BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: Whether or not the government vacates spectrum, Utah Sen. Mike Lee's bill is an important exercise in government accounting for the value of resources that it uses.
Sen. Lee Introduces Government Spectrum Valuation Act, from Sen. Mike Lee:
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, introduced the Government Spectrum Valuation Act Monday, a bill designed to estimate the value of electromagnetic spectrum assigned to each federal agency as a first step towards meeting the nations spectrum needs.
“The United States is in the midst of a ‘virtual renaissance’ that is full of opportunities for innovation that could transform the quality of life for millions of Americans.” Sen. Lee said. “The Government Spectrum Valuation Act will help us better make decisions on how to free up the radio frequency we need to make this future a reality.”
Specifically, the Government Spectrum Valuation Act would require over the next three years (and every three years thereafter) that the NTIA coordinate with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the FCC to estimate the value of electromagnetic spectrum between 3 kilohertz and 95 gigahertz for licensed or unlicensed uses that is assigned or allocated to each federal agency as well as report the value in Presidents budget and each federal agency’s statement.
(Photo of Sen. Lee at the 2015 Conservative Political Action Committee conference by Gage Skidmore used with permission.)
