TELEPHONE RATES FOR MEMBERS OF ARMED FORCES DEPLOYED ABROAD.

SEC. 213. TELEPHONE RATES FOR MEMBERS OF ARMED FORCES DEPLOYED ABROAD. (a) In General.— The Federal Communications Commission shall make efforts to reduce telephone rates for Armed Forces personnel in the following countries: Germany, Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Great Britain, Italy, Philippines, Panama, Spain, Turkey, Iceland, the Netherlands, Greece, Cuba, Belgium, Portugal, Bermuda, Diego Garcia, Egypt, and Honduras. (b) Factors To Consider.— In making the efforts described in subsection (a), the Federal Communications Commission, in coordination with the Department of Defense, Department of State, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration shall consider the cost to military personnel and their families of placing telephone calls by— 106 STAT. 3546 (1) evaluating and analyzing the costs to Armed Forces personnel of such telephone calls to and from American military bases abroad; (2) evaluate methods of reducing the rates imposed on such calls; (3) determine the extent to which it is feasible for the Federal Communications Commission to encourage the carriers to adopt flexible billing procedures and policies for members of the Armed Forces and their families for telephone calls to and from the countries listed in subsection (a); and (4) advise executive branch agencies of methods for the United States to persuade foreign governments to reduce the surcharges that are often placed on such telephone calls.