[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8255 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8255
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for radiofrequency
licensing authority relating to certain operations, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 14, 2026
Mr. Guthrie (for himself and Mr. Pallone) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for radiofrequency
licensing authority relating to certain operations, 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 ``Satellite And Telecommunications
Streamlining Act'' or the ``SAT Streamlining Act''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORITY REGARDING CERTAIN LICENSES.
(a) Amendment.--Part I of title III of the Communications Act of
1934 (47 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 346. RADIOFREQUENCY LICENSING AUTHORITY RELATING TO CERTAIN
OPERATIONS.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Covered application.--The term `covered application'
means an application for a license or grant of market access to
operate a system described in subsection (c)(1)(B) or (d)(1)(B)
that is pending on the date of enactment of this section.
``(2) Covered authorization.--The term `covered
authorization' means--
``(A) a license or grant of market access granted
by the Commission to operate a system described in
subsection (c)(1)(B) or (d)(1)(B) that is in effect on
the date of enactment of this section; or
``(B) a license or grant of market access granted
by Commission approval of a covered application.
``(3) Covered radiocommunication service.--The term
`covered radiocommunication service'--
``(A) means a radiocommunication service (as
defined in the radio regulations of the International
Telecommunication Union that are in force as of the
date of enactment of this section, or any successor
regulations); and
``(B) does not include any radionavigation or
safety service specifically identified by the
Commission as a safety service for aeronautical or
maritime transportation.
``(4) Individually licensed earth station.--The term
`individually licensed earth station' means an earth station,
other than a blanket-licensed earth station, that sends a
signal to, and receives a signal from--
``(A) a nongeostationary orbit space station
operated under a license granted under subsection
(c)(1) or a grant of market access granted under
subsection (d)(1); or
``(B) a geostationary orbit space station operated
under a license granted under subsection (c)(2) or a
grant of market access granted under subsection (d)(2).
``(b) Rules.--Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment
of this section, the Commission shall issue rules to amend part 25 of
title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, to establish--
``(1) for any license granted under subsection (c),
specific modifications, or classes of modifications, to the
license that warrant expedited treatment under subparagraph (A)
or (B), as applicable, of subsection (g)(2);
``(2) for any license granted under subsection (c), grant
of market access granted under subsection (d), authorization
granted under subsection (e), or covered authorization, the
manner in which the licensee, grantee, or entity shall notify
the Commission of a request to submit a modification under
subsection (g)(3);
``(3) policies that promote the public interest,
convenience, and necessity, including through competition,
innovation, and efficient use of spectrum by entities with
covered authorizations, including by accounting for
advancements in technology capable of managing interference
concerns to the greatest extent practicable; and
``(4) for any application or request for modification
described in subsection (n), what constitutes reportable
foreign ownership for purposes of paragraph (1) of that
subsection.
``(c) Application for License.--
``(1) NGSO determination required.--
``(A) In general.--
``(i) Applications.--Except as provided in
clause (ii), paragraph (5), and subsection (m),
not later than 1 year after the date on which
the Commission issues a public notice of the
acceptance for filing of a written application
submitted to the Commission for a license
described in subparagraph (B) of this
paragraph, the Commission shall determine
whether to grant the application, including any
amendment to the application.
``(ii) Major amendments.--Except as
provided in paragraph (5) and subsection (m),
if a major amendment (within the meaning of
section 25.116 of title 47, Code of Federal
Regulations, or any successor regulation) to an
application described in clause (i) is
submitted to the Commission, the Commission
shall determine whether to grant the
application, including the major amendment and
any other amendment to the application, not
later than 1 year after the date on which the
Commission issues a public notice of the
acceptance for filing of the major amendment.
``(B) Types of applications.--An application
described in this subparagraph is an application for a
license for covered radiocommunication services using--
``(i) a nongeostationary orbit space
station;
``(ii) a blanket-licensed earth station or
earth stations that will operate with a
nongeostationary orbit space station; or
``(iii) a nongeostationary orbit space
station and a blanket-licensed earth station or
earth stations that will operate with the
nongeostationary orbit space station.
``(2) GSO determination required.--
``(A) In general.--
``(i) Applications.--Except as provided in
clause (ii), paragraph (5), and subsection (m),
not later than 1 year after the date on which
the Commission issues a public notice of the
acceptance for filing of a written application
submitted to the Commission for a license
described in subparagraph (B) of this
paragraph, the Commission shall determine
whether to grant the application, including any
amendment to the application.
``(ii) Major amendments.--Except as
provided in paragraph (5) and subsection (m),
if a major amendment (within the meaning of
section 25.116 of title 47, Code of Federal
Regulations, or any successor regulation) to an
application described in clause (i) is
submitted to the Commission, the Commission
shall determine whether to grant the
application, including the major amendment and
any other amendment to the application, not
later than 1 year after the date on which the
Commission issues a public notice of the
acceptance for filing of the major amendment.
``(B) Types of applications.--An application
described in this subparagraph is an application for a
license for covered radiocommunication services using--
``(i) a geostationary orbit space station;
``(ii) a blanket-licensed earth station or
earth stations that will operate with a
geostationary orbit space station; or
``(iii) a geostationary orbit space station
and a blanket-licensed earth station or earth
stations that will operate with the
geostationary orbit space station.
