TOWER Infrastructure Deployment Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 3255 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to establish a Telecommunications Workforce Development Advisory Council within the Federal Communica- tions Commission, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUNE 13, 2019 Mr. WALBERG (for himself and Ms. CLARKE of New York) introduced the fol- lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Com- merce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com- mittee concerned A BILL To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to establish a Telecommunications Workforce Development Advisory Council within the Federal Communications Commission, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Telecommunications 4 Opportunities for Workers Engaging in Real Infrastruc- 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:38 Jun 24, 2019 Jkt 034408 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3255.IH H3255 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 3255 IH ture Deployment Act of 2019’’ or the ‘‘TOWER Infra- 1 structure Deployment Act’’. 2 SEC. 2. TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKFORCE DEVELOP- 3 MENT ADVISORY COUNCIL. 4 Part I of title III of the Communications Act of 1934 5 (47 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 6 the following: 7 ‘‘SEC. 344. TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKFORCE DEVELOP- 8 MENT ADVISORY COUNCIL. 9 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within 10 the Commission a Telecommunications Workforce Devel- 11 opment Advisory Council (referred to in this section as 12 the ‘Advisory Council’). 13 ‘‘(b) DUTIES.—The Advisory Council shall advise the 14 Commission on, and develop recommendations with re- 15 spect to— 16 ‘‘(1) the needs of the workforce in the commu- 17 nications industry to promote the deployment of 18 communications facility installations; 19 ‘‘(2) ways to encourage participation in indus- 20 try-led workforce development programs; and 21 ‘‘(3) ways to improve workforce development in 22 the communications industry. 23 ‘‘(c) MEMBERS.— 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:38 Jun 24, 2019 Jkt 034408 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3255.IH H3255 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 3255 IH ‘‘(1) COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL.—The Advisory 1 Council shall be composed of members appointed 2 under paragraph (2) that shall include at least one 3 member representing, respectively— 4 ‘‘(A) the Telecommunications Industry 5 Registered Apprenticeship Program; 6 ‘‘(B) the National Telecommunications and 7 Information Administration; 8 ‘‘(C) a State agency; 9 ‘‘(D) a local agency; 10 ‘‘(E) a Tribal agency; 11 ‘‘(F) the communications industry; and 12 ‘‘(G) a minority institution (as defined in 13 section 365 of the Higher Education Act of 14 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067k)). 15 ‘‘(2) INITIAL APPOINTMENTS.—Not later than 16 90 days after the date of the enactment of these sec- 17 tions, the Chairman of the Commission shall appoint 18 members to serve on the Advisory Council. 19 ‘‘(3) TERM.—Each member appointed under 20 paragraph (2) shall serve on the Advisory Council 21 until the termination of the Council. 22 ‘‘(4) CHAIR.—The Chairman of the Commission 23 shall designate a member of the Advisory Council as 24 Chair. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:38 Jun 24, 2019 Jkt 034408 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3255.IH H3255 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 3255 IH ‘‘(5) VACANCY.—A vacancy in the Advisory 1 Council shall be filled in the manner in which the 2 original appointment was made. 3 ‘‘(6) COMPENSATION.—The members of the Ad- 4 visory Council shall serve without compensation. 5 ‘‘(d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 6 of the enactment of this section, the Advisory Council shall 7 submit a report on the recommendations under subsection 8 (b) to— 9 ‘‘(1) the Committee on Energy and Commerce 10 of the House of Representatives; 11 ‘‘(2) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 12 Transportation of the Senate; 13 ‘‘(3) the Committee on Education and Labor of 14 the House of Representatives; and 15 ‘‘(4) the Committee on Health, Education, 16 Labor, and Pensions of the Senate. 17 ‘‘(e) TERMINATION OF ADVISORY COUNCIL.—Not- 18 withstanding section 14 of the Federal Advisory Com- 19 mittee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), the Advisory Council shall ter- 20 minate on March 1, 2024. 21 ‘‘(f) DEFINITION OF COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY IN- 22 STALLATION.—In this section, the term ‘communications 23 facility installation’ has the meaning given that term in 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:38 Jun 24, 2019 Jkt 034408 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3255.IH H3255 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 3255 IH section 6409(d) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job 1 Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455(d)).’’. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:38 Jun 24, 2019 Jkt 034408 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H3255.IH H3255 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS