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S. 1132

Federal Communications Commission Authorization Act of 1991

Federal Communications Commission Authorization Act of 1991 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to authorize appropriations for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for FY 1992 and 1993.

Extends the FCC's: (1) travel reimbursement program through FY 1994; (2) authorization to make grants or to enter into agreements to utilize the talents of older Americans in programs authorized by the FCC through FY 1993; and (3) authorization for the relocation of the Hawaii monitoring station through FY 1994.

Authorizes the FCC to: (1) acquire and utilize technical equipment without compensation to the provider of the equipment, pursuant to negotiated patent license agreements; and (2) accept gifts and bequests, as well as money, property, and voluntary and uncompensated services, to carry out its functions under such Act.

Authorizes, as part of the schedule of charges, a fee schedule for low-Earth orbit satellite systems.

Authorizes the FCC to order refunds of excessive common carrier charges, regardless of whether the excessive charge represents a new charge or a revision of an existing charge. Declares that proprietary information submitted to carriers in intercarrier agreements need not be disclosed, absent a compelling public interest.

Deletes: (1) a requirement for a public hearing before the FCC may make changes in the frequencies, authorized power, or times of operation of a station; and (2) the written signature requirement to permit the FCC to implement electronic filing of applications.

Authorizes the FCC to: (1) waive the licensed operator requirement for broadcast stations; and (2) choose to award common carrier licenses to a consortium of applicants who demonstrate their financial and technical qualifications to participate, if the FCC finds that a consortium would promote the public interest.

Increases the statute of limitations for forfeiture proceedings relating to a current license term from three years to seven years after radio licensee misconduct and from three years to five years after television licensee misconduct.

Requires aggregators, as well as operator services companies, to comply with the provisions of the Operator Services Act.

Exempts from the schedule of charges noncommercial educational broadcast stations that operate on a noncommercial educational basis.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.

Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI](D-HI)Sponsor
1committees2actions22subjects
  1. IntroReferral

    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.

    Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  2. IntroReferral10000

    Introduced in Senate