Radio Consumer Protection Act of 2017

Radio Consumer Protection Act of 2017

This bill establishes the Radio Consumer Protection Fund through FY2022 to make payments to a broadcast radio station for costs that the station incurred resulting from the reorganization of the broadcast television spectrum.

The Federal Communications Commission shall expedite applications from broadcast radio station licensees seeking to obtain special temporary authority to continue broadcasting during the reorganization.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3685 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3685

  To establish an additional fund in the Treasury to reimburse costs 
       incurred by terrestrial radio stations as a result of the 
    reorganization of broadcast television spectrum, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 6, 2017

  Mr. Flores (for himself and Mr. Gene Green of Texas) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish an additional fund in the Treasury to reimburse costs 
       incurred by terrestrial radio stations as a result of the 
    reorganization of broadcast television spectrum, and for other 
                               purposes.

    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 ``Radio Consumer Protection Act of 
2017''.

SEC. 2. RADIO CONSUMER PROTECTION FUND.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of the 
United States a fund to be known as the ``Radio Consumer Protection 
Fund''.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Radio Consumer Protection Fund such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out the purposes of the Radio Consumer Protection 
Fund.
    (c) Purposes; Availability of Funds.--Amounts in the Radio Consumer 
Protection Fund shall be available to the Commission to make any 
payments to a broadcast radio station for costs that the station 
incurred resulting from the reorganization of broadcast television 
spectrum authorized under section 6403(b) of the Middle Class Tax 
Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1452(b)).
    (d) Limitation.--Amounts made available to the Commission under 
subsection (c) shall be available until the end of fiscal year 2022.
    (e) Unused Funds Returned to the General Fund of the Treasury.--If 
any amounts remain in the Radio Consumer Protection Fund after the end 
of fiscal year 2022, the Secretary shall transfer such amounts to the 
general fund of the Treasury.

SEC. 3. EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATIONS.

    The Commission shall expedite consideration and approval of 
applications from licensees of broadcast radio stations seeking to 
obtain special temporary authority to continue broadcasting during the 
reorganization of broadcast television spectrum authorized under 
section 6403(b) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 
2012 (47 U.S.C. 1452(b)).

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Broadcast radio station.--The term ``broadcast radio 
        station'' means any entity that is licensed by the Commission 
        as an AM, FM, noncommercial educational FM, or FM Translator 
        radio broadcast station under the Communications Act of 1934 
        (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.).
            (2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
        Communications Commission.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Treasury.
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