text: SECTION 1. FINDINGS; PURPOSE.
  
      (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
              (1) Billing practices by telecommunications carriers may 
          not reflect accurately the cost or basis of the additional 
          telecommunications services and benefits that consumers receive 
          as a result of the enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 
          1996 (Public Law 104-104) and other Federal regulatory actions 
          taken since the enactment of that Act.
              (2) Congress has never enacted a law with the intent of 
          permitting providers of telecommunications services to 
          misrepresent to customers the costs of providing services or 
          the services provided.
              (3) Certain providers of telecommunications services have 
          established new, specific charges on customer bills commonly 
          known as ``line-item charges''.
              (4) Certain providers of telecommunications services have 
          described such charges as ``Federal Universal Service Fees'' or 
          similar fees.
              (5) Such charges have generated significant confusion among 
          customers regarding the nature of and scope of universal 
          service and of the fees associated with universal service.
              (6) The State of New York is considering action to protect 
          consumers by requiring telecommunications carriers to disclose 
          fully in the bills of all classes of customers the fee 
          increases and fee reductions resulting from the enactment of 
          the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and other regulatory actions 
          taken since the enactment of that Act.
              (7) The National Association of Regulatory Utility 
          Commissioners adopted a resolution in February 1998 supporting 
          action by the Federal Communications Commission to require 
          interstate carriers to provide accurate customer notice 
          regarding the implementation and purpose of end user charges.
      (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to require the Federal 
  Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to protect 
  consumers of telecommunications services by assuring accurate cost 
  reporting and billing practices by telecommunications carriers 
  nationwide.
  
  SEC. 2. INVESTIGATION OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS CARRIERS BILLING PRACTICES.
  
      (a) Investigation.--
              (1) Requirement.--The Federal Communications Commission and 
          the Federal Trade Commission shall jointly conduct an 
          investigation of the billing practices of telecommunications 
          carriers.
              (2) Purpose.--The purpose of the investigation is to 
          determine whether the bills sent by carriers to their customers 
          accurately assess and correctly characterize any additional 
          fees paid by such customers for telecommunications services as 
          a result of the enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 
          (Public Law 104-104) and other Federal regulatory actions taken 
          since the enactment of that Act.
      (b) Determinations.--In carrying out the investigation under 
  subsection (a), the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal 
  Trade Commission shall determine the following:
              (1) The amount, if any, of additional fees imposed by 
          telecommunications carriers on their customers as a result of 
          the requirements of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 
          (including the amendments made by that Act) and other Federal 
          regulatory actions taken since the enactment of that Act during 
          the period beginning on June 30, 1997, and ending on the date 
          of enactment of that Act.
              (2) In the event that additional fees described in 
          paragraph (1) are being imposed, the following:
                      (A) Whether the amount of such fees accurately 
                  reflect--
                              (i) the additional costs to carriers as a 
                          result of the enactment of that Act (including 
                          the amendments made by that Act) and other 
                          Federal regulatory actions taken since the 
                          enactment of that Act; and
                              (ii) any reductions in costs, or other 
                          financial benefits, to carriers as a result of 
                          the enactment of that Act (including such 
                          amendments) and other Federal regulatory 
                          actions taken since the enactment of that Act.
                      (B) Whether the bills that impose such fees 
                  characterize correctly the nature and basis of such 
                  fees.
      (c) Review of Records.--
              (1) Authority.--For purposes of the investigation under 
          subsection (a), the Federal Communications Commission and the 
          Federal Trade Commission may obtain from any telecommunications 
          carrier any record of the carrier that is relevant to the 
          investigation.
              (2) Use.--The Federal Communications Commission and the 
          Federal Trade Commission may use records obtained under this 
          subsection only for purposes of the investigation.
      (d) Disciplinary Actions.--
              (1) In general.--In the event that the Federal 
          Communications Commission or the Federal Trade Commission 
          determine as a result of the investigation under subsection (a) 
          that the bills sent by a telecommunications carrier to its 
          customers does not accurately assess or correctly characterize 
          any fee addressed in the investigation, the Federal 
          Communications Commission or the Federal Trade Commission, as 
          the case may be, shall take such actions against the carrier as 
          such Commission is authorized to take under law.
              (2) Additional actions.--If the Federal Communications 
          Commission or the Federal Trade Commission determines that such 
          Commission does not have adequate authority under law to take 
          appropriate actions under paragraph (1), the Federal 
          Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission 
          shall notify Congress of that determination in the report under 
          subsection (e).
      (e) Report.--Not later than 45 days after the date of enactment of 
  this Act, the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade 
  Commission shall jointly submit to Congress a report on the results of 
  the investigation under subsection (a). The report shall include the 
  determination, if any, of either Commission under subsection (d)(2) and 
  any recommendations for further legislative action that the Commissions 
  consider appropriate.
  
  SEC. 3. REQUIREMENTS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS CARRIERS IMPOSING CERTAIN 
                FEES FOR SERVICES.
  
      (a) Requirements.--Any telecommunications carrier that includes on 
  any of the bills sent to its customers a charge described in subsection 
  (b) shall--
              (1) specify in the bill imposing such charge any reduction 
          in charges or fees allocable to all classes of customers 
          (including customers of residential basic service, customers of 
          other residential services, small business customers, and other 
          business customers) by reason of any regulatory action of the 
          Federal Government; and
              (2) submit to the Federal Communications Commission the 
          reports required to be submitted by the carrier to the 
          Securities and Exchange Commission under sections 13(a) and 
          15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 
          78m(a), 78o(d)).
      (b) Covered Charges.--Subsection (a) applies in the case of the 
  following charges:
              (1) Any specific charge included after June 30, 1997, if 
          the imposition of the charge is attributed to a regulatory 
          action of the Federal Government.
              (2) Any specific charge included before that date if the 
          description of the charge is changed after that date to 
          attribute the imposition of the charge to a regulatory action 
          of the Federal Government.
target: Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to jointly conduct an investigation of the billing practices of telecommunications carriers (carriers) to determine whether bills sent to customers accurately assess and characterize any additional fees paid by customers for telecommunications services as a result of the enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.  Requires access to carrier records relevant to such investigation.  Directs either the FCC or FTC to take appropriate disciplinary actions against carriers whose customer bills inaccurately assess and characterize such fees.  Requires a joint report to the Congress on investigation results. 
  Requires carriers that include on customer bills a charge or charges attributed to Federal regulatory actions to:  (1) specify in such bill any reduction in charges or fees allocable to all classes of customers by reason of such regulatory actions; and (2) submit to the FCC certain disclosure reports required to be submitted by such carriers to the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
feat_title: A bill to require accurate billing by telecommunications carriers with respect to the costs and fees resulting from the enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and for other purposes.