https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • IWCE 2022 Winter Showcase
    • IWCE 2023 Pre-event Guide
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • Commentary
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • All Things IWCE
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • IWCE
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Premier Partners
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Register for IWCE
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookie Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • TU-Auto
  • In the field
    • Back
    • In the field
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Internet of Things
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Call Center/Command
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Network Tech
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Operations
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Regulations
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • Organizations
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
Urgent Communications
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Omdia Crit Comms Circle Podcast
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • IWCE 2023 Pre-event Guide
    • IWCE 2022 Winter Showcase
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
    • Sponsored content
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • Why Attend
    • Exhibitor Listing
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Join the Event Mailing List
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • TU-Auto
  • newsletter
  • In the field
    • Back
    • Internet of Things
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Cybersecurity
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
acc.com

Policy


Near-term D Block debate focused on the Super Committee

Near-term D Block debate focused on the Super Committee

Committee may be the only hope of Congress reallocating the D Block, providing funding for public-safety network before the end of the year.
  • Written by Urgent Communications Administrator
  • 3rd November 2011

Working through the deficit-focused Super Committee may be the only hope of Congress reallocating the 700 MHz D Block spectrum to first responders and providing funding for the deployment of a nationwide LTE network for public safety before the end of the year.

“We clearly hear what’s being said, that all eyes are on the Super Committee,” said Sean Kirkendall, spokesman for the Public Safety Alliance.

Public-safety organizations continue to encourage members of the Senate to vote on S.911 — a bill passed by the Senate Commerce Committee — and work with House members to push similar legislation that would reallocate the D Block and include billions of dollars in funding for the proposed network, Kirkendall said. However, these standalone bills have taken less priority than the deficit-reduction efforts of the Super Committee, he said.

“The reality is that there’s only so much time in a day, and a lot of [Congress members’] time is being consumed by the Super Committee,” Kirkendall said. “And a lot of their hopes and aspirations also are being directed toward the Super Committee right now.”

This sentiment was reinforced this week, when Rep. Greg Walden — chairman of the relevant House subcommittee that would consider D Block reallocation — said he would not introduce spectrum-policy legislation until after the Super Committee has acted.

Many Beltway source believe spectrum-policy language that would renew the FCC’s authority to conduct spectrum auctions and potentially reallocate the D Block will be considered by the Super Committee, because spectrum auctions represent a way to generate billions of dollars in revenue for the U.S. Treasury without raising taxes — for instance, S.911 would provide $6.5 billion in deficit-reduction funds. One fear for public-safety officials is that Congress would renew the FCC’s auction authority but not consider D Block reallocation, Kirkendall said.

“Quite frankly, the thing that we’ve been concerned about is that they would approve incentive auctions but then not deal with the D Block or funding for the public-safety broadband network,” he said. “As soon as they started talking about the Super Committee and a debt deal, that was always the concern. We know they want to get funding for deficit reduction.”

Super Committee members are supposed to propose legislation that would reduce the national deficit by at least $1.2 trillion during the next decade by Nov. 23, so both houses of Congress can vote on the legislation by Dec. 23, Kirkendall said. There is some speculation that the Super Committee could ask for a time extension, but such an extension would mean pushing the process into early 2012, he said.

If D Block reallocation and LTE network funding is included in the Super Committee legislation, most Beltway sources believe the delay would not be a significant problem. However, if such language is not part of the Super Committee’s action, many believe getting standalone bills passed in the House and Senate during the 2012 election year promises to be challenging, because lawmakers will be focused on re-election efforts.

“I think it gets harder as we get into 2012, because it’s a full campaign year.” Kirkendall said.

Tags: content Policy

Most Recent


  • PSSA asks FCC for FirstNet Authority license at 4.9 GHz, opposes CERCI proposal
    A Public Safety Spectrum Alliance (PSSA) filing this week reiterates its call for the FCC to award a nationwide license of 4.9 GHz  spectrum to the FirstNet Authority, ignoring a recent coalition filing that asks the commission to approve rules that would let local jurisdictions largely determine how the airwaves are used. Jeff Johnson, executive […]
  • Pro-Iran attackers access multiple water-facility controllers
    Critical infrastructure in multiple US states may have been compromised by Iran-affiliated attackers targeting programmable logic controllers (PLCs). A warning from the FBI, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), National Security Agency (NSA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Israel National Cyber Directorate comes after an attack was detected on a Pennsylvania water authority last week, where the […]
  • LA-RICS celebrates final acceptance of P25 system built by Motorola Solutions
    The Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS) announced its final acceptance of its much-anticipated Project 25 (P25) radio system built by Motorola Solutions during a ribbon-cutting ceremony conducted last month. LA-RICS Executive Director Scott Edson (pictured above, cutting the ribbon) said the Los Angeles region has “moved into the 21st Century, when it comes […]
  • Five takeaways from the House FCC oversight hearing
    The House Energy & Commerce Committee held an FCC oversight hearing on Thursday, with a “Biden broadband takeover” theme, focusing largely on Republican concerns with the FCC’s efforts to reinstate Title II and enact digital discrimination rules. The hearing also covered the FCC’s lapsed spectrum authority and the Biden administration’s spectrum policy, as well as funding shortfalls […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

To leave a comment login with your Urgent Comms account:

Log in with your Urgent Comms account

Or alternatively provide your name, email address below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • New Orleans-area 911 center inks multiyear APEX deal with Carbyne to replace call-handling system
  • Near-term D Block debate focused on the Super Committee
    Newscan: Feds recover millions from pipeline ransom hackers, hint at U.S. Internet tactic
  • Cyber is the new Cold War, and AI is the arms race
  • Private wireless networks in the US start going public

Commentary


Things to know about IWCE 2024: The basics 

5th December 2023

Land mobile radio (LMR) systems are just as vulnerable to cyberattacks as any other networks used in the public-safety sector. Here’s what to do about it.

  • 2
7th November 2023

September 3GPP Plenary meetings feature Release 18 progress, Release 19 beginnings

13th October 2023
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


Newsletter

Sign up for UrgentComm’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about Communications and Technology.

Expert Commentary

Learn from experts about the latest technology in automation, machine-learning, big data and cybersecurity.

Business Media

Find the latest videos and media from the market leaders.

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital and print audiences? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • American City & County
  • IWCE
  • Light Reading
  • IOT World Today
  • Mission Critical Technologies
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.