PIRATE Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5709) to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for enhanced penalties for pirate radio, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume because, in my judgment, this is an important bill that we should all support.

The Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act, or PIRATE Act, combats the very serious issue of unlawful broadcasting, often called ``pirate radio,'' and gives the Federal Communications Commission additional powers to issue fines on any person who willfully and knowingly broadcasts radio transmissions over AM or FM frequencies without a license from the Federal Communications Commission.

I thank my colleague, Congressman Tonko of New York, for joining me in offering this bipartisan legislation.

New Jersey, where I live, has one of the largest concentrations of pirate radio operators in the country. Pirate radio signals have been found to interfere with the emergency alert system and Federal Aviation Administration operations, causing significant harm to public safety. They also disrupt the business of licensed broadcasters who comply with the multitude of FCC regulations. Minority-owned broadcasters are disproportionately harmed by pirate radio operators in urban areas.

Knocking down pirate radio broadcasts prevents these bad actors from interfering with the licensed broadcasters public safety officials rely on to transmit communications during times of emergency. These unlawful broadcasts are interfering with the news and information programming people count on and needlessly clogging the information highway at important times.

It is time to take these pirates off the air by hiking the penalties and working with the Federal Communications Commission on enforcement. Chairman Pai and Commissioner O'Rielly have been able partners in

making sure these broadcasts are stopped. This bill will give the FCC even more tools to take down these illegal broadcasts.

This act increases fines tenfold for illegal pirate operations to $100,000 in an effort to boost the deterrent against these broadcasts.

The bill further holds those who facilitate pirate operations liable, while also streamlining the enforcement process. It also takes a further step in instituting enforcement sweeps by requiring the FCC to conduct biannual enforcement sweeps in the top five radio markets with significant illegal pirate operations, which would include the New Jersey and major New York media market.

I commend Chairman Pai for his leadership on this issue. Since 2017, the FCC has significantly cracked down on this illegal activity, and this bill will ensure future commissions continue this rigorous enforcement, helping to ensure that these illegal operators stay off the air.

The issue of pirate radio operators is a more pressing public issue than it seems. We have to clean up the airwaves to make way for public safety announcements, Federal Aviation Administration conversations, and other important information. Radio frequencies are not toys for unlicensed broadcasters.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this important legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 5709, the Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act, otherwise known as the PIRATE Act.

Unauthorized radio operators, called pirate broadcasters, are a growing threat to the public airwaves. Not only do they cause an annoyance by interfering with news and entertainment programs of legitimate broadcasters, but they pose a serious risk in time of emergencies by preventing the public from hearing critical public safety alerts and messages. And they put their own listeners at risk because they are not equipped to carry these messages.

They may also interfere with the communication channels of important agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FCC has stepped up its enforcement against pirate broadcasters, but we can do more. The bill before us today increases the fines that can be levied against pirate broadcasters from $10,000 per day, currently, to $100,000 per day. It also sets a maximum penalty of $2 million for pirate broadcasters and those that knowingly and intentionally facilitate pirate broadcasters.

The bill also ensures that the FCC continues its sustained enforcement efforts on pirate broadcasters, while balancing the other important missions of the enforcement bureau and its field staff.

State and local prosecutors can be partners in this effort. The bill ensures that laws prohibiting pirate broadcasters enacted by States and cities are not preempted.

H.R. 5709 is a bipartisan, commonsense bill. And, yes, I agree with my colleague here about what a good bill this is. I thank the authors, Mr. Lance and Mr. Tonko, for the very hard work they put into this measure, and I urge my colleagues to support it today.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5709, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, as members of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, we have heard of the impact pirate radio operators have had on the authorized radio community.

There have also been instances in which emergency service communications have been hindered because of their illegal operators, including off the Gulf Coast of Florida. In Florida, we have worked closely with local law enforcement to identify and shut down pirate radio operators, as well as confiscate their equipment.

However, I have heard from the Federal Communications Commission countless times that, on a Federal level, there is limited authority to crack down on these operators and prevent their reestablishment. The PIRATE Act will help give teeth to FCC enforcement of illegal radio operators.

By hitting them in their pocketbook, the FCC can better stop these illegal actors for good. The recent success we have had in Florida proves the need for stronger penalties on these bad actors.

The PIRATE Act will help give teeth to the FCC enforcement of illegal radio operators. For this reason, I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 5709, and I support its passage.