Spectrum Commons and Digital Dividends Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-1396
Sponsor: Rep. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA-7]
Introduced: 2003-03-20 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Archives
Arts, Culture, Religion
Auctions
Broadband
Cable television
Commerce
Communication satellites
Community centers
Compensation (Law)
Competitive bidding
Computer literacy
Computer software
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Educational technology
Educational television
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Employee training
Families
Federal Communications Commission
Federal aid to education
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Higher education
History
Housing and Community Development
Independent regulatory commissions
Infrastructure
Labor and Employment
Law
Libraries
Licenses
Low-income housing
Museums
National service
Nonprofit organizations
Occupational retraining
Public broadcasting
Radio spectrum allocation
Radio stations
Relocation
Research and development
School personnel
Secondary education
Self-help devices for the disabled
Social Welfare
Standards
Teacher education
Television broadcasting
Television frequency allocation
Television programs
Television relay systems
Television stations
Trusts and trustees
Unemployment
Wireless communication
Youth services

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: Spectrum Commons and Digital Dividends Act of 2003 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to establish in the Treasury the Digital Dividends Trust Fund to be used for: (1) human capital telecommunications investments; and (2) broadband infrastructure investments for public access and rural technological development.
Amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to make funds from such Fund available to the Secretary of Commerce to carry out a: (1) Human Capital Telecommunications Investment Program; and (2) Public Broadband Infrastructure Investments Program. Earmarks a specified amount of funds for the latter program for converting public broadcasting facilities to digital technology.
Directs the Secretary to prepare, make publicly available, and submit to the President, Congress, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) a report that: (1) designates two specified bands of frequencies for reallocation to the public for unlicensed use; (2) designates bands of frequencies for reallocation for the provision of advanced wireless services; and (3) establishes a plan for the relocation or modification of Federal stations currently occupying frequencies located at 1710-1850 megahertz.
Requires the FCC to allocate some of the 1710-1850 megahertz frequencies for wireless services.
Authorizes the relocation of the operations of Federal entities from the frequencies reallocated to wireless services. Establishes a Spectrum Relocation Trust Fund for relocation costs.
Requires a division of the proceeds from spectrum auctions for wireless services between the Relocated Federal Entities Trust Fund and the Digital Dividends Trust Fund.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E545)
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: Introduced in House