Public Safety and Economic Security Communications Act of 2014 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require an intermediate provider that offers the capability to transmit certain voice communications and signaling information from one destination to another, and that charges a rate to any other entity (including an affiliated entity) for the transmission, to: (1) register with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and (2) comply with service quality standards to be established by the FCC.
Defines "intermediate provider" as any entity that: (1) carries or processes traffic that is generated from the placement of a call from a connection using a North American Numbering Plan resource or a call placed to a connection using such a numbering resource, and (2) does not itself originate or terminate such traffic in the context of the carriage or processing.
Prohibits certain long-distance voice service providers (including local exchange carriers, interexchange carriers, commercial mobile radio services, interconnected voice over Internet Protocol [VoIP] services, and certain non-interconnected VoIP services) from using an intermediate provider to transmit voice communications and signals unless the intermediate provider is so registered.
Directs the FCC, in promulgating rules for such standards, to: (1) ensure the integrity of the transmission of voice communications to all customers in the United States, (2) prevent unjust or unreasonable discrimination among areas of the United States in the delivery of such voice communications, and (3) make a registry of intermediate providers publicly available on the FCC website.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2125 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2125
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to ensure the integrity of
voice communications and to prevent unjust or unreasonable
discrimination among areas of the United States in the delivery of such
communications.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 13, 2014
Mr. Johnson of South Dakota introduced the following bill; which was
read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to ensure the integrity of
voice communications and to prevent unjust or unreasonable
discrimination among areas of the United States in the delivery of such
communications.
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 ``Public Safety and Economic Security
Communications Act of 2014''.
SEC. 2. ENSURING THE INTEGRITY OF VOICE COMMUNICATIONS.
Part II of title II of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C.
251 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 262. ENSURING THE INTEGRITY OF VOICE COMMUNICATIONS.
``(a) Registration and Compliance by Intermediate Providers.--An
intermediate provider that offers or holds itself out as offering the
capability to transmit covered voice communications from one
destination to another and that charges any rate to any other entity
(including an affiliated entity) for the transmission shall--
``(1) register with the Commission; and
``(2) comply with the service quality standards for such
transmission to be established by the Commission under
subsection (c)(1)(B).
``(b) Required Use of Registered Intermediate Providers.--A covered
provider may not use an intermediate provider to transmit covered voice
communications unless such intermediate provider is registered under
subsection (a)(1).
``(c) Commission Rules.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of the enactment of this section, the Commission shall
promulgate rules to establish--
``(A) a registry to record registrations under
subsection (a)(1); and
``(B) service quality standards for the
transmission of covered voice communications by
intermediate providers.
``(2) Requirements.--In promulgating the rules required by
paragraph (1), the Commission shall--
``(A) ensure the integrity of the transmission of
covered voice communications to all customers in the
United States; and
``(B) prevent unjust or unreasonable discrimination
among areas of the United States in the delivery of
covered voice communications.
``(d) Public Availability of Registry.--The Commission shall make
the registry established under subsection (c)(1)(A) publicly available
on the website of the Commission.
``(e) Scope of Application.--The requirements of this section shall
apply regardless of the format by which any communication or service is
provided, the protocol or format by which the transmission of such
communication or service is achieved, or the regulatory classification
of such communication or service.
``(f) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to affect the regulatory classification of any communication
or service.
``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Covered provider.--The term `covered provider' has
the meaning given the term in section 64.2101 of title 47, Code
of Federal Regulations, or any successor thereto.
``(2) Covered voice communication.--The term `covered voice
communication' means a voice communication (including any
related signaling information) that is generated--
``(A) from the placement of a call from a
connection using a North American Numbering Plan
resource or a call placed to a connection using such a
numbering resource; and
``(B) through any service provided by a covered
provider.
``(3) Intermediate provider.--The term `intermediate
provider' means any entity that--
``(A) carries or processes traffic that is
generated from the placement of a call from a
connection using a North American Numbering Plan
resource or a call placed to a connection using such a
numbering resource; and
``(B) does not itself originate or terminate such
traffic in the context of the carriage or
processing.''.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1655-1656)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
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