(Washington, DC) Today at a House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology “Spectrum Needs for Observations in Earth and Space Sciences”, Ranking Member Frank Lucas emphasized that spectrum-sharing issues have a substantial impact on Americans and that it is essential that federal agencies develop better collaborative methods to coordinate spectrum allocation:

“All stakeholders, from federal agencies to private companies, need a spectrum allocation process that is fair, transparent, and provides certainty for decision making, particularly as we negotiate internationally over spectrum issues,” said Lucas. “Regulatory instability is bad for business and can be especially lethal to satellites if regulations are not internationally harmonized since satellite signals do not stop at borders.”

“This is a challenging topic and one which will require multiple federal agencies working together to modernize existing processes and multiple Congressional committees working in tandem to ensure that we address these issues in the most effective manner, both nationally and internationally. That being said, I am confident we can find a path forward.”

Read his complete opening statement here.

“Thank you for holding a hearing on this critical topic, Chairwoman Johnson.

Spectrum allocation may not always receive front-page news coverage, but it affects our lives daily. We use the spectrum for everything from transmitting cellphone signals to broadcasting radio stations to monitoring weather patterns. Farmers who use GPS to engage in precision agriculture rely on precise spectrum frequencies. Scientists use data from orbiting satellites to forecast severe weather events based on a spectrum. And in the future, rural Americans might receive faster and more reliable broadband internet thanks to orbiting satellite constellations using the spectrum.

Today’s hearing is timely, as it comes a day after the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report, requested by this committee, evaluating the interagency process for allocating spectrum when different interests are at play. The report clarifies that the existing process is flawed and highlights several instances where coordination fell apart. We can’t afford to have this happen again.

Our request for this GAO evaluation was prompted by the contentious process leading up to the 2019 domestic spectrum auction, which was intended to help spur the deployment of the new 5G cellular technology infrastructure. All of this came before the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference, where the U.S. negotiated updated spectrum allocation regulations and coordinated with countries worldwide.

Ahead of the auction, the weather community raised significant concerns about the potential loss of forecasting data due to the spillover from adjoining spectrum bands that would be used for 5G. This committee heard testimony from federal agencies such as NASA and NOAA about the potential adverse effects of this auction. The Acting Administrator of NOAA told us that our forecast accuracy could be degraded by as much as 30 per cent. That could have dangerous consequences for families and businesses and our ability to protect lives and property in severe weather.

As I said at the time, we all support the deployment of 5G. Advanced wireless communications offer many economic development opportunities for our constituents and help us remain competitive with China. With the growth of remote work and education since the pandemic, having reliable and fast connectivity is even more critical now than ever. But spectrum allocation decisions cannot be about choosing connectivity over forecasting. We are responsible for seeking a balance between the needs of federal users and non-commercial users of the spectrum and commercial users of the spectrum.

That is why the release of this GAO report is essential. It identified several flaws and gaps in the processes for resolving interagency disagreements over spectrum allocation and incidents in which agencies failed to coordinate effectively. The report also offers 11 recommendations for executive action, which would result in an improved process in the future. The Science Committee must work with the other Committees of jurisdiction to ensure the agencies address these recommendations.

All stakeholders, from federal agencies to private companies, need a spectrum allocation process that is fair and transparent and provides certainty for decision-making, particularly as we negotiate internationally over spectrum issues. Regulatory instability is bad for business and can be especially lethal to satellites if regulations are not internationally harmonized since satellite signals do not stop at borders.

We must note that the issues surrounding the spectrum allocation process in 2019 were not the first time spectrum allocations have been the source of controversy and will certainly not be the last time. Indeed, the importance of spectrum allocation will continue to grow as we face increased utilization of 5G devices and the Internet of Things.

This challenging topic will require multiple federal agencies to work together to modernize existing processes and numerous Congressional committees to work in tandem to ensure that we address these issues most effectively, nationally and internationally. That being said, I am confident we can find a path forward.

I want to thank our panel of witnesses for appearing before us today. They represent a variety of experts on spectrum issues who can speak to how the federal interagency process is intended to work, how it has worked previously and ways federal agencies and Congress can work to improve the process moving forward.”

Source: Press Release
Date: July 20, 2021
Heather Vaughan
(202) 680-8577