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H.R. 583 · 116th Congress

PIRATE Act

Law · 116-109 · Jan 24, 2020
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IntroducedPassed one chamberPassed both chambersBecame law (gold)Resolution agreed to (full, dark)Failed or vetoed (gray)

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Became law without a recorded vote. It passed by voice vote or unanimous consent, which don't record how each member voted.

PTD TonkoSponsor
9 cosponsors · 4 D, 5 R
GBR Bilirakis CCR Collins SMD Maloney KRD Rice SBR Brooks BFR Flores PKR King CMD Maloney NVD Velázquez

1 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

  1. House Introduced Jan 16, 2019
  2. House Passed Feb 25, 2019
  3. Senate Passed Jan 8, 2020
  4. President To the President Jan 14, 2020
  5. President Signed Jan 24, 2020
  6. Law Jan 24, 2020

Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act or the PIRATE Act

What it does: CRS summary · Public Law · Jan 24, 2020

Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act or the PIRATE Act

This bill addresses unlicensed radio broadcasting (called pirating), including by increasing to $2 million the maximum fine for a pirate radio broadcasting violation and imposing a fine of up to $100,000 per day for pirating violations subject to the $2 million limit.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must (1) annually submit to Congress a report summarizing implementation of this bill and associated enforcement activities for the previous fiscal year; and (2) at least once a year, assign appropriate enforcement personnel to focus specific and sustained attention on the elimination of pirate radio broadcasting within the top five radio markets.

The FCC may not preempt any state or local law prohibiting pirate radio broadcasting.

The FCC shall (1) revise its rules to require that, absent good cause, in any case alleging a violation, it shall proceed directly to issue a Notice of Apparent Liability without first issuing a Notice of Unlicensed Operation; and (2) publish a database of all licensed radio stations operating in the AM and FM band that includes each licensed station and all entities that have received a Notice of Unlicensed Operation, Notice of Apparent Liability, or Forfeiture Order from the FCC.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: PIRATE Act

Also known as: Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act

Latest action (Jan 24, 2020): Became Public Law No: 116-109.

Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications · Origin: House · Introduced: Jan 16, 2019

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

  1. House Introduced Jan 16, 2019
  2. House Passed Feb 25, 2019
  3. Senate Passed Jan 8, 2020
  4. President To the President Jan 14, 2020
  5. President Signed Jan 24, 2020
  6. Law Jan 24, 2020

No recorded floor vote found.