Congress Promises DTV Action for Emergency Communications

Emergency communications would get a major boost if Congress passes digital television transition legislation freeing spectrum for public safety uses, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) said at a hearing examining needs of first responders. If the bill doesn't pass, Sen Stevens said, future funding for interoperable communications would be difficult to get through Congress in coming years. He promising a DTV bill markup Oct. 19 in preparation for delivery to the Senate Budget Committee Oct. 26. The House DTV bill is likely to be marked up the same week as the Senate, after an Oct. 10-14 break, industry sources said. Meanwhile, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in a report Wednesday that first responders are challenged by a lack of interoperable emergency communications. Its recommendations to the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies: 1) Complete a database on communication frequencies; 2) Determine the status of wireless public safety communications nationwide; 3) Tie grant funding to statewide interoperability plans; and 4) Review the interoperability functions of Safety Interoperable Communications Program (SAFECOM). DHS has agreed to take some, but not all, of the corrective actions we recommended, the report said.
(Not available online)
See also:
* Link to House Commerce Committee Hearing
http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Hearings/09292005hearing1648/hearing...
* FCC Chairman Kevin Martin at House Commerce Committee Hearing
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-261417A1.pdf
* Link to Senate Commerce Committee Hearing
http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/witnesslist.cfm?id=1622
* FCC's Kenneth P. Moran Director at Senate Commerce Committee
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-261418A1.pdf