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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Spectrum Challenge 
Prize Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The future competitiveness and global tech-
nology leadership of the United States depend, in 
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part, upon the availability and efficient use of spec-
trum. 
(2) Dramatic improvement in spectrum effi-
ciency would spur innovation, investment, and eco-
nomic growth. 
(3) Radio frequency spectrum is vital for emer-
gency communications, national security, law en-
forcement, aviation, maritime safety, space commu-
nications, and numerous other Federal functions. 
(4) Prize competitions can spur innovation in 
the private and public sectors. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Federal 
Communications Commission; 
(2) the term ‘‘prize competition’’ means a prize 
competition conducted by the Secretary under sec-
tion 4(a); and 
(3) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Commerce. 
SEC. 4. SPECTRUM CHALLENGE PRIZE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the 
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and 
Information and in consultation with the Under Secretary 
of Commerce for Standards and Technology, shall— 
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(1) conduct prize competitions to dramatically 
accelerate the development and commercialization of 
technology that improves spectrum efficiency and is 
capable of cost-effective deployment; and 
(2) define a measurable set of performance 
goals for participants in the prize competitions to 
demonstrate their solutions on a level playing field 
while making a significant advancement over the 
current state of the art. 
(b) AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY.—In carrying out 
subsection (a), the Secretary may— 
(1) enter into a grant, contract, cooperative 
agreement, or other agreement with a private sector 
for-profit or nonprofit entity to administer the prize 
competitions; 
(2) invite the Defense Advanced Research 
Projects Agency, the Commission, the National Aer-
onautics and Space Administration, the National 
Science Foundation, or any other Federal agency to 
provide advice and assistance in the design or ad-
ministration of the prize competitions; and 
(3) award not more than $5,000,000, in the ag-
gregate, to the winner or winners of the prize com-
petitions. 
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SEC. 5. CRITERIA. 
Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Commission shall publish a technical paper 
on spectrum efficiency providing criteria that may be used 
for the design of the prize competitions. 
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 
as may be necessary to carry out this Act. 
Æ 
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