``(3) Contents of application.--In addition to the
application requirements described in section 308(b), an
application submitted under paragraph (1) or (2) shall include
performance metrics with respect to the frequencies and
transmission power to be used.
``(4) Term of initial license.--The Commission shall grant
a license for a term not to exceed 15 years for any application
granted under this subsection.
``(5) Exceptions.--The deadline for the determination
required in paragraphs (1) and (2) may be extended by the
Commission for an application subject to review under
subsection (m).
``(d) Application for Grant of Market Access.--
``(1) NGSO determination required.--
``(A) In general.--
``(i) Applications.--Except as provided in
clause (ii) and subsection (m), after the date
on which the Commission issues a public notice
of the acceptance for filing of a written
application submitted to the Commission for
market access described in subparagraph (B) of
this paragraph, the Commission shall determine
whether to grant the application, including any
amendment to the application.
``(ii) Major amendments.--If a major
amendment (within the meaning of section 25.116
of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or
any successor regulation) to an application
described in clause (i) is submitted to the
Commission, the Commission shall determine
whether to grant the application, including the
major amendment and any other amendment to the
application, not later than 1 year after the
date on which the Commission issues a public
notice of the acceptance for filing of the
major amendment.
``(B) Types of applications.--An application
described in this subparagraph is an application for
market access within the United States for covered
radiocommunication services using--
``(i) a nongeostationary orbit space
station;
``(ii) a blanket-licensed earth station or
earth stations that will operate with a
nongeostationary orbit space station; or
``(iii) a nongeostationary orbit space
station and a blanket-licensed earth station or
earth stations that will operate with the
nongeostationary orbit space station.
``(2) GSO determination required.--
``(A) In general.--
``(i) Applications.--Except as provided in
clause (ii) and subsection (m), after the date
on which the Commission issues a public notice
of the acceptance for filing of a written
application submitted to the Commission for
market access described in subparagraph (B),
the Commission shall determine whether to grant
the application, including any amendment to the
application.
``(ii) Major amendments.--If a major
amendment (within the meaning of section 25.116
of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or
any successor regulation) to an application
described in clause (i) is submitted to the
Commission, the Commission shall determine
whether to grant the application, including the
major amendment and any other amendment to the
application, not later than 1 year after the
date on which the Commission issues a public
notice of the acceptance for filing of the
major amendment.
``(B) Type of application.--An application
described in this subparagraph is an application for
market access within the United States for covered
radiocommunication services using a geostationary orbit
space station.
``(3) Contents of application.--In addition to the
application requirements described in section 308(b), an
application submitted under paragraph (1) or (2) shall include
performance metrics with respect to the frequencies and
transmission power to be used.
``(4) Term of initial grant of market access.--The
Commission shall grant market access for a term not to exceed
15 years for any application granted under this subsection.
``(e) Earth Station Authorization.--
``(1) Determination required for earth stations.--
``(A) In general.--
``(i) Applications.--Except as provided in
clause (ii), paragraph (4), and subsection (m),
not later than 1 year after the date on which
the Commission issues a public notice of the
acceptance for filing of a written application
submitted to the Commission for authorization
described in subparagraph (B) of this
paragraph, the Commission shall determine
whether to grant the application, including any
amendment to the application.
``(ii) Major amendments.--If a major
amendment (within the meaning of section 25.116
of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or
any successor regulation) to an application
described in clause (i) is submitted to the
Commission, the Commission shall determine
whether to grant the application, including the
major amendment and any other amendment to the
application, not later than 1 year after the
date on which the Commission issues a public
notice of the acceptance for filing of the
major amendment.
``(B) Type of application.--An application
described in this subparagraph is an application for
authorization to use an earth station.
``(2) Determination required for receive-only earth
stations.--
``(A) In general.--
``(i) Applications.--Except as provided in
clause (ii), paragraph (3), and subsection (m),
not later than 30 days after the date on which
the Commission issues a public notice of the
acceptance for filing of a written application
submitted to the Commission for authorization
described in subparagraph (B) of this
paragraph, the Commission shall determine
whether to grant the application, including any
amendment to the application.
``(ii) Major amendments.--If a major
amendment (within the meaning of section 25.116
of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or
any successor regulation) to an application
described in clause (i) is submitted to the
Commission, the Commission shall determine
whether to grant the application, including the
major amendment and any other amendment to the
application, not later than 1 year after the
date on which the Commission issues a public
notice of the acceptance for filing of the
major amendment.
``(B) Types of application.--An application
described in this subparagraph is an application for
authorization to use an earth station or earth stations
to receive a signal from--
``(i) a nongeostationary orbit space
station operated under a license granted under
subsection (c)(1) or a grant of market access
granted under subsection (d)(1); or
``(ii) a geostationary orbit space station
operated under a license granted under
subsection (c)(2) or a grant of market access
granted under subsection (d)(2).
``(3) Exception.--The deadline for the determination
required under paragraph (1) or (2) may be extended by the
Commission for an application subject to review under
subsection (n).
``(4) Inapplicability to ce