Federal Spectrum Incentive Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-1641
Sponsor: Rep. Guthrie, Brett [R-KY-2]
Introduced: 2015-03-26 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Appropriations
Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies
Budget deficits and national debt
Government information and archives
Government trust funds
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: 

Federal Spectrum Incentive Act of 2015

 
Amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to allow federal entities that utilize government station licenses to participate in the incentive auction program under which licensees of electromagnetic spectrum voluntarily relinquish their spectrum rights in order for such spectrum to be auctioned for a repurposed commercial use in exchange for a percentage of the auction proceeds.
 
Permits such federal entities, instead of being reimbursed for the costs of sharing frequencies with nonfederal users or relocating to other frequencies as provided for under current law, to receive a percentage of the proceeds from spectrum it relinquishes for auction by electing to: (1) discontinue operations on eligible frequencies without relocating to other frequencies, or (2) relocate operations to frequencies assigned to another federal entity in order for such entities to share frequencies.
 
Establishes in the Treasury a Federal Spectrum Incentive Fund to be administered by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in consultation with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
 
Requires 1% of the proceeds from such auctions to be deposited in such Fund and the remainder to be deposited in the general fund of the Treasury for the sole purpose of deficit reduction.
 
Directs OMB to transfer from the Fund to a federal entity a specified amount attributable to the auction of frequencies vacated by such entity. Permits federal entities to use such amounts for: (1) any purposes permitted under the terms and conditions of an appropriations account that was subject to sequestration for any fiscal year under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, provided that the amount used does not exceed the amount by which the account was reduced by sequestration for such fiscal year; or (2) a transfer of amounts to an incumbent federal entity for such purposes when the federal entity relinquishing spectrum relocates its operations to frequencies assigned to another federal entity in order to share frequencies.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-12-02
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
action_date: 2015-12-02
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2015-08-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities.
action_date: 2015-03-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Introduced in House