S. 1282: A bill to amend the Communications Satellite Act of 1962 to strike the privatization criteria for INTELSAT separated entities, remove certain restrictions on separated and successor entities to INTELSAT, and for other purposes.

S. 1282: A bill to amend the Communications Satellite Act of 1962 to strike the privatization criteria for INTELSAT separated entities, remove certain restrictions on separated and successor entities to INTELSAT, and for other purposes.

109th Congress · introduced 2005-06-21 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Became Public Law No: 109-34.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2005-06-21 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Burns, Conrad R. [R-MT] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Became Public Law No: 109-34. (final step reached)
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

A bill to amend the Communications Satellite Act of 1962 to strike the privatization criteria for INTELSAT separated entities, remove certain restrictions on separated and successor entities to INTELSAT, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Amends title VI (Open-market Reorganization for the Betterment of International Telecommunications Act or ORBIT Act) of the Communications Satellite Act of 1962, concerning INTELSAT (a global satellite provider of voice, data, and Internet services) and Inmarsat (a global mobile satellite communications provider), to prohibit any successor entity or separated entity from having officers or managers who are officers or managers of any signatories. (Current law prohibits any successor entity or separated entity from having officers or managers who are officers or managers of any signatories or former signatories or who have any direct financial interest in or financial relationship to any signatories or former signatories, except that such interest may be managed through a blind trust or similar mechanism.) Strikes provsions that prohibited a separated entity from having officers or directors, who are either officers or managers of any intergovernmental organization or who have any direct financial interest in or financial relationship to any international organization, except that such interest may be managed through a blind trust or similar mechanism. Requires the United States to preserve the space segment capacity of the GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System). Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to review competitive market conditions of domestic and international satellite communications services and include in an annual report an analysis of those conditions.

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

A bill to amend the Communications Satellite Act of 1962 to strike the privatization criteria for INTELSAT separated entities, remove certain restrictions on separated and successor entities to INTELSAT, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Burns, Conrad R. [R-MT] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-109s1282.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/109/s>

Record fed-us-cong109-s1282 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong109 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong109