A bill to modify and extend certain privatization requirements of the Communications Satellite Act of 1962.
Public Law 108-371 · S. 2896 · 108th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Oct 25, 2004 · Science, Technology, Communications
Sponsor: Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. John Breaux
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Amends the Communications Satellite Act of 1962 to extend, through June 30, 2005, the date for conducting an initial public offering of securities of any successor entity of Inmarsat (a Government-owned communications satellite).
Allows a successor entity to be deemed a national corporation, and therefor forgo an initial public offering and public securities listing for the above purposes, if: (1) the successor entity makes certain certifications to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with respect to the financial interests of Inmarsat signatories and former signatories, and that no intergovernmental organization has any ownership interest in a successor entity of INTELSAT (another Government-owned satellite) or more than a minimal ownership interest in a successor entity of Inmarsat; (2) the successor entity provides such financial and other information as the FCC may require to verify such certification; and (3) the FCC determines that the successor entity is in compliance with such certification.
Committees
The record shows no committee referral for this bill.
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.
Related bills
The record lists no related bills.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.
- Oct 25, 2004Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 108-371.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 13, 2004FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Oct 8, 2004FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Barton (TX) asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- Oct 6, 2004FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
- FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- Oct 5, 2004FloorFloor · Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.