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Rural Broadband: The Roles of the Rural Utilities Service and the Universal Service Fund

Description: This report discusses Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Broadband and Telecommunications Programs. Since the initial deployment of broadband in the late 1990s, Congress has viewed broadband infrastructure deployment as a means towards improving regional economic development, and in the long term, to create jobs.
Date: May 9, 2012
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A. & Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Amber Alert Program Technology

Description: This report discusses Amber Alerts (also referred to as AMBER plans) which use technology to disseminate information about child abductions in a timely manner. Technologies used for alerts include the Emergency Alert System (EAS), highway messages boards, telephone alert systems, the Internet, text messaging, and email.
Date: September 9, 2009
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Wireless Privacy and Spam: Issues for Congress

Description: Wireless communications devices such as cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are ubiquitous. Some consumers, already deluged with unwanted commercial messages, or “spam,” via computers that access the Internet by traditional wireline connections, are concerned that such unsolicited advertising is expanding to wireless communications, further eroding their privacy. Congress continues to debate how to protect wireless subscribers further, and several bills were considered in the 108… more
Date: December 22, 2004
Creator: Smith, Marcia S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Public Safety Communications: Policy, Proposals, Legislation and Progress

Description: Since September 11, 2001, the effectiveness of America’s communications capabilities in support of the information needs of first responders and other public safety workers have been a matter of concern to Congress. The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-458) included sections that responded to recommendations made by the 9/ll Commission, in its report of July 2004, and by others in recent years, regarding public safety communications. Nonetheless, there is much … more
Date: June 8, 2005
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Amber Alert Program Technology

Description: This report discusses provisions in the National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 to test Amber Alert network technology for use in expanding the Emergency Alert System (EAS). The Amber Alert network utilizes a combination of technologies, such as highway messages boards, the Internet, and text messaging, to ensure the swift recovery of abducted children.
Date: May 18, 2005
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Regulation of Broadcast Indecency: Background and Legal Analysis

Description: Two prominent television events in the past two years placed increased attention on the FCC and its indecency regulations. The airing of the 2003 Golden Globe Awards and the subsequent ruling by the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, coupled with the controversy surrounding the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show, brought broadcast indecency to the forefront of the congressional agenda during the 108th Congress. Several bills were introduced, but not enacted, in the 108th Congress to increase the penalties im… more
Date: March 30, 2005
Creator: Welborn, Angie A. & Cohen, Henry
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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FCC Media Ownership Rules: Issues for Congress

Description: The Federal Communications Commission adopted an order on June 2, 2003 that modified five of its media ownership rules and retained two others.1 The new rules will go into effect on September 4, 2003 – thirty days after their appearance in the Federal Register. Because of the potential that changes in these rules – which set limits on national television ownership, newspaper-broadcast and radio-television cross-ownership in a market, and ownership of multiple television or radio stations in a … more
Date: August 28, 2003
Creator: Goldfarb, Charles B.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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FCC Media Ownership Rules: Issues for Congress

Description: The Federal Communications Commission adopted an order on June 2, 2003 that modified five of its media ownership rules and retained two others. The new rules were scheduled to go into effect on September 4, 2003, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit stayed implementation of the new rules pending adjudication of claims that the rules are unlawful. (Prometheus Radio Project v. FCC, 3rd Cir., No 03-3388, stay issued 9/3/03). Because of the potential that changes in these rules – whi… more
Date: September 17, 2003
Creator: Goldfarb, Charles B.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Deficit Reduction and Spectrum Auctions: FY2006 Budget Reconciliation

Description: The Congressional Budget Office has informally estimated a value of $10 billion from auction proceeds for these commercial channels; many believe the amount could be higher. Broadcasters are holding this valuable spectrum (channels 52-69) but would be required to relinquish it after the transition to digital television (DTV) is achieved. Without a hard deadline, the transition to digital television has been delayed and the spectrum has not been made available for other uses. Congress anticipate… more
Date: October 20, 2005
Creator: Moore, Linda K. & Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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