Sen. Blackburn Wants to Free Up Federal Spectrum for Commercial Use
The senator said unused spectrum could generate up to $100 billion for the federal government
Jericho Casper
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2025 – Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said Tuesday federal agencies were “squatting on unused spectrum” that could be fueling broadband expansions.
"About 60% of spectrum bands are under U.S. government control," Blackburn said during a keynote at the State of the Net 2025 conference. "That's why I've called for an audit of federal spectrum usage so we can free up spectrum and get it to commercial use."
She emphasized the need to restore the Federal Communications Commission’s spectrum auction authority, which lapsed in March 2023 for the first time in 30 years.
“We are going to have to restore that auction authority and then move forward with legislation that will build a spectrum pipeline… [generating] as much as a $100 billion revenue for the federal government,” Blackburn said.
“We can’t have 21st century healthcare, economic development, education or law enforcement without access to 21st century broadband, which is why it is so important that we address the issue of spectrum,” she declared.
With positions on the Senate Commerce and Judiciary Committees, Blackburn said she would champion efforts to roll back regulatory measures like net neutrality, strengthen cybersecurity against foreign adversaries, and protect kids online.
Blackburn raised national security concerns about foreign cyber threats, referencing the Salt Typhoon cyberattack, a China-linked hacking campaign that targeted U.S. telecom networks, government agencies, and high-profile officials.
"Chinese Communist hackers infiltrated U.S. networks, gathering sensitive data, text messages, and private information from officials — including then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and Vice Presidential nominee J.D. Vance,” she said.
She pointed to the ROUTERS Act, a bill she was leading in the Senate alongside Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, in the House, that would require the Commerce Department to review any router that poses a national security threat. She said specifically those sourced from a company under the jurisdiction of China, as well as U.S. adversaries like Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela,.
“Congress could take further action to require the Commerce Department to designate dangerous routers as a national security threat, allowing the FCC to halt their sale in America,” Blackburn said.
Blackburn also renewed her push for the Kids Online Safety Act, legislation she co-sponsored with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., which requires social media sites to put in place safeguards protecting users under the age of 17 from content that promotes harmful behaviors, such as suicide and eating disorders. KOSA was first introduced in 2022.
“The Kids Online Safety Act [would] put in place what is necessary to protect our children in the virtual space. We have been joined by 91 of our Senate colleagues. We are working with House leadership to make certain we can get this bill through to provide the tool kit that is necessary for our children to be safe in the virtual space,” Blackburn said.
