
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 47USC752]

 
          TITLE 47--TELEGRAPHS, TELEPHONES, AND RADIOTELEGRAPHS
 
               CHAPTER 6--COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE SYSTEM
 
    SUBCHAPTER V--INTERNATIONAL MARITIME SATELLITE TELECOMMUNICATIONS
 
Sec. 752. Corporation's status as designated operating entity


(a) Statement of purpose; signature authorization

    (1) the \1\ communications satellite corporation established 
pursuant to subchapter III of this chapter is hereby designated as the 
sole operating entity of the United States for participation in 
INMARSAT, for the purpose of providing international maritime satellite 
telecommunications services.
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    \1\ So in original. Probably should be capitalized.
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    (2) The corporation may participate in and is hereby authorized to 
sign the operating agreement or other pertinent instruments of INMARSAT 
as the sole designated operating entity of the United States.

(b) Powers of corporation

    The corporation--
        (1) may own and operate satellite earth terminal stations in the 
    United States;
        (2) shall interconnect such stations, and the maritime satellite 
    telecommunications provided by such stations, with the facilities 
    and services of United States domestic common carriers and 
    international common carriers, other than any common carrier or 
    other entity in which the corporation has any ownership interest, as 
    authorized by the Commission;
        (3) shall interconnect such stations and the maritime satellite 
    telecommunications provided by such stations, with the facilities 
    and services of private communications systems, unless the 
    Commission finds that such interconnection will not serve the public 
    interest; and
        (4) may establish, own, and operate the United States share of 
    the jointly owned international space segment and associated 
    ancillary facilities.

(c) Financial obligation

    The corporation shall be responsible for fulfilling any financial 
obligation placed upon the corporation as a signatory to the operating 
agreement or other pertinent instruments, and any other financial 
obligation which may be placed upon the corporation as the result of a 
convention or other instrument establishing INMARSAT. The corporation 
shall be the sole United States representative in the managing body of 
INMARSAT.

(d) Sole ownership or/and operation of satellite earth terminal station 
        for training of personnel pursuant to authorization of 
        responsible executive department or Commission

    (1) Any person, including the Federal Government or any agency 
thereof, may be authorized, in accordance with paragraph (2) or 
paragraph (3), to be the sole owner or operator, or both, of any 
satellite earth terminal station if such station is used for the 
exclusive purposes of training personnel in the use of equipment 
associated with the operation and maintenance of such station, or in 
carrying out experimentation relating to maritime satellite 
telecommunications services.
    (2) If the person referred to in paragraph (1) is the Federal 
Government or any agency thereof, such satellite earth terminal station 
shall have been authorized to operate by the executive department 
charged with such responsibility.
    (3) In any other case, such satellite earth terminal station shall 
have been authorized by the Commission.

(e) Additional noncorporation ownership of satellite earth terminal 
        stations for enhancement of maritime satellite services in the 
        public interest

    The Commission may authorize ownership of satellite earth terminal 
stations by persons other than the corporation at any time the 
Commission determines that such additional ownership will enhance the 
provision of maritime satellite services in the public interest.

(f) Operational arrangements for interconnection of satellite earth 
        terminal stations and facilities with common carriers and 
        private communications systems for extension of services

    The Commission shall determine the operational arrangements under 
which the corporation shall interconnect its satellite earth terminal 
station facilities and services with United States domestic common 
carriers and international common carriers, other than any common 
carrier, system, or other entity in which the corporation has any 
ownership interest, and private communications systems when authorized 
pursuant to subsection (b)(3) of this section for the purpose of 
extending maritime satellite telecommunications services within the 
United States and in other areas.

(g) Articles of incorporation provision for business transactions during 
        national emergency with less than requisite number of directors

    Notwithstanding any provision of State law, the articles of 
incorporation of the corporation shall provide for the continued ability 
of the board of directors of the corporation to transact business under 
such circumstances of national emergency as the President or his 
delegate may determine would not permit a prompt meeting of the number 
of directors otherwise required to transact business.

(Pub. L. 87-624, title V, Sec. 503, as added Pub. L. 95-564, Nov. 1, 
1978, 92 Stat. 2392; amended Pub. L. 103-414, title III, 
Secs. 303(b)(4), 304(b)(5), Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat. 4296, 4297.)


                               Amendments

    1994--Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 103-414, Sec. 303(b)(4), which 
directed the substitution of ``the communications satellite corporation 
established pursuant to subchapter III of this chapter'' for ``the 
Communications Satellite Corporation'', was executed by making the 
substitution in text which began ``The Communications'' rather than 
``the Communications'' to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
    Subsec. (a)(2), (3). Pub. L. 103-414, Sec. 304(b)(5)(A), (B), 
redesignated par. (3) as (2) and struck out former par. (2) which read 
as follows: ``The corporation also shall have authority to participate 
in any other maritime satellite telecommunications system on an interim 
basis to serve the maritime commercial and safety needs of the United 
States through an interim operating arrangement in accordance with 
subsection (b) of this section.''
    Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103-414, Sec. 304(b)(5)(C), (E), redesignated 
subsec. (c) as (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) which read as 
follows:
    ``(b)(1) The corporation may participate in any maritime satellite 
telecommunications system under subsection (a)(2) of this section only 
if--
        ``(A) the corporation signs the operating agreement of INMARSAT 
    before beginning such participation;
        ``(B) such participation is in the nature of an interim 
    operating arrangement remaining in effect only until INMARSAT begins 
    its operations; and
        ``(C)(i) in the case of participation which may be undertaken 
    only pursuant to a treaty or executive agreement, such treaty or 
    executive agreement is in effect; or
        ``(ii) in any case in which participation does not require any 
    treaty or executive agreement, the President does not disapprove 
    such participation during the period of 60 calendar days after the 
    corporation notifies the President of such proposed participation.
    ``(2) If the corporation participates in an interim operating 
arrangement with a maritime satellite telecommunications system under 
this subsection, the provisions of this subchapter relating to 
participation of the corporation in INMARSAT also shall apply to such 
interim participation.
    ``(3) Any disapproval by the President under paragraph (1)(C)(ii) 
shall be published in the Federal Register as soon as practicable after 
the date of such disapproval.''
    Subsecs. (c) to (f). Pub. L. 103-414, Sec. 304(b)(5)(E), 
redesignated subsecs. (d) to (g) as (c) to (f), respectively. Former 
subsec. (c) redesignated (b).
    Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 103-414, Sec. 304(b)(5)(E), redesignated 
subsec. (h) as (g). Former subsec. (g) redesignated (f).
    Pub. L. 103-414, Sec. 304(b)(5)(D), substituted ``subsection 
(b)(3)'' for ``subsection (c)(3)'' and struck out at end ``The initial 
determination of operational arrangements shall be made by the 
Commission no later than 6 months after November 1, 1978, and the 
Commission shall thereupon transmit to the Congress a report relating to 
such determination.''
    Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 103-414, Sec. 304(b)(5)(E), redesignated 
subsec. (h) as (g).

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 753 of this title.
