House GOP, Dems divided on D-Block for public safety

The ongoing debate about whether the D-Block spectrum should be used for public safety is heating up again as House Republicans drafted legislation that does not include the provision, while leading House Democrats are circulating a measure that would reallocate the D-Block for public safety.
The Senate Commerce Committee received bipartisan support for S.911, which allocates the D-Block to public safety and also includes funding for the effort that would come in part from voluntary spectrum incentive auctions. That bill still has not been considered before the full Senate.
Republican House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), and Subcommitee on Communications and Technology Ranking Member Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) introduced a draft that would reallocate the D-Block to public safety ahead of today’s panel hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. A draft bill from Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) would also allow incentive auctions but not require the money from such an auction would go to public safety.