Sec. 602. Payment of relocation costs of television translator stations and low power television stations
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From amounts made available under subsection (b)(2), the Commission shall reimburse costs reasonably incurred by a television translator station or low power television station on or after January 1, 2017, in order for such station to relocate its television service from one channel to another channel or otherwise modify its facility as a result of the reorganization of broadcast television spectrum under subsection
(b)of section 6403 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 ( 47 U.S.C. 1452 ). Only stations that are eligible to file and do file an application in the Commission’s Special Displacement Window are eligible to seek reimbursement under this paragraph. The Commission may not make reimbursements under paragraph
(1)for lost revenues. In the case of a low power television station that has been accorded primary status as a Class A television licensee under section 73.6001(a) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations— if the licensee of such station has received reimbursement with respect to such station under subsection (b)(4)(A)(i) of such section 6403 (including from amounts made available under section 601 of this title), or from any other source, such station may not receive reimbursement under paragraph (1); and if such station has received reimbursement under paragraph (1), the licensee of such station may not receive reimbursement with respect to such station under subsection (b)(4)(A)(i) of such section 6403. The Commission may not make reimbursement under paragraph
(1)for costs incurred to resolve mutually exclusive applications, including costs incurred in any auction of available channels. There is established in the Treasury of the United States a fund to be known as the Translator and Low Power Station Relocation Fund. Amounts in the Translator and Low Power Station Relocation Fund shall be available to the Commission to make payments required by subsection (a)(1). Amounts in the Translator and Low Power Station Relocation Fund shall not be available to the Commission to make payments required by subsection (a)(1) after April 13, 2020, unless, before making any such payments after such date, the Commission submits to Congress a certification that such payments are necessary to reimburse costs reasonably incurred by a television translator station or low power television station on or after January 1, 2017, in order for such station to relocate its television service from one channel to another channel or otherwise modify its facility as a result of the reorganization of broadcast television spectrum under subsection
(b)of section 6403 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 ( 47 U.S.C. 1452 ). If any unobligated amounts remain in the Translator and Low Power Station Relocation Fund after the date described in subparagraph (B), such amounts shall be rescinded and deposited into the general fund of the Treasury, where such amounts shall be dedicated for the sole purpose of deficit reduction. The date described in this subparagraph is the earlier of— the date of a certification by the Commission under subparagraph
(C)that all reimbursements pursuant to subsection (a)(1) have been made; or July 3, 2023. If all reimbursements pursuant to subsection (a)(1) have been made before July 3, 2023, the Commission shall submit to the Secretary of the Treasury a certification that all such reimbursements have been made. The amount of auction proceeds that the salaries and expenses account of the Commission is required to retain under section 309(j)(8)(B) of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 309(j)(8)(B) ), including from the proceeds of the forward auction under section 6403 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 ( 47 U.S.C. 1452 ), shall be sufficient to cover the administrative costs incurred by the Commission in making any reimbursements out of the Translator and Low Power Station Relocation Fund. In this section: The term low power television station means a low power TV station (as defined in section 74.701 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations) that was licensed and transmitting for at least 9 of the 12 months prior to April 13, 2017. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the operation of analog and digital companion facilities may be combined. The term television translator station means a television broadcast translator station (as defined in section 74.701 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations) that was licensed and transmitting for at least 9 of the 12 months prior to April 13, 2017. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the operation of analog and digital companion facilities may be combined.