House Democrats introduce public safety broadband bill

Reps Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD), members of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, introduced a bill that would provide $300 million to research the creation of a national public safety broadband network.

The Public Safety Broadband Network Enabling Act would fund the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for research, development and standards activities to enable the creation of the public safety network. NIST would be authorized to research and help develop technologies that would improve the safety of the public safety network, document the operational requirements and help develop national, voluntary standards addressing those requirements.