1994—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 103–414 substituted “The Commission” for “The Commission shall complete rulemaking actions required by this section and issue specific and detailed rules and regulations resulting therefrom within one year after January 3, 1983. The Commission shall complete rulemaking actions required to implement the amendments made by the Hearing Aid Compatibility Act of 1988 within nine months after August 16, 1988. Thereafter, the Commission”.

1988—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–394, § 3(a), amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: “The Commission shall require that essential telephones provide internal means for effective use with hearing aids that are specially designed for telephone use. For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘essential telephones’ means only coin-operated telephones, telephones provided for emergency use, and other telephones frequently needed for use by persons using such hearing aids.”

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 100–394, § 3(b), substituted “The Commission shall complete rulemaking actions required to implement the amendments made by the Hearing Aid Compatibility Act of 1988 within nine months after August 16, 1988. Thereafter, the Commission shall periodically review the regulations established pursuant to this section.” for “Thereafter the Commission shall periodically review such rules and regulations.”

Section 2 of Pub. L. 100–394 provided that: “The Congress finds that—

“(1) to the fullest extent made possible by technology and medical science, hearing-impaired persons should have equal access to the national telecommunications network;

“(2) present technology provides effective coupling of telephones to hearing aids used by some severely hearing-impaired persons for communicating by voice telephone;

“(3) anticipated improvements in both telephone and hearing aid technologies promise greater access in the future; and

“(4) universal telephone service for hearing-impaired persons will lead to greater employment opportunities and increased productivity.”

Section 2 of Pub. L. 97–410 provided that: “The Congress finds that—

“(1) all persons should have available the best telephone service which is technologically and economically feasible;

“(2) currently available technology is capable of providing telephone service to some individuals who, because of hearing impairments, require telephone reception by means of hearing aids with induction coils, or other inductive receptors;

“(3) the lack of technical standards ensuring compatibility between hearing aids and telephones has prevented receipt of the best telephone service which is technologically and economically feasible; and

“(4) adoption of technical standards is required in order to ensure compatibility between telephones and hearing aids, thereby accommodating the needs of individuals with hearing impairments.”