As expected, President Joe Biden on Friday signed the continuing resolution bill passed by Congress that averted a federal-government shutdown and extended the FCC’s authority to conduct spectrum auction until Dec. 16, potentially leaving an opportunity for next-generation 911 (NG911) funding to be attached to a lengthier extension.
Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee today voted unanimously to send a bill to the House floor that would extend the FCC’s spectrum-auction authority and dedicate $10 billion from a future auction to fund emergency call centers’ transition to IP-based, next-generation 911 (NG911) technology.
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), chairman of the committee, noted that H.R. 7624—the “Spectrum Innovation Act of 2022”—continues to require the FCC to auction at least 200 MHz of spectrum in the 3.1-3.45 GHz band. Proceeds from this auction would fill the funding gap in the “rip-and-replace” initiative to rid U.S. networks of gear from China-based firms and would provide NG911 funding nationwide.
