United States · Bill · HR
H.R. 4927 (97th)
Record Carrier Competition Act of 1981
Introduced
6 November 1981
Last action
8 December 1981 · Floor
Status
Other Measure S.271 (Amended) Passed House in Lieu.
Sponsors
Sen. Wirth, Timothy [D-CO], Rep. Collins, James M. [R-TX-3], Rep. Broyhill, James T. [R-NC-10], Rep. Scheuer, James H. [D-NY-8], Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA], Rep. Luken, Thomas A. [D-OH-1], Rep. Swift, Al [D-WA-2], Rep. Waxman, Henry A. [D-CA-33], Rep. Collins, Cardiss [D-IL-7], Rep. Tauzin, W. J. (Billy) [R-LA-3], Rep. Rinaldo, Matthew J. [R-NJ-7], Rep. Moorhead, Carlos J. [R-CA-22], Rep. Marks, Marc L. [R-PA-24], Rep. Tauke, Thomas Joseph [R-IA-2], Rep. Bliley, Tom [R-VA-7]
Subjects
Discovery layer
Source updated
29 August 2025
Summary
Record Carrier Competition Act of 1981 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to eliminate the current provisions governing consolidations and mergers of telegraph carriers except with respect to certain contracts between domestic and international record carriers. Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to promote the development of fully competitive domestic and international markets for record communications service. Defines "record communications service" to mean any telecommunications service that is designed or used primarily to transfer information which originates or terminates in written or graphic form. Defines "record carriers" as carriers of such service. Requires the FCC to reduce its regulation of record carriers as competition develops. Requires the FCC to assure that the costs of record communications services, facilities, and terminal equipment are borne by users of any other record communications services. Requires record carriers, upon reasonable request, to provide full interconnection for other record carriers with any record communications service or facility. Treats a record carrier which provides both domestic and international record communications services as a separate domestic and a separate international record carrier for purposes of interconnection. Requires such a carrier to furnish the same quality interconnection under equal terms to its domestic or international branch as it furnishes to other carriers with one specified exception. Requires that any agreement between record carriers on furnishing record communications services or facilities will establish a nondiscriminatory formula for allocating revenues from such services. Requires such allocation to be based on costs to the extent it is possible. Directs the FCC to convene a meeting between all existing international record carriers and any record carriers which would be parties to an interconnection agreement. States that the purpose of the meeting is to negotiate such agreement. Requires the FCC to establish an agreement if certain carriers fail to agree. Authorizes a record carrier not subject to the agreement to become subject to the agreement by furnishing written notice to the FCC and the existing parties to the agreement. Terminates the agreement after a specified time. Authorizes the FCC to establish an interconnection agreement after such termination under specified circumstances. Prohibits enforcement of agreements that impede the development or operation of competitive record communications service market. Authorizes the FCC to modify or vacate an interconnection agreement if it is inconsistent with developing a competitive market. Sets forth the authority of the FCC with respect to applications by record carriers for providing international record communications service. Authorizes all record carriers to provide record communications service domestically and internationally. Requires such carriers that want to provide such service to apply to the FCC. Requires the FCC to act expeditiously on such applications. Authorizes the FCC to consider in connection with such an application the effect on foreign commerce of granting or denying the application. Extends for one year after enactment the FCC oversight of the distribution formulas for unrouted outbound telegraph traffic and the revenue allocations with respect to such traffic.
This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.
Timeline
6 November 1981
Committee
For Previous Action See H.R.4801.
Source: Committee
6 November 1981
Introduced
Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Source: IntroReferral
6 November 1981
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
6 November 1981
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
12 November 1981
Reported
Ordered to be Reported (Amended).
Source: Committee
12 November 1981
Committee
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee
3 December 1981
Calendars
Placed on Union Calendar No: 219.
Source: Calendars
3 December 1981
Reported
Reported to House (Amended) by House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Report No: 97-356.
Source: Committee
3 December 1981
Reported
Reported to House (Amended) by House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Report No: 97-356.
Source: Committee
8 December 1981
Passed
Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Source: Floor
8 December 1981
Floor
Laid on Table in House by Voice Vote.
Source: Floor
8 December 1981
Passed
Passed/agreed to in House: Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Source: Floor
8 December 1981
Floor
Called up by House Under Suspension of Rules.
Source: Floor
Votes
No vote records are attached yet.
Versions
No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.
Documents
3 official files
Leesvertaling
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Passed House amended
summary · EN · 8 December 1981
Reported to House with amendment(s)
summary · EN · 3 December 1981
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Introduced in House
summary · EN · 6 November 1981
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Sponsors
- Sen. Wirth, Timothy [D-CO] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Collins, James M. [R-TX-3] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Broyhill, James T. [R-NC-10] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Scheuer, James H. [D-NY-8] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Luken, Thomas A. [D-OH-1] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Swift, Al [D-WA-2] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Waxman, Henry A. [D-CA-33] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Collins, Cardiss [D-IL-7] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Tauzin, W. J. (Billy) [R-LA-3] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Rinaldo, Matthew J. [R-NJ-7] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Moorhead, Carlos J. [R-CA-22] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Marks, Marc L. [R-PA-24] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Tauke, Thomas Joseph [R-IA-2] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Bliley, Tom [R-VA-7] · R · Sponsor
- · hsif00 · Standing
Related records
- related to → Record Carrier Competition Act of 1981
- related to ← Record Carrier Competition Act of 1981
Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/97th-congress/house-bill/4927
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/97/hr/4927
- us · 97-hr-4927 · source updated 29 August 2025