Cruz: Spectrum Reconciliation Agreement Still Holds, Despite Rounds' New Doubts
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, insisted in a brief interview Thursday that a deal he reached Wednesday with top Armed Services Committee Republicans for spectrum language in the chamber’s budget reconciliation package remains intact, after panel member Mike Rounds, R-S.D., indicated that new wrinkles had emerged. The deal ensured the spectrum title would exclude the 3.1-3.45 GHz band and parts of the 7 and 8 GHz bands from possible sale through the entirety of a proposed restoration of the FCC’s lapsed auction authority, which would run through Sept. 30, 2034. Rounds, Communications Subcommittee Chair Deb Fischer, R-Neb., and Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., pushed for exclusions on the 7 and 8 GHz bands.
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“We had an agreement in principle [Wednesday], but I understand that there's some concern [from Cruz] on the specifics [of the exclusions language], but we’re still working” to reach a final deal, Rounds told reporters Thursday. “We thought we had it done, but apparently they have a concern about [carve-outs for DOD-controlled bands], where we basically say you can't just tell somebody to go get their bands from the military and not protect the military bands without consulting” officials. Rounds and Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., reached the preliminary deal during a Wednesday meeting with Cruz.
Cruz countered that “we have an agreement, and the language will be released later today.” Lobbyists told us Senate Commerce’s proposal will include an 800 MHz pipeline, along with the FCC auction mandate renewal, putting it above the 600 MHz included in the House-passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act reconciliation package (HR-1). Senate Commerce’s proposal won't include an exclusion for the 5.9-7.1 (6) GHz band that the House advanced in HR-1, lobbyists said. Cruz’s deal with Senate Armed Services Republicans represents a compromise from his earlier push for the spectrum language not to include any carve-outs.