Spectrum dropped from payroll tax deal

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The Senate bill to extend the payroll tax holiday does not include spectrum provisions that were in the House GOP version of the legislation. The Senate approved the package on Dec 17 in an 89-10 vote, and it now awaits approval in the House. The spectrum legislation would have incentivized television broadcasters to give up their airwaves for the government to auction to wireless companies, which are struggling to meet the growing data demands of smartphones and tablet computers.

The major source of disagreement is over the House language dealing with the governance and funding of the national broadband public safety network that would be established under the bill.

“I’m deeply disappointed that measures to create a first responder communications network were not included in the larger year-end package,” Senate Commerce Committee Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) said. “Our police officers, firefighters, and emergency personnel across America need to be able to rely on a nationwide, interoperable communications network when the unimaginable happens. Although we didn’t get this done within today’s agreement, I intend to push hard in the coming weeks to work out a suitable compromise with the House."


Spectrum dropped from payroll tax deal Spectrum Auctions Cut From End-of-Year Package (B&C) No Hill Auction Action Until at Least 2012