House Gives Bipartisan Support to Two Telecom Bills

By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief

The House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to pass two bills to strengthen communications networks and improve public health data. The measures now go to the Senate. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) introduced H.R. 2501, the “Spectrum Coordination Act.” It would require the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the FCC to update their two-decade-old memorandum of understanding on spectrum coordination. According to the text, the legislation is meant to “(1) improve the process for resolving frequency allocation disputes in shared or adjacent spectrum bands, (2) ensure the efficient use of spectrum, and (3) establish reasonable timelines for information exchanges between the Administration and the Commission.” The House passed the measure by a vote of 418 to 6. Continue Reading