Federal Wi-Net Act

Federal Wi-Net Act - Directs the Administrator of General Services (GSA) to: (1) install Wi-Fi hotspots (areas where the public can access a wireless Internet connection) in all publicly accessible federal buildings constructed after enactment of this Act; (2) allow for the installation of wireless neutral host systems (small cellular communications base stations for improved cellular coverage within a building) by any eligible carriers upon request in all publicly accessible federal buildings; and (3) by December 31, 2015, retrofit all federal buildings constructed prior to enactment of this Act.

Makes specified amounts available from the Federal Buildings Fund to carry out this Act.

[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3439 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3439

 To amend title 40, United States Code, to direct the Administrator of 
 General Services to install Wi-Fi hotspots and wireless neutral host 
   systems in all Federal buildings in order to improve in-building 
  wireless communications coverage and commercial network capacity by 
     offloading wireless traffic onto wireline broadband networks.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 25, 2012

 Ms. Snowe (for herself and Mr. Warner) introduced the following bill; 
 which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and 
                              Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 40, United States Code, to direct the Administrator of 
 General Services to install Wi-Fi hotspots and wireless neutral host 
   systems in all Federal buildings in order to improve in-building 
  wireless communications coverage and commercial network capacity by 
     offloading wireless traffic onto wireline broadband networks.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Wi-Net Act''.

SEC. 2. INSTALLATION OF FEMTOCELLS IN ALL FEDERAL BUILDINGS.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter V of chapter 5 of subtitle I of title 
40, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 594. Installation of femtocells in all Federal buildings
    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' means the 
        Administrator of General Services.
            ``(2) Wi-Fi hotspot.--The term `Wi-Fi hotspot' means a site 
        or area in which the public can access the Internet via a 
        wireless connection.
            ``(3) Wireless neutral host system.--The term `wireless 
        neutral host system' means a small cellular communications base 
        station and related antenna, such as a femtocell, picocell, or 
        similar device or apparatus, that is connected to a broadband 
        service to provide--
                    ``(A) improved cellular coverage within a building; 
                and
                    ``(B) increased network capacity.
    ``(b) Installation of Femtocells.--The Administrator shall--
            ``(1) install Wi-Fi hotspots in all publicly accessible 
        Federal buildings constructed after the date of enactment of 
        this section;
            ``(2) allow for the installation of wireless neutral host 
        systems by any eligible carriers upon request in all publicly 
        accessible Federal buildings; and
            ``(3) in a manner consistent with sound management 
        principles, retrofit all Federal buildings constructed prior to 
        the date of enactment of this section on a timetable that 
        reflects the importance of wireless communication to the 
        Federal functions being performed by the occupants of those 
        buildings, except that all of those buildings shall be 
        retrofitted not later than December 31, 2015.
    ``(c) Funding.--
            ``(1) In general.--There shall be made available from the 
        Federal Buildings Fund established under section 592 
        $15,000,000 to carry out this section.
            ``(2) Derivation; availability.--Amounts made available 
        under paragraph (1) shall--
                    ``(A) be derived from the unobligated balance of 
                amounts made available from the Federal Buildings Fund 
                for fiscal year 2013, and prior fiscal years, for 
                repairs and alterations and other activities (excluding 
                amounts made available for the energy program); and
                    ``(B) remain available until expended.''.
    (b) Table of Sections.--The table of sections for chapter 5 of 
subtitle I of title 40, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end of the items relating to subchapter V the following:

``594. Installation of femtocells in all Federal buildings.''.
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