HR 4065 IH

105th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 4065

To suspend collections for the connection of schools and libraries to the Internet, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 16, 1998

Mr. SCARBOROUGH (for himself, Mr. SALMON, Mr. PAXON, Mr. SOUDER, Mr. ENSIGN, Mrs. CHENOWETH, Mr. HAYWORTH, Mr. CHRISTENSEN, and Mr. NEUMANN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce

A BILL

To suspend collections for the connection of schools and libraries to the Internet, 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 `E-Rate Tax Moratorium Act of 1998'.

SEC. 2. SUSPENSION OF COLLECTIONS.

Except as otherwise hereafter expressly authorized by Act of Congress--

(1) the Federal Communications Commission shall, effective on the day after the date of enactment of this Act, suspend the requirements for telecommunications carriers to contribute to support mechanisms to provide services to schools, libraries, and health care providers under section 254(h) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254(h));

(2) no telecommunications carrier shall, in any bill for telephone service transmitted after 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, include any charges for contributions to such support mechanisms; and

(3) no telecommunications carrier shall be required to provide discounted rates for telecommunications services pursuant to such section 254(h) except to the extent such carrier is reimbursed from collections permitted to be distributed under section 3 of this Act.

SEC. 3. DISTRIBUTION OF PREVIOUSLY COLLECTED CONTRIBUTIONS.

Notwithstanding section 2 of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission, or an administering entity designated by the Commission, may distribute amounts collected before the date of enactment of this Act (or collected in accordance with section 2(2)), to provide services to schools, libraries, and health care providers under section 254(h) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254(h)) in accordance with the regulations of the Commission under such section as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act.

END