A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that telephone service must be improved in rural areas of the United States and that no entity may unreasonably discriminate against telephone users in those areas.

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 276.

S.Res.157 through Congress

S.Res.157 is considered only in the Senate.

SenateMay 23, 2013IntroducedOfficial record

Major milestones in the imported record. See all actions.

Separate related House measures (1)

These are different measures identified as related by Congress.gov. Their text and outcomes may differ; they are not the House stage of S.Res.157.

Related House measure: H.Res.536 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that telephone service must be improved in rural areas of the United States and that no entity may unreasonably discriminate against telephone users in those areas.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 01 · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Dec 19, 2013

Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) all communications service providers must appropriately complete telephone calls to all areas of the United States regardless of the technology used by such providers; (2) no entity may unreasonably discriminate against communications service in rural areas; and (3) the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should pursue violators of FCC rules, impose enforcement actions to discourage uncompleted telephone calls and unreasonable discrimination, and establish a definitive solution to discrimination against communications service in rural areas.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] · D–MN

Committees

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

18 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Dec 19, 2013
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 276.
Dec 19, 2013
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Rockefeller with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and with a preamble. With written report No. 113-130.
Dec 19, 2013
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Rockefeller with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and with a preamble. With written report No. 113-130.
Jul 30, 2013
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
May 23, 2013
Referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3865)
May 23, 2013
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Reported to Senate · Dec 19, 2013 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Introduced in Senate · May 23, 2013 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

HRES 536 · Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that telephone service must be improved in rural areas of the United States and that no entity may unreasonably discriminate against telephone users in those areas.

Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.Res.157 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.Res.157, 113th Congress: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that telephone service must be improved in rural areas of the United States and that no entity may unreasonably discriminate against telephone users in those areas.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-resolution/157

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 2013-12-19.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/sres157/BILLS-113sres157rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:05:15Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.Res.157 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.Res.157 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.Res.157, 113th Congress: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that telephone service must be improved in rural areas of the United States and that no entity may unreasonably discriminate against telephone users in those areas.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-resolution/157

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 2013-12-19.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/sres157/BILLS-113sres157rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:05:15Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.Res.157 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.Res.157 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.Res.157, 113th Congress: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that telephone service must be improved in rural areas of the United States and that no entity may unreasonably discriminate against telephone users in those areas.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-resolution/157

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 2013-12-19.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/sres157/BILLS-113sres157rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:05:15Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.Res.157 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.Res.157 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.Res.157, 113th Congress: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that telephone service must be improved in rural areas of the United States and that no entity may unreasonably discriminate against telephone users in those areas.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-resolution/157

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 2013-12-19.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/sres157/BILLS-113sres157rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:05:15Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.Res.157 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.