Senators Disagree on Spectrum Auction Proceeds

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2024 – Republican and Democratic senators highlighted differing views on reauthorizing the Federal Communications Commission’s spectrum auction authority at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Thursday.

There is broad agreement that the agency’s legal authority to auction and license radio frequencies to commercial users, which lapsed over a year ago, should be renewed. Without it, the supply of spectrum can’t keep pace with increasing demands from mobile networks and other technologies.

Democratic senators voiced support using the proceeds from those auctions to fund the Affordable Connectivity Program, an internet subsidy for low-income households set to dry up in the coming months. The fund supports more than 23 million households and calls for refunding it have been ongoing for months.