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To authorize appropriations for activities of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for fiscal years 1990 and 1991.

Public Law 101-555 · H.R. 3310 · 101st Congress · began in the House

Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Nov 15, 1990 · Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor: Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA-7)

Cosponsors (1): Rep. Matthew Rinaldo

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Authorizes appropriations for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for FY 1990 and 1991.

Directs the Secretary of Commerce to: (1) acquire satellite space segment capacity and related equipment to provide communications services for former users of the ATS-1 satellite of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and (2) provide funds to the Pan-Pacific Educational and Cultural Experiments by Satellite Program to manage the operation of such services. Authorizes appropriations.

Requires the Secretary to report to the Congress on a long-term solution to the communication needs of the Pacific Ocean region.

Directs the Secretary, in conjunction with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to establish an advisory panel to develop recommendations for the improvement of rural health care through the collection of information needed by health care providers and for improvements in the use of communications to disseminate such information. Authorizes the panel to select consultants to provide advice to the panel regarding the: (1) types of information needed by rural health care practitioners; (2) procedures to gather and disseminate such information; and (3) types of communications equipment and training needed by such practitioners to obtain access to such information. Requires the Secretary to report to specified congressional committees on the panel's recommendations. Authorizes appropriations.

Increases the time period allowed before compliance with the Telephone Operator Consumer Services Improvement Act of 1990 from 30 to 90 days after its enactment. Deletes a provision of such Act which prohibits a telephone operating services provider from billing a customer when such customer uses another provider's telephone services card.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 22 actions.

  1. Nov 15, 1990Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-555.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Nov 6, 1990PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 26, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Rinaldo demanded a second on the motion to suspend the rules. Without objection a second was ordered.
  7. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Markey moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
  8. Oct 25, 1990FloorFloor · Passed Senate in lieu of S. 1839 with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  9. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  10. CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  11. Nov 1, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  12. Oct 30, 1989FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  13. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
  14. FloorFloor · Mr. Markey moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  15. Oct 27, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Energy and Commerce Committee
  16. Oct 24, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Energy and Commerce Committee
  17. Oct 12, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Telecommunications and Finance Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
  18. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Telecommunications and Finance Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
  19. Oct 6, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Telecommunications and Finance Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
  20. CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Telecommunications and Finance Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
  21. Sep 20, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
  22. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.