TITLE V-INTERNATIONAL MARITIME SATELLITE

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

SEC. 501. SHORT TITLE.

This title may be cited as the "International Maritime Satellite Telecommunications Act".

SEC. 502. [47 U.S.C. 751] DECLARATION OF POLICY AND PURPOSE.

(a) The Congress hereby declares that it is the policy of the United States to provide for the participation of the United States in the International Maritime Satellite Organization (hereinafter in this title referred to as "INMARSAT") in order to develop and operate a global maritime satellite telecommunications system. Such system shall have facilities and services which will serve maritime commercial and safety needs of the United States and foreign countries.

(b) It is the purpose of this title to provide that the participation of the United States in INMARSAT shall be through the communications satellite corporation established pursuant to title III of this Act, which constitutes a private entity operating for profit, and which is not an agency or establishment of the Federal Government.

SEC. 503. [47 U.S.C. 752] DESIGNATED OPERATING ENTITY.

(a)(1) The the communications satellite corporation established pursuant to title III of this Act is hereby designated as the sole operating entity of the United States for participation in INMARSAT, for the purpose of providing international maritime satellite telecommunications services.

(2) The corporation may participate in and is hereby authorized to sign the operating agreement or other pertinent instruments of INMARSAT as the sole designated operating entity of the United States.

(b) The corporation

(1) may own and operate satellite earth terminal stations in the United States;

(2) shall interconnect such stations, and the maritime satellite telecommunications provided by such stations, with the facilities and services of United States domestic common carriers and international common carriers, other than any common carrier or other entity in which the corporation has any ownership interest, as authorized by the Commission;

(3) shall interconnect such stations and the maritime satellite telecommunications provided by such stations, with the facilities and services of private communications systems, unless the Commission finds that such interconnection will not serve the public interest; and

(4) may establish, own, and operate the United States share of the jointly owned international space segment and associated ancillary facilities.

(c) The corporation shall be responsible for fulfilling any financial obligation placed upon the corporation as a signatory to the operating agreement or other pertinent instruments, and any other financial obligation which may be placed upon the corporation as the result of a convention or other instrument establishing

INMARSAT. The corporation shall be the sole United States representative in the managing body of INMARSAT.

(d)(1) Any person, including the Federal Government or any agency thereof, may be authorized, in accordance with paragraph (2) or paragraph (3), to be the sole owner or operator, or both, of any satellite earth terminal station if such station is used for the exclusive purposes of training personnel in the use of equipment associated with the operation and maintenance of such station, or in carrying out experimentation relating to maritime satellite telecommunications services.

(2) If the person referred to in paragraph (1) is the Federal Government or any agency thereof, such satellite earth terminal station shall have been authorized to operate by the executive department charged with such responsibility.

(3) In any other case, such satellite earth terminal station shall have been authorized by the Commission.

(e) The Commission may authorize ownership of satellite earth terminal stations by persons other than the corporation at any time the Commission determines that such additional ownership will enhance the provision of maritime satellite services in the public interest.

(f) The Commission shall determine the operational arrangements under which the corporation shall interconnect its satellite earth terminal station facilities and services with United States domestic common carriers and international common carriers, other than any common carrier, system, or other entity in which the corporation has any ownership interest, and private communications systems when authorized pursuant to subsection (b)(3) for the purpose of extending maritime satellite telecommunications services within the United States and in other areas.

(g) Notwithstanding any provision of State law, the articles of incorporation of the corporation shall provide for the continued ability of the board of directors of the corporation to transact business under such circumstances of national emergency as the President or his delegate may determine would not permit a prompt meeting of the number of directors otherwise required to transact business.

SEC. 504. [47 U.S.C. 753] IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICY. (a) The Secretary of Commerce shall

(1) coordinate the activities of Federal agencies with responsibilities in the field of telecommunications (other than the Commission), so as to ensure that there is full and effective compliance with the provisions of this title;

(2) take all necessary steps to ensure the availability and appropriate utilization of the maritime satellite telecommunications services provided by INMARSAT for general governmental purposes, except in any case in which a separate telecommunications system is required to meet unique governmental needs or is otherwise required in the national interest;

(3) exercise his authority in a manner which seeks to obtain coordinated and efficient use of the electromagnetic spectrum and orbital space, and to ensure the technical compat

ibility of the space segment with existing communications facilities in the United States and in foreign countries; and

(4) take all necessary steps to determine the interests and needs of the ultimate users of the maritime satellite telecommunications system and to communicate the views of the Federal Government on utilization and user needs to

INMARSAT.

(b) The President shall exercise such supervision over, and issue such instructions to, the corporation in connection with its relationships and activities with foreign governments, international entities, and INMARSAT as may be necessary to ensure that such relationships and activities are consistent with the national interest and foreign policy of the United States.

(c) The Commission shall

(1) institute such proceedings as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of section 503 of this title;

(2) make recommendations to the President for the purpose of assisting him in his issuance of instructions to the corporation;

(3) grant such authorizations as may be necessary under title II and title III of the Communications Act of 1934 to enable the corporation

(A) to provide to the public, in accordance with section 503(c)(2) of this title, space segment channels of communication obtained from INMARSAT; and

(B) to construct and operate such satellite earth terminal stations in the United States as may be necessary to provide sufficient access to the space segment;

(4) grant such other authorizations as may be necessary under title II and title III of this Communications Act of 1934 to carry out the provisions of this title;

(5) establish procedures to provide for the continuing review of the telecommunications activities of the corporation as the United States signatory to the operating agreement or other pertinent instruments; and

(6) prescribe such rules as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this title.

(d) The Commission is authorized to issue instructions to the corporation with respect to regulatory matters within the jurisdiction of the Commission. In the event an instruction of the Commission conflicts with an instruction of the President pursuant to subsection (b), the instructions issued by the President shall prevail. SEC. 505. [47 U.S.C. 757] DEFINITIONS.

For purposes of this title

(1) the term "person" includes an individual, partnership, association, joint stock company, trust, or corporation;

(2) the term "satellite earth terminal station" means a complex of communications equipment located on land, operationally interconnected with one or more terrestrial communications systems, and capable of transmitting telecommunications to, or receiving telecommunications from, the space segment;

(3) the term "space segment" means any satellite (or capacity on a satellite) maintained under the authority of INMARSAT, for the purpose of providing international maritime telecommunications services, and the tracking, telemetry, command, control, monitoring, and related facilities and equipment required to support the operations of such satellite; and (4) the term "State" means the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and any other territory or possession of the United States.