Unanimous Consent Request--H.R. 1108

Floor Speech

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Mr. WELCH. 1108, to extend the Federal Communications Commission's authority to auction spectrum.

Congress has never let the FCC's spectrum auction authority lapse before, and we can't do it now. As I noted in my earlier comments, spectrum is critical to our modern communications system--something that, actually, Senator Rounds has spoken so eloquently to--so we have to keep it going. We need an FCC and an NTIA that respect all Federal incumbent uses of spectrum, especially those uses that protect our national security. Again, I acknowledge the comments of Senator Rounds.

As we consider the reauthorization of the FCC's auction authority, it is important to recognize we are entering a really new era in the United States' spectrum strategy. This new strategy has to be comprehensive to ensure our remaining spectrum is put to its highest and best use, and we must ensure we don't impact or interfere with our national security as we try to get further benefits from the civilian sector for spectrum utilization.

H.R. 1108's 2-month extension would allow for the further development of this comprehensive approach. As I mentioned earlier, folks are really working on that, and we don't want to take the pressure off. We want to keep the pedal to the metal and see if they can reach an agreement.

Importantly, H.R. 1108's 2-month extension does not slow down or otherwise limit the Department of Defense's study of the lower 3 gigahertz band under the bipartisan infrastructure law. I just want to reiterate that. The DOD can continue with its study. It will remain on track to complete its study by September 30.

This extension also doesn't change the requirement that any reallocation decisions for the band must wait until after the DOD finishes its study. So there is consensus here that we have to make certain the DOD's national security equities are front and center.

What this extension would do is to ensure that the critical work of our Agencies and wireless ecosystem does continue undisrupted.

Maintaining the FCC's auction authority will allow Congress to work quickly toward developing forward-thinking spectrum policy that both protects our national security and encourages the development of new technologies.

It is very important, especially now that time is of the essence, for us to develop our own spectrum strategy and stay ahead of our competitors. So every month that we stall on a comprehensive spectrum bill is more time for our rivals to get ahead of us.

For all of those reasons, I am asking my colleagues to support H.R. 1108's 2-month extension of the FCC's auction authority as my colleagues and I work toward a comprehensive spectrum legislation package to ensure that the United States continues to lead in spectrum innovation and policy.

1108, which was received from the House and is at the desk; further, that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

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Mr. WELCH. Madam President, just to remark, here is the dilemma we have. Much of what the Senator from South Dakota is saying I agree with, but we have two things that are relevant on a very practical level.

One is the pressure that continues to be brought to bear on the negotiators with the 60-day extension to get a final agreement, which would solve the problems that all of us face and are of concern to the Senator from South Dakota.

The second is a political one. It has been conveyed to us very clearly that the House will not take up anything beyond the 60-day extension. We may think they are wrong, but they have the authority to reject an extension beyond the 60 days. That would result in a lapse in spectrum authority, which would be devastating to all of us and all of the goals we are striving to achieve.

So that is the practical question we face.

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