received in the Senate and 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.

  1. IntroducedOct 22, 2007
  2. Passed HouseNov 13, 2007
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Broadband Census of America Act of 2007 - (Sec. 2) Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to conduct an annual assessment and report to the public on the nature and deployment of, and subscription to, broadband service capability throughout the states, including information comparing the extent of broadband service capability in other countries. Provides for enforcement as if the provisions of this paragraph were a part of the Communications Act of 1934. Considers a violation of the provisions of this paragraph to be a violation of that Act or a regulation promulgated under that Act. Makes the provisions of this paragraph ineffective six years after enactment of this Act.

(Sec. 3) Directs the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the Department of Commerce to develop and maintain a broadband inventory map of the United States that identifies and depicts the geographic extent to which broadband service capability is deployed and available from commercial or public providers throughout each state. Requires the NTIA to seek to overlay demographic data obtained from other sources in the Department of Commerce and elsewhere for use with the map and to make the map accessible by the public on an interactive and searchable NTIA website. Requires that the NTIA request and obtain information as necessary from entities that are eligible for map grants under this Act, the FCC and commercial and public broadband service providers. Makes the provisions of this paragraph ineffective seven years after enactment of this Act.

(Sec. 4) Authorizes the NTIA, subject to fund availability, to make grants to states or nonprofit organizations to assist in providing the NTIA with information to facilitate the development of that map.

(Sec. 5) Requires the NTIA to make grants to local technology planning entities, including to assess the current use of broadband service capability, set goals for improving or maximizing such use, identify local broadband demand and aggregate such demand, and establish programs to improve computer ownership and Internet access for unserved and underserved populations. Prohibits using grant funds to provide broadband service or acquire equipment or facilities for such capability.

(Sec. 6) Requires the FCC to conduct and make public periodic consumer surveys regarding the types of technology used, the amounts consumers pay, the actual data transmission speeds, the types of applications and services consumers most frequently use in conjunction with such capability, the reasons given by consumers who decline to subscribe to broadband service, and other sources of broadband service consumers regularly use or on which they rely. Makes the provisions of this paragraph ineffective six years after enactment of this Act.

(Sec. 8) Prohibits construing this Act to expand or limit the authority of states, Indian tribes, or units of local government to compel the collection of information.

(Sec. 9) Authorizes appropriations to carry out provisions of this Act relating to the broadband inventory map, grants for that map, and grants to technology planning entities.

Cosponsors 15

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Oct 22, 2007 to Nov 1, 2007; 12 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
D-CAAnna G. EshooOriginalOct 22, 2007
D-INBaron P. HillOriginalOct 22, 2007
D-TNBart GordonOriginalOct 22, 2007
D-TXCharles A. GonzalezOriginalOct 22, 2007
D-TXGene GreenOriginalOct 22, 2007
R-NMHeather WilsonOriginalOct 22, 2007
D-CAHilda L. SolisOriginalOct 22, 2007
D-MIJohn D. DingellOriginalOct 22, 2007
D-CALois CappsOriginalOct 22, 2007
D-PAMichael F. DoyleOriginalOct 22, 2007
D-METhomas H. AllenOriginalOct 22, 2007
D-OHZachary T. SpaceOriginalOct 22, 2007
D-MIBart StupakNov 1, 2007
R-MIFred UptonNov 1, 2007
R-TXJoe BartonNov 1, 2007

Committees 2

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
HouseEnergy and Commerce Committee
Referred Oct 22, 2007Markup Oct 30, 2007Reported Nov 13, 2007
Communications and Technology Subcommittee
Referred Oct 23, 2007
SenateCommerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
Referred Nov 15, 2007

Actions 14

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Nov 14, 2007Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  2. Nov 13, 2007Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 110-443.
  3. Nov 13, 2007Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 274.
  4. Nov 13, 2007Mr. Markey moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  5. Nov 13, 2007Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H13557-13561)
  6. Nov 13, 2007DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3919.
  7. Nov 13, 2007Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H13557-13559)
  8. Nov 13, 2007Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  9. Oct 30, 2007Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  10. Oct 30, 2007Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  11. Oct 23, 2007Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.
  12. Oct 22, 2007Introduced in House
  13. Oct 22, 2007Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E2196-2197)
  14. Oct 22, 2007Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

In the Congressional Record 3

Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.

WhereIn the RecordMembersDate
ExtensionsDebate and remarks E2426Gene Green D-TXNov 15, 2007
HouseDebate and remarks H13557–H13561Text printed H13557–H13559Edward J. Markey D-MA, Fred Upton R-MI, John D. Dingell D-MI, Zachary T. Space D-OHNov 13, 2007
ExtensionsDebate and remarks E2196Edward J. Markey D-MAOct 22, 2007

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.

Committee report

Congressional Budget Office cost estimates 2

  1. Nov 9, 2007H.R. 3919, Broadband Census of America Act of 2007<p>Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on October 30, 2007</p>
  2. Nov 9, 2007H.R. 3919, Broadband Census of America Act of 2007Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on October 30, 2007

Printed hearings 1

Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.

NumberHearingCommitteeHeld
S. Hrg. 110-1225WHY BROADBAND MATTERS80 pagesCommerce, Science, and Transportation CommitteeSep 16, 2008

Titles 4

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced
To provide for a comprehensive nationwide inventory of existing broadband service, and for other purposes.
Short Titles as Introduced
Broadband Census of America Act of 2007
Short Titles as Reported to House
Broadband Census of America Act of 2007
Short Titles as Passed House
Broadband Census of America Act of 2007

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications.

Text 4

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Nov 14, 2007Referred in Senate
  2. Nov 13, 2007Reported in House
  3. Nov 13, 2007Engrossed in House
  4. Oct 22, 2007Introduced in House

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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.