I-SHORT TITLE, DECLARATION OF POLICY AND DEFINITIONS
SHORT TITLE
SEC. 101. |
This Act may be cited as the "Communications Satellite Act of 1962". |
DECLARATION OF POLICY AND PURPOSE
SEC. 102. |
(a) |
The Congress hereby declares that it is the policy of the
United States to establish, in conjunction and in cooperation
with other countries, as expeditiously as practicable a commercial
communications satellite system, as part of an improved global
communications network, which will be responsive to public needs
and national objectives, which will serve the communication
needs of the United States and other countries, and which will
contribute to world peace and understanding. |
(b) |
The new and expanded telecommunication services are to be
made available as promptly as possible and are to be extended
to provide global coverage at the earliest practicable date.
In effectuating this program, care and attention will be directed
toward providing such services to economically less developed
countries and areas as well as those more highly developed,
toward efficient and economical use of the electromagnetic frequency
spectrum, and toward the reflection of the benefits of this
new technology in both quality of services and charges for such
services. |
(c) |
In order to facilitate this development and to provide for
the widest possible participation by private enterprise, United
States participation in the global system shall be in the form
of a private corporation, subject to appropriate governmental
regulation. It is the intent of Congress that all authorized
users shall have nondiscriminatory access to the system; that
maximum competition be maintained in the provision of equipment
and services utilized by the system; that the corporation created
under this Act be so organized and operated as to maintain and
strengthen competition in the provision of communications services
to the public; and that the activities of the corporation created
under this Act and of the persons or companies participating
in the ownership of the corporation shall be consistent with
the Federal antitrust laws. |
(d) |
It is not the intent of Congress by this Act to preclude
the use of the communications satellite system for domestic
communication services where consistent with the provisions
of this Act nor to preclude the creation of additional communications
satellite systems, if required to meet unique governmental needs
or if otherwise required in the national interest. |
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DEFINITIONS
SEC. 103. |
As used in this Act, and unless the context otherwise requires-
(1) |
the term "communications satellite system" refers to a system
of communications satellites in space whose purpose is to relay
telecommunication information between satellite terminal stations,
together with such associated equipment and facilities for tracking,
guidance, control, and command functions as are not part of
the generalized launching, tracking, control, and command facilities
for all space purposes; |
(2) |
the term "satellite terminal station" refers to a complex
of communication equipment located on the earth's surface, operationally
connected with one or more terrestrial communication systems,
and capable of transmitting telecommunications to or receiving
telecommunications from a communications satellite system. |
(3) |
the term "communications satellite" means an earth satellite
which is intentionally used to relay telecommunication information;
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(4) |
the term "associated equipment and facilities" refers to facilities
other than satellite terminal stations and communications satellites,
to be constructed and operated for the primary purpose of a
communications satellite system, whether for administration
and management, for research and development, or for direct
support of space operations; |
(5) |
the term "research and development" refers to the conception,
design, and first creation of experimental or prototype operational
devices for the operation of a communications satellite system,
including the assembly of separate components into a working
whole, as distinguished from the term "production," which relates
to the construction of such devices to fixed specifications
compatible with repetitive duplication for operational applications;
and |
(6) |
the term "telecommunication" means any transmission, emission
or reception of signs, signals, writings, images, and sounds
or intelligence of any nature by wire, radio, optical, or other
electromagnetic systems. |
(7) |
the term "communications common carrier" has the same meaning
as the term "common carrier" has when used in the Communications
Act of 1934, as amended, and in addition includes, but only
for purposes of sections 303 and 304, any individual, partnership,
association, joint-stock company, trust, corporation, or other
entity which owns or controls, directly or indirectly, or is
under direct or indirect common control with, any such carrier;
and the term "authorized carrier", except as otherwise provided
for purposes of section 304 by section 304(b)(1), means a communications
common carrier which has been authorized by the Federal Communications
Commission under the Communications Act of 1934, as amended,
to provide services by means of communications satellites; |
(8) |
the term "corporation" means the corporation authorized by
title III of this Act. |
(9) |
the term "Administration" means the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration; and |
(10) |
the term "Commission" means the Federal Communications Commission. |
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