H.R. 5709: Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act

115th Congress · introduced 2018-05-08 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2018-05-08 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Lance, Leonard [R-NJ-7] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act

Plain summary

Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act or the PIRATE Act This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to address unlicensed radio broadcasting (called "pirating"), including: increasing the fine for a pirate radio broadcasting violation to not more than $2 million, imposing a fine of up to $100,000 per day for pirating violations subject to the $2 million limit, and establishing a fine of up to $2 million for any person who facilitates pirate radio broadcasting ("facilitating" includes providing access to property or providing physical goods or services). The FCC must: (1) annually report to Congress 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 Operations; and (2) publish a database of all licensed radio stations operating in the AM and FM bands, which shall be easily accessible from the FCC home page, identifying each licensed station and all entities that have received a Notice of Unlicensed Operation, Notice of Apparent Liability, or Forfeiture Order by the FCC.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

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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.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s))

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The strongest published arguments

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Lance, Leonard [R-NJ-7] · 14 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 5709, PIRATE Act (2018-08-07)

Cosponsors on this site

Paul Tonko (D-NY), Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)

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 (4)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
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).
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s))
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115hr5709.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/hr>

Record fed-us-cong115-hr5709 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115