Fischer 'Cannot Accept' House Commerce's Reconciliation DOD Spectrum Protections as Is
Senate Communications Subcommittee Chair Deb Fischer, R-Neb., doubled down Thursday on her opposition to the House Commerce Committee’s budget reconciliation package spectrum language (see 2505120058), saying it didn’t adequately protect DOD-controlled bands. House Commerce voted Wednesday to advance the measure, which would restore the FCC’s lapsed auction authority through FY 2034 and mandate the commission auction 600 MHz within six years (see 2505140062).
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Fischer objects to the House Commerce language that would bar the federal government from reallocating the 3.1-3.45 GHz band, which DOD supporters have adamantly opposed repurposing (see 2501070069). Fischer also worries that the proposal doesn’t protect military incumbents on parts of the 7 GHz and 8 GHz bands.
“I think [House Commerce’s DOD protections] needed to go much further,” Fischer said during a Politico event. “I personally cannot accept it as it came out of” that panel. “There's no definition for auction authority for the FCC, so they could go outside of that since they have the authority and [would then] be able to auction" the lower 3 GHz or 7-8 GHz bands. “In the Senate, we must be able to have complete definitions on what bands DOD needs,” she said: “And this is, again, for a number of radars, a number of sensors, and a number of assets I can't tell you about, how important that is.” Fischer said she also disagrees with “the idea that this is going to be the silver bullet for reconciliation.”
“We've been working closely with the White House” and DOD, Fischer said. “And every time a military commander is asked about” President Donald Trump’s Golden Dome to protect the U.S. from missile attacks, similar to Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, and “the need for spectrum, they will bluntly say … it will not happen if the department loses access to the spectrum they have.”
Meanwhile, the Competitive Carriers Association praised House Commerce Wednesday for advancing its spectrum reconciliation proposal. “CCA members rely on spectrum -- particularly mid-band spectrum that offers a balance of coverage and capacity -- to deploy and enhance services, especially in rural and underserved areas,” said CEO Tim Donovan. “Reinstating auction authority is essential to ensuring the United States maintains its global leadership in next-generation wireless technologies.”
A National Emergency Number Association spokesperson said in a Thursday email to reporters that they should “ask Congressional leaders if they truly intend to help states and communities upgrade their 9-1-1 service to 21st Century standards, because they're in the process of breaking a deal to do just that” in House Commerce’s reconciliation package by not allocating some auction revenue to pay for next-generation 911 technology upgrades. The panel allocated $14.8 billion in future proceeds for NG-911 in its 2023 Spectrum Auction Reauthorization Act (see 2305240069).