The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted on several bills aimed at streamlining the process of applying for broadband infrastructure deployment grants and removing barriers to such projects yesterday. The most comprehensive measure sent to the full House is the Spectrum Reauthorization Act of 2023.
Sponsored by Committee Chair Senator Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), the bill would reauthorize the FCC’s ability to conduct spectrum auctions for three years. If passed by Congress, it would devote a portion of auction proceeds to fully fund the FCC’s Rip & Replace reimbursement program for small, rural carriers trying to remove untrusted Chinese gear from Huawei and ZTE from their networks. It would also devote a portion of the auction proceeds to fund NextGen 911 to update technology in the nation’s emergency call centers.
Doris Matsui (D-CA) emphasized the urgency of making up a more than $3 billion funding shortfall in Rip & Replace. “I cannot stress enough the severity of the threat. There is Chinese gear in U.S. networks. It’s carrying our personal, financial and health information. This is an emergency. Without more funding, the FCC will be forced to pro-rate” the next tranche of funding, Matsui said.
Rodgers said the measure “restores order” to the 3 GHz auction. Of the $3.08 billion Rip & Replace shortfall, she said, “If this legislation does not become law before July 15 many rural carriers could go out of business.”
Several Democrats said the bills passed yesterday weaken environmental and historic preservation review for deployments. GOP members countered the legislation removes unnecessary additional reviews on land that has already been disturbed — reviews that add unneeded time and costs to a broadband infrastructure project. Several Democratic amendments to change this aspect of the legislation failed.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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