TOWER Infrastructure Deployment Act of 2019

II 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 2363 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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JULY 31, 2019 Mr. GARDNER (for himself and Ms. SINEMA) 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 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 ture Deployment Act of 2019’’ or the ‘‘TOWER Infra- 6 structure Deployment Act of 2019’’. 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:31 Aug 08, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2363.IS S2363 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •S 2363 IS SEC. 2. TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKFORCE DEVELOP- 1 MENT ADVISORY COUNCIL. 2 Part I of title III of the Communications Act of 1934 3 (47 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 4 the following: 5 ‘‘SEC. 344. TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKFORCE DEVELOP- 6 MENT ADVISORY COUNCIL. 7 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 8 ‘‘(1) the term ‘Advisory Council’ means the 9 Telecommunications Workforce Development Advi- 10 sory Council established under subsection (b); 11 ‘‘(2) the term ‘communications facility installa- 12 tion’ has the meaning given the term in section 13 6409(d) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job 14 Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455(d)); and 15 ‘‘(3) the term ‘minority institution’ has the 16 meaning given the term in section 365 of the Higher 17 Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067k). 18 ‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within 19 the Commission a Telecommunications Workforce Devel- 20 opment Advisory Council. 21 ‘‘(c) DUTIES.—The Advisory Council shall advise the 22 Commission on, and develop recommendations with re- 23 spect to— 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:31 Aug 08, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2363.IS S2363 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •S 2363 IS ‘‘(1) the needs of the workforce in the commu- 1 nications industry to promote the deployment of 2 communications facility installations; 3 ‘‘(2) ways to encourage participation in indus- 4 try-led workforce development programs; and 5 ‘‘(3) ways to improve workforce development in 6 the communications industry. 7 ‘‘(d) MEMBERS.— 8 ‘‘(1) COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL.—The Advisory 9 Council shall be composed of members appointed 10 under paragraph (2) and shall include not less than 11 1 member representing each of the following: 12 ‘‘(A) The Telecommunications Industry 13 Registered Apprenticeship Program. 14 ‘‘(B) The National Telecommunications 15 and Information Administration. 16 ‘‘(C) A State agency. 17 ‘‘(D) A local agency. 18 ‘‘(E) A Tribal agency. 19 ‘‘(F) The communications industry. 20 ‘‘(G) A minority institution. 21 ‘‘(2) INITIAL APPOINTMENTS.—Not later than 22 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, 23 the Chairman of the Commission shall appoint mem- 24 bers to serve on the Advisory Council. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:31 Aug 08, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2363.IS S2363 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 4 •S 2363 IS ‘‘(3) TERM.—Each member appointed under 1 paragraph (2) shall serve on the Advisory Council 2 until the date on which the Advisory Council termi- 3 nates under subsection (f). 4 ‘‘(4) CHAIR.—The Chairman of the Commission 5 shall designate a member of the Advisory Council to 6 serve as Chair of the Advisory Council. 7 ‘‘(5) VACANCY.—A vacancy in the Advisory 8 Council shall be filled in the manner in which the 9 original appointment was made. 10 ‘‘(6) COMPENSATION.—The members of the Ad- 11 visory Council shall serve without compensation. 12 ‘‘(e) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 13 of enactment of this section, the Advisory Council shall 14 submit a report containing the recommendations devel- 15 oped under subsection (c) to— 16 ‘‘(1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 17 Transportation of the Senate; 18 ‘‘(2) the Committee on Health, Education, 19 Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; 20 ‘‘(3) the Committee on Energy and Commerce 21 of the House of Representatives; and 22 ‘‘(4) the Committee on Education and Labor of 23 the House of Representatives. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:31 Aug 08, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2363.IS S2363 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 5 •S 2363 IS ‘‘(f) TERMINATION OF ADVISORY COUNCIL.—Not- 1 withstanding section 14 of the Federal Advisory Com- 2 mittee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), the Advisory Council shall ter- 3 minate on March 1, 2024.’’. 4 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:31 Aug 08, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S2363.IS S2363 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS