Congress is trying to make sure there are enough people who can translate the country's 5G ambitions into the necessary infrastructure to handle the job.

To that end, the bipartisan Telecommunications Skilled Workforce Act (TSWA) has been introduced in the Senate by Commerce Committee members Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.).

Actually, the bill is being reintroduced in a new, Democratically controlled Congress, that is expected to spend new money on building out broadband infrastructure. It was introduced last February.

The bill is meant to address the shortage of workers to fill the 5G deployment jobs of the future.

“This legislation is a win-win when it comes to deploying 5G technology and rural broadband services to South Dakotans, while also ensuring skilled workers have the training necessary for good-paying jobs in the telecommunications industry,” said Sen. Thune, former chairman of the Commerce Committee.

By addressing our workforce shortage in the wireless and broadband industry, we’re improving connectivity at the same time we get folks trained for 21st century jobs," said Sen. Tester.

The bill would advance next-gen broadband buildout jobs by:

1. "Establishing an FCC-led interagency working group that, in consultation with the Department of Labor (DOL) and other federal and non-federal stakeholders, would be tasked with developing recommendations to address the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry.

2. Requiring the FCC, in consultation with DOL, to issue guidance on how states can address the workforce shortage in the telecommunications industry by identifying all of the federal resources currently available to them that can be used for workforce development efforts.

 3. Directing the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study to determine the specific number of skilled telecommunications workers that will be required to build and maintain broadband infrastructure in rural areas and the 5G wireless infrastructure needed to support 5G wireless technology."

The bill gets a strong vote of approval from NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association. "“NATE believes that the provisions outlined in the Telecommunications Skilled Workforce Act can serve as a springboard to fostering greater collaboration between the federal government, state workforce boards, higher education and industry to accomplish the ultimate goal of developing a future pipeline of skilled technicians that the country sorely needs to meet its ambitious broadband and 5G deployment objectives," said NATE President Todd Schlekeway.

Also Read: Hill Urged to Fund Tower Crew Training

NATE points out that the bill's reintroduction follows a letter from a coalition of industry groups "urging support for broadband-related job skills development as part of any infrastructure legislation."

"We cannot bridge the digital divide, nor work to advance our safety, wellbeing and prosperity through broadband, without the skilled workforce needed to erect that broadband infrastructure and build those networks," said Christina Mason, VP of government affairs for WISPA, the wireless internet service providers association. "But, there’s a shortage of skilled workers, which is thwarting these national goals.... "In identifying the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry, the breadth of its workforce challenge and the resources available to skill and then bring more workers into the field, the TSWA will help the U.S. to continue innovating and lead the global telecommunications revolution we see in such technology as 5G mobile and fixed services."

“I applaud Senator Thune and his colleagues for their leadership in taking on this workforce challenge and introducing legislation that would create thousands of good-paying jobs," said FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, who was the lead commissioner on facilitating 5G buildouts under former Chairman Ajit Pai.

Top Senate Commerce Committee Republicans have put out a handy guide to understanding Section 230 reform ahead of a hearing Oct. 28 with the CEOs of Facebook, Google and Twitter and with the goal of determining whether the section has outlived its usefulness.

Section 230 is the law that gives edge providers immunity from civil liability over most of the third-party content posted on their platforms.

The guide was tied specifically to legislation introduced earlier this month, the Online Freedom and Viewpoint Diversity Act, by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Ten.).

Related: Hill Ponders Taking Tougher Stance on Tech

That bill will be among the topics of conversation with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.

The bill would:

1. "Clarify when Section 230’s liability protections apply to instances where online platforms choose to restrict access to certain types of content;

2. "Condition the content moderation liability shield on an objective reasonableness standard. In order to be protected from liability, a tech company may only restrict access to content on its platform where it has “an objectively reasonable belief” that the content falls within a certain, specified category;

3. "Remove “otherwise objectionable” and replace it with concrete terms, including “promoting terrorism,” content that is determined to be “unlawful,” and content that promotes “self-harm.”

