Spectrum Fight Flares in Defense Bill Negotiations

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2025 – A government spending watchdog organization urged lawmakers Thursday to reject a spectrum provision the Senate included in its annual defense policy bill.

Tucked within the National Defense Authorization Act now headed to conference, the language would allow top military officials at the Defense Department to block modifications to the lower 3 GigaHertz (GHz) and much of the 7/8 GHz bands, frequencies the Pentagon currently uses for radar and weapons systems.

The debate comes as the federal government’s spectrum manager, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, has been directed to identify 500 megahertz of federal spectrum for reallocation or sharing.