Spectrum Availability for Emergency-Response and Law-Enforcement To Improve Vital Emergency Services Act

Bill: 108-s-2820
Sponsor: Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2004-09-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Auctions
Broadband
Commerce
Competitive bidding
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer education
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Emergency communication systems
Emergency medicine
Equipment and supplies
Federal Communications Commission
Federal-Indian relations
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Governmental investigations
Grants-in-aid
Health
Health information systems
Hospitals
Independent regulatory commissions
Labeling
Law
Licenses
Medical personnel
Minorities
Native Americans
Police communication systems
Radio spectrum allocation
Research and development
Signs and signboards
Standards
Strategic planning
Subsidies
Telecommunication systems
Television
Television frequency allocation
Television industry
Television relay systems
Wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2004-09-21
text: 
Spectrum Availability for Emergency-Response and Law-Enforcement to Improve Vital Emergency Services (SAVE LIVES) Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to extend the service period for renewed television broadcast licenses that authorize analog television service. Eliminates the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC's) authority to grant service period extensions beyond the specified date.
 
Directs the FCC to assign electromagnetic spectrum for commercial use within one year of transmitting the public safety report.
 
Requires the FCC to report to specified congressional committees on strategies for meeting public safety communications needs and the advisability of reallocating certain spectrum for unlicensed broadband uses.
 
Requires the Department of Homeland Security's Under Secretary for Science and Technology to establish the Wireless Public Safety Interoperability Communications Program (SAFECOM) and to complete a communications interoperability study.
 
Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a grant program to help first responders acquire and deploy interoperable communications equipment.
 
Establishes the Digital Transition Consumer Assistance Fund.
 
Requires the Secretary to establish a program to assist households in transitioning from analog to digital television. 
 
Gives the FCC authority to require analog television sets that will be incapable of broadcasting digital signals without an external device to be labeled as such.
 
Requires the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to recommend to specified congressional committees a program to educate consumers about the transition to digital broadcast signals.
 
Directs the FCC to issue final decisions in three pending proceedings.

action_date: 2004-11-19
text: 
Spectrum Availability for Emergency-Response and Law-Enforcement to Improve Vital Emergency Services (SAVE LIVES) Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from granting any extension in the required reassignment of broadcasting stations between 764 and 776 and 794 and 806 megahertz for public safety services. Directs the FCC to complete the assignment of the electromagnetic spectrum between such stations, and to permit operations by public safety services on those frequencies commencing no later than January 1, 2008. Authorizes the FCC, beginning on such date, to modify or reassign the licenses of licensees as necessary to permit such new operations. Allows the FCC to waive such requirements in specified circumstances.
 
Requires the FCC to report to specified congressional committees on strategies for meeting public safety communications needs and the advisability of reallocating spectrum in the 700 megahertz band for unlicensed broadband uses.
 
Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Department of Homeland Security's Under Secretary for Science and Technology to establish the Wireless Public Safety Interoperability Communications Program (SAFECOM) and to complete a communications interoperability study. Authorizes appropriations.
 
Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a grant program to help first responders acquire and deploy interoperable communications equipment.
 
Establishes the Digital Transition Consumer Assistance Fund. Authorizes appropriations. 
 
Requires the Secretary of Commerce to establish a program to assist households in transitioning from analog to digital television. Requires the program to: (1) become publicly available no later than January 1, 2008; and (2) give first priority to assisting lower income households.
 
Gives the FCC authority to require analog television sets sold or offered for sale after September 30, 2005, that will be incapable of broadcasting digital signals without an external device to be labeled as such.
 
Requires the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to recommend to specified congressional committees a program to educate consumers about the transition to digital broadcast signals.
 
Directs the FCC to issue final decisions in three pending proceedings. Requires the FCC, in one of the proceedings, to establish minimum guidelines for locally originated programming, local electoral and public affairs programming, and independently produced programming for television broadcast licensees.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-12-07
text: By Senator McCain from Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation filed written report. Report No. 108-428.
action_date: 2004-12-07
text: By Senator McCain from Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation filed written report. Report No. 108-428.
action_date: 2004-11-19
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 816.
action_date: 2004-11-19
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator McCain with amendments. Without written report.
action_date: 2004-11-19
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator McCain with amendments. Without written report.
action_date: 2004-09-22
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2004-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2004-09-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9445-9447)
action_date: 2004-09-21
text: Introduced in Senate