HR 4445 IH, Reciprocal Compensation Adjustment Act of 2000.
Re: exempting calls to ISPs from reciprocal compensation requirements.
Date introduced: May 15, 2000.
Sponsor: Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-LA).
Source: Library of Congress.

To exempt from reciprocal compensation requirements telecommunications traffic to the Internet.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 15, 2000

Mr. TAUZIN (for himself, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. BLILEY, and Mr. BOUCHER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce

A BILL

To exempt from reciprocal compensation requirements telecommunications traffic to the Internet.

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 `Reciprocal Compensation Adjustment Act of 2000'.

SEC. 2. EXEMPTION FROM RECIPROCAL COMPENSATION REQUIREMENT.

Section 251 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 251) is amended--

(1) in subsection (b)(5), by inserting before the period at the end the following: `, subject to subsection (f)(3)'; and

(2) in subsection (f), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

`(3) EXEMPTION FROM RECIPROCAL COMPENSATION REQUIREMENT-

`(A) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding subsection (b)(5), after the date of enactment of this paragraph, no local exchange carrier shall be required to make any payment for the transport or termination of telecommunications to the Internet or any provider of Internet access service.

`(B) JURISDICTION- Such transport or termination shall be considered interstate communications and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Commission.

`(C) NO EFFECT ON EXISTING AGREEMENTS- This paragraph does not affect the rights of the parties to any interconnection agreement in effect on May 15, 2000, during the existing term of any such agreement.

`(D) GRANDFATHERED AGREEMENTS NOT REQUIRED TO BE OFFERED TO OTHER CARRIERS- A local exchange carrier is not required by section 252(i) to offer to any other carrier any reciprocal compensation arrangement that is inconsistent with subparagraph (A) and that is in an agreement preserved by subparagraph (C).

`(E) DEFINITIONS- For the purposes of this paragraph--

`(i) the term `existing term' means the initial period of any interconnection agreement and does not include any period provided for negotiation or any extension of the initial period; and

`(ii) the terms `Internet' and `Internet access service' have the meaning provided in section 231(e).'.