House Passes FY2012 Omnibus While Senate Negotiates Spectrum
The House passed an omnibus appropriations bill including $340 million for the FCC for fiscal year 2012. It voted 296-121 to pass the measure Friday afternoon. The omnibus was the result of bipartisan negotiations, and the Senate was expected to approve the measure later Friday or early Saturday. Meanwhile, negotiations continued in the Senate on the payroll tax cut legislation that contains language authorizing the FCC to conduct voluntary incentive auctions. The Senate was expected to vote early Saturday, unless it reaches a deal sooner.
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The FCC had asked for $354 million for FY2012, but the final amount is $21 million more than the House’s original proposal from the summer. The legislation has language requiring the FCC to investigate potential interference to GPS by the proposed LightSquared network. It doesn’t bar the FCC from using funds to implement its net neutrality order, as previous versions had done (CD Dec 16 p7).
Spectrum talks, meanwhile, are under way in the Senate between Democrats and Republicans, House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., told reporters Friday morning. Talks between the House and Senate are on hold (CD Dec 16 p5). “I think we're waiting to see what they do,” Walden said. The House already passed a payroll tax bill (HR-3630) containing its version of spectrum legislation, he said. “It’s a matter for the Senate to come back to us.”
The spectrum debate could be put off two months if the Senate agrees instead to a temporary extension of the payroll tax cut proposed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., Walden noted. However, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, signaled Friday he would not support a temporary extension without including a controversial provision on the Keystone XL pipeline. Walden said he doesn’t favor a two-month extension.
The House left for the weekend after signing off on a continuing resolution to keep the government running through Dec. 23 in case the Senate and President Barack Obama didn’t approve the omnibus right away. House leaders said members of the chamber would return Monday if the Senate cuts a deal on the payroll tax cut bill. On the Senate floor Friday morning, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he was happy with the progress of the payroll tax cut talks with Reid.
Wireless, cable and Internet companies urged Congress in a letter Friday to give the FCC flexibility to set auction rules and dedicate spectrum for unlicensed use. The letter was signed by Sprint Nextel, Google, NCTA, Free Press and 16 others.