I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4190 

To promote innovation, investment, and economic growth by accelerating 

spectrum efficiency through a challenge prize competition. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 8, 2015 

Ms. MATSUI introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To promote innovation, investment, and economic growth 

by accelerating spectrum efficiency through a challenge 

prize competition. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Spectrum Challenge 

5 Prize Act of 2015’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) The future competitiveness and global tech9 nology leadership of the United States depend, in 


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1 part, upon the availability and efficient use of spec2 trum. 

3 (2) Dramatic improvement in spectrum effi4 ciency would spur innovation, investment, and eco5 nomic growth. 

6 (3) Radio frequency spectrum is vital for emer7 gency communications, national security, law en8 forcement, aviation, maritime safety, space commu9 nications, and numerous other Federal functions. 

10 (4) Prize competitions can spur innovation in 

11 the private and public sectors. 

12 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

13 In this Act— 

14 (1) the term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Federal 

15 Communications Commission; 

16 (2) the term ‘‘prize competition’’ means a prize 

17 competition conducted by the Secretary under sec18 tion 4(a); and 

19 (3) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 

20 of Commerce. 

21 SEC. 4. SPECTRUM CHALLENGE PRIZE. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the 

23 Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and 

24 Information and in consultation with the Under Secretary 

25 of Commerce for Standards and Technology, shall— 


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1 (1) conduct prize competitions to dramatically 

2 accelerate the development and commercialization of 

3 technology that improves spectrum efficiency and is 

4 capable of cost-effective deployment; and 

5 (2) define a measurable set of performance 

6 goals for participants in the prize competitions to 

7 demonstrate their solutions on a level playing field 

8 while making a significant advancement over the 

9 current state of the art. 

10 (b) AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY.—In carrying out 

11 subsection (a), the Secretary may— 

12 (1) enter into a grant, contract, cooperative 

13 agreement, or other agreement with a private sector 

14 for-profit or nonprofit entity to administer the prize 

15 competitions; 

16 (2) invite the Defense Advanced Research 

17 Projects Agency, the Commission, the National Aer18 onautics and Space Administration, the National 

19 Science Foundation, or any other Federal agency to 

20 provide advice and assistance in the design or ad21 ministration of the prize competitions; and 

22 (3) award not more than $5,000,000, in the ag23 gregate, to the winner or winners of the prize com24 petitions. 


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1 SEC. 5. CRITERIA. 

2 Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 

3 of this Act, the Commission shall publish a technical paper 

4 on spectrum efficiency providing criteria that may be used 

5 for the design of the prize competitions. 

6 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

7 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 

8 as may be necessary to carry out this Act. 

Æ 


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