Legislation aimed at managing spectrum auction revenue shows some...
Legislation aimed at managing spectrum auction revenue shows some policymakers want to do more than reduce the federal budget deficit, according to a new Congressional Research Service (CRS) report. New bills called for using spectrum revenue for public safety…
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communications and to help small businesses, the report said. Although only a few measures made it past preliminary stages, the legislative activity reflects a growing desire among some policymakers for a national spectrum policy, it said. But it’s “an exercise in reconciling divergent interests,” the CRS report said. There’s strong pressure to use the money for the budget, which is the long-standing policy. For some, it is a “desirable policy choice,” the report said. The Deficit Reduction Act, which became law in Feb., sets about $1 billion from auction proceeds for a public safety fund to help with the transition from analog to digital broadcasting. Other pending legislation includes a bill (HR-1323) offered by Rep. Stupak (D-Mich.) that would set aside auction proceeds for grants to improve interoperability in public safety communications. Rep. Rush (D-Ill.) is backing HR-1661 that would create a new category of loan in to help companies bid in spectrum auctions, the CRS report said. Sen. Snowe (R-Me.) introduced S-1767, which would license spectrum for small geographic areas tailored to give regional and smaller wireless carriers a chance for the business. Similar provisions are in the Senate telecom bill (HR-5252), the CRS report said. Sens. Allen (R-Va.) and Stevens (R-Alaska) have introduced separate bills S-2327 and S-2332, respectively, that would allocate new frequencies for unlicenced use such as wireless broadband.