Walden: Congress Won't Be Rushed Into Spectrum Decision

"There are a lot of wolves at the door when it comes to spectrum," House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) said, but he conceded there was a huge demand behind all that huffing and puffing.

He told an American Cable Association summit audience that spectrum was an important and valuable commodity held by the public -- he is a former broadcaster -- and that country needed to get the spectrum issue right. Chairman Walden said that he did not know whether an incentive auction bill paying broadcasters for giving up spectrum would be passed this year. The FCC has been pushing Congress to pass a bill ASAP so it can reclaim spectrum for wireless broadband before a looming spectrum crunch gets any worse. But Chairman Walden was suggesting a more tortoise than hare approach. He said he would not be "rushed by arbitrary or historical timelines or deadlines," adding