Mine Communications Technology Innovation Act

To require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish an initiative to promote the research, development, and demonstration of miner tracking and communications systems and to promote the establishment of standards and other measurement services regarding underground communications to protect miners in the United States.

10/29/2007--Passed House amended. Mine Communications Technology Innovation Act - Requires the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish a program of research, development, and demonstration, including the establishment of best practices, adaptation of existing technology, and efforts to accelerate the development of next generation technology and tracking systems for mine communications.
Requires the Director to evaluate areas of research and development and best practices that will be most promising in protecting miner safety.
Authorizes the Director, in establishing the program, to focus on the following communications and tracking system characteristics:
(1) systems that are likely to work in emergency situations;
(2) systems that work in coal mines, with special attention paid to deep underground coal mines;
(3) systems that provide coverage throughout all areas of the mine;
(4) hybrid systems that use both wireless and infrastructure-based systems;
(5) functionality for two-way and voice communications;
(6) systems that serve emergency and routine communications needs;
(7) the ability to work with existing legacy systems and to be quickly integrated; and
(8) propagation environment characterization, performance metrics, and independently derived validation tests to verify performance for standards development.
Requires the Director to:
(1) work with industry and federal agencies to develop consensus industry standards for communications in underground mines; and
(2) develop and provide any needed measurement services to support implementation of these standards. Urges that the following issues be addressed:
(1) the appropriate use of frequency bands and power levels;
(2) matters related to interoperability; and
(3) technology to prevent interference.
Authorizes appropriations for carrying out this Act for FY2009-FY2010, to be derived from amounts authorized under the America COMPETES Act.


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Sponsor

• Rep. Jim Matheson [D, UT-2]
• and 11 Co-Sponsors
  • Rep. Spencer Bachus [R, AL-6]
  • Rep. Christopher Cannon [R, UT-3]
  • Rep. Geoff Davis [R, KY-4]
  • Rep. Barton Gordon [D, TN-6]
  • Rep. Maurice Hinchey [D, NY-22]
  • Rep. Harold Rogers [R, KY-5]
  • Rep. Mike Ross [D, AR-4]
  • Rep. Mark Udall [D, CO-2]
  • Rep. Edward Whitfield [R, KY-1]
  • Rep. David Wu [D, OR-1]
  • Rep. Donald Young [R, AK-0]
  close

Committees

• Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
• 1 more
  • House Science and Technology
  close

Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to H.R.3877

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by House		Voted on by Senate		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
October 17, 2007		October 29, 2007

Show All Actions (12 actions)Hide Actions

All Bill Actions

• Oct 30, 2007: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
• Oct 29, 2007: The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
• Passed by voice vote in the House on Oct 29, 2007. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
• Oct 29, 2007: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3877.
• Oct 29, 2007: Considered under suspension of the rules.
• Oct 29, 2007: Mr. Matheson moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
• Added to calendar on Oct 29, 2007: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 259..
• Oct 29, 2007: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science and Technology. H. Rept. 110-411.
• Added to calendar on Oct 24, 2007: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote..
• Oct 24, 2007: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
• Oct 17, 2007: Referred to the House Committee on Science and Technology.
• Introduced on Oct 17, 2007.

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Related Bills:

• S.2263

Related Issue Areas:

• Coal
• Labor
• Budgets
• Business
• 13 more
• Coal mines and mining
• Emergency communication systems
• Emergency management
• Energy
• Mine safety
• Research and development
• Research grants
• Science policy
• Standards
• Technological innovations
• Technology
• Telecommunication
• Wireless communication

Data from the Congressional Research Service

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In the News

October 31, 2007 House Endorses Bill to Improve Mine Communication Technologies

HR 3877, the Mine Communications Technology Innovation Act, authored by Rep. Matheson, is designed to accelerate efforts to develop new technologies and ...

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Model Letter- Protest Federalizing, Expanding Prostitution Criminalization Please send to your Senator and distribute widely! ... Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2007 (TVPRA H.R.3877). O

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October 16, 2007 Bill Action: Introduced: HR 3877: To require the Director of the ...

Jim Matheson [D-UT] introduced HR 3877: To require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish an initiative to promote the research, development, and demonstration of miner tracking and ...

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October 16, 2007 HR 3877, To require the Director of the National Institute of ...

HR 3877 would require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish an initiative to promote the research, development, and demonstration of miner tracking and communications systems and to promote the ...

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