Bill introduced late Thurs. by House Commerce Committee leaders w...

Tauzin (R-La.) that would place funds from spectrum auctions into new Spectrum Relocation Fund to cover relocation costs incurred by federal entities, Commerce Committee said. Auction proceeds currently are placed in General Fund. Bill also would guarantee federal incumbents received adequate compensation for expenditures related to relocating to other spectrum bands. Auction proceeds would have to equal 110% of total estimated relocation expenses, Committee said. If agency is required to relocate its spectrum operations, it must be able to achieve comparable telecom capability in new band, Committee said. Office of Management & Budget (OMB) and Congress are assigned oversight authority to ensure that incumbents make accurate estimates of their relocation costs and timelines, CTIA said. “The road to relocating federal government incumbents to comparable spectrum is unpaved and filled with potholes,” Upton said. Bill would “pave that road,” he said, by providing for timely and privately funded relocation plan. Tauzin said: “Earlier this year, we significantly changed spectrum auction policy by eliminating artificial deadlines that dictated when auctions had to occur. Now, with this bill, we are entering the second chapter in our spectrum management efforts.” He said bill would create system that’s more efficient and less expensive. “It is a win-win for the federal government and the wireless industry,” he said. CTIA Pres. Tom Wheeler said: “This proposal delivers exactly what America’s spectrum policy needs: Certainty. It brings certainty to the wireless industry, answering critical questions: What does it cost bidders? How long will it take to access the spectrum? And, most importantly, it provides certainty to American taxpayers -- the certainty that they won’t get stuck with relocation bills.”