Committee Advances Spectrum Bills (March 10, 2010) PDF Print

 

Energy and Commerce Committee Markup

H.R. 3125 Radio Spectrum Inventory Act

H.R. 3019 Spectrum Relocation Improvement Act

H.R. 1258 Truth in Caller ID Act

 

            This morning the Committee considers three bipartisan measures. Two of them address our rapidly growing need for new wireless spectrum for mobile communications services.

 

            Daily, new, attractive and useful applications are added to wireless services, and the bandwidth required for those applications continues to climb as features like mobile video become more commonplace and as data intensive smartphones are used by more of our population.

 

            Even with the launch this year of the 4th generation of wireless services in the spectrum previously used for analog TV broadcasts, within a short period of time substantial new spectrum for commercial wireless services will be required.

 

            Responding to this need, last July I joined with Chairman Waxman, full committee ranking member Barton, and the ranking member of our subcommittee Mr. Stearns in introducing the Radio Spectrum Inventory Act, which is before the Committee this morning.

 

            It directs the NTIA and the FCC to undertake a comprehensive survey of the nation’s spectrum and report to us on current spectrum utilization with recommendations of which, if any, of the least utilized blocks of spectrum should be reallocated for commercial use or be subjected to spectrum sharing with commercial users.

 

            The measure is a thoughtful approach to meeting the extraordinary spectrum demands the nation will soon face.

 

            I want to thank the NTIA Administrator and his staff for their assistance as we made modifications to the original bill. Those changes are included in the manager’s amendment I will offer today, and we look forward to continuing to work with you as this measure advances to the floor to ensure that it is effective while also affording appropriate protections relating to national security.

 

            I have also joined our colleagues Jay Inslee and Fred Upton in introducing H.R. 3019, the Spectrum Relocation Improvement Act. This measure would address an urgent need, which was brought to light after the FCC auctioned the advanced wireless services spectrum in 2006. While that spectrum was auctioned more than three years ago, the winners of the commercial licenses still do not have full use of the spectrum because it has not been fully cleared of government users.

 

            The bill would hasten the process of clearing Federal users from spectrum that the government has reallocated for commercial use. It would require the NTIA to publish the transition plan of each Federal entity to be relocated after a spectrum auction. It would also clarify the steps Federal spectrum users must take to receive payment for their relocation costs from the Spectrum Relocation Fund.

 

            I understand the Administration has some concerns about this measure and want to indicate today my willingness to continue to work to address those matters as this bill advances through the House.

 

            The Committee also today takes up H.R. 1258, the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009. Introduced by Mr. Engel and Mr. Barton, this measure would direct the Federal Communications Commission to prohibit caller ID “spoofing,” where a caller falsifies the original caller ID information during the transmission of a phone call. This measure has passed the House on suspension in the last two Congresses. I look forward to advancing it today and taking steps to ensurethat it is enacted into law. My thanks to Mr. Engel for his continued commitment to this matter and to all members who on a bipartisan basis have contributed to and supported the measures before us this morning.

 

 

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