47 CFR § 211.5 - Priorities.

There are hereby established four levels of restoration priority. Within each level, subpriorities may be established by the Executive Agent, with the concurrence of the National Security Council, for both government and nongovernment services. The subpriorities categories currently in use, which have been established by the Executive Agent will remain in effect until modified. Compatibility of subcategories applicable to government and nongovernment users is essential to achieve the objective of a single restoration priority system.

(a) Priority 1. Priority 1 shall be the highest level of restoration priority, and shall be afforded only to Federal and Foreign Government private line services, and to Industrial/Commercial services which are designated for prearranged voluntary participation with the Federal Government in a national emergency. Circuit requirements in this level of priority shall be limited to those esential to national survival if nuclear attack occurs for:

(1) Obtaining or disseminating critical intelligence concerning the attack, or immediately necessary to maintain the internal security of the United States;

(2) Conducting diplomatic negotiations critical to the arresting or limiting of hostilities;

(3) Executing military command and control functions essential to defense and retaliation;

(4) Giving warning to the U.S. population;

(5) Maintaining federal Government functions essential to national survival under nuclear attack conditions.

(b) Priority 2. Priority 2 shall be the second highest level of restoration priority, and shall be afforded only to Federal and Foreign Government private line services, and to Industrial/Commercial services which are designated for prearranged voluntary participation with the Federal Government in a national emergency. Circuit requirements in this level shall be limited to those essential, at a time when nuclear attack threatens, to maintain an optimum defense posture and to give civil alert to the U.S. population. These are circuit requirements whose unavailability would present serious dangers:

(1) Reducing significantly the preparedness of U.S. defense and retalitory forces;

(2) Affecting adversely the ability of the United States to conduct critical preattack diplomatic negotiations to reduce or limit the threat of war;

(3) Interfering with the effectual direction of the U.S. population in the interest of civil defense and survival;

(4) Weakening U.S. capability to accomplish critical national internal security functions;

(5) Inhibiting the provision of essential Federal Government functions necessary to meet a preattack situation.

(c) Priority 3. Priority 3 shall be the third highest level of restoration priority and shall be afforded to government, quais-government, and Industrial/Commercial private line services: Provided, however, That Priority 3 will be afforded circuits serving Industrial/Commercial, State, county, municipal, and quasi-state and local government agencies only where, during an emergency, at least one station in the circuit (or in connected circuits if switched service is involved) will be manned continually, or where such circuits are automated and will be under constant surveillance from a remote location. Circuit requirements in this level shall be limited to those necessary for U.S. military defense and diplomacy, for law and order, and for national health and safety in a national emergency involving heightened possibility of hostilities. These are curcuit requirements needed to:

(1) Insure performance of critical logistic functions, public utility services, and administrative-military support functions;

(2) Inform key diplomatic posts of the situation and of U.S. intentions;

(3) Secure and disseminate urgent intelligence;

(4) Distribute essential food and other supplies critical to health;

(5) Provide for critical damage control functions;

(6) Provide for hospitalization;

(7) Continue critical Government functions;

(8) Provide transportation for the foregoing activities.

(d) Priority 4. Priority shall be the fourth highest restoration priority and shall be afforded to government, quasi-government, and Industrial/Commercial private line services: Provided, however, That Priority 4 will be afforded circuits serving Industrial/Commercial, State, county, municipal, and quasi-state and local government agencies only where, during an emergency, at least one station in the circuit (or in connected circuits if switched service is involved) will be manned continually, or where such circuits are automated and will be under constant surveillance from a remote location. Circuit requirements in this level shall be limited to those necessary for the maintenance of the public welfare and the national economy in a situation short of nuclear attack, or during reconstitution after attack. These include circuit requirements needed to continue the more important financial, economic, health, and safety activities of the Nation.