4. "Clarify that the definition of “information content provider” includes instances in which a person or entity editorializes or affirmatively and substantively modifies the content created or developed by another person or entity but does not include mere changes to format, layout, or basic appearance of such content."

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) took to the Senate floor to implore his colleagues to pass an extension of the STELAR compulsory license/good faith negotiation law.  

He warned of the viewers who would lose access to distant network signals if the law were allowed to sunset. 

It expires at the end of the year unless reauthorized or that deadline date extended.  

House E&C Schedules STAR Markup 

Wicker has proposed a simple five-year reauthorization, STAR or Satellite Television Act Reauthorization, but pulled it from a markup last week, likely because he did not have the votes to pass it out of the Senate Commerce Committee, of which he is chair. 

There are at least two bills in the House, both with added reforms that could make it tough to reconcile with a Senate bill. 

Following is a transcript of Wicker's floor statement, as supplied by his office: 

"Madam President, I rise today because there is a legislative deadline in front of this body that we dare not miss. Even as I speak, our colleagues in the House Energy and Commerce Committee are considering the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act Reauthorization – or STELAR. 

"For 30 years, STELAR and previous versions of the law have allowed people who live beyond the reach of a broadcast signal to receive broadcast programming nonetheless. 

"Some Senators believe that in 2019 STELAR has outlived its usefulness and want it to expire. But other Senators want to extend some of these provisions – at least in the short term – to prevent consumers from losing these broadcast signals. Still others want to use the STELAR reauthorization legislation as a vehicle to implement other reforms. 

"I have introduced new legislation, the Satellite Television Access Reauthorization – or STAR – to move this process forward. The existing STELAR statute expires December 31st. 

"So absent congressional action before the end of the year, the provisions included in STELAR that enable nearly 870,000 Americans to access broadcast TV signals will no longer be the law of the land. 

"These Americans, who depend on STELAR, are mostly in rural parts of this country, like my home state of Mississippi. They include truckers, tailgaters, and RV drivers. And they include Americans living in very remote areas. 

"I say to my colleagues, now is the time for Senators to make their positions clear. Over the course of this year, I have been polling Members to ascertain what this body wants. As Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, I will act according to the majority wishes. But time is running short. 

"Many people point to the fact that the media landscape is changing. There are more options for video content than ever before. New programming is coming out every day that is being streamed through new services. Those are all great things. As I said at a June Commerce Committee hearing, we are living in the Golden Age of television. 

"The Commerce Committee has been working to close the digital divide between rural and urban America to make sure all families can access those choices and all families can be part of the Golden Age. But, there are still Americans without internet access and without broadcast signals. They deserve the ability to view basic television services, just like everyone else. 

"Without the reauthorization of STELAR, many Americans would not be able to watch broadcast news or enjoy access to programming that is available for the rest of the country. They will be on the wrong side of the digital divide, and there would be a widening cultural divide as they would be cut off from the flow of programs and information. 

"If members of this body are of a mind to move forward with some extension of this statute, we will work with our colleagues in the House. That may include improvements and enhancements to STELAR that address good faith requirements, level the playing field in the marketplace, promote access to programming, and ensure robust competition. But we don’t have much time. 

"After this week, senators will go home for Thanksgiving. Many of those across the country who benefit from STELAR in our states will watch football games and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade thanks to the STELAR law. They will enjoy time with their families, and I look forward to doing the same. 

"But when Congress returns, there will be just two weeks – ten legislative days – to finalize any legislation and send it to the President for a signature. 

"Madam President, in this body taking no action is easy, it comes naturally. But in this case no action equals the repeal of the STELAR law in its entirety and members should know that. 

"We have ten days to ensure 870,000 Americans will be able to watch the same programs next year that they are seeing this year. Or we can let STELAR expire and take the risk of letting the chips fall where they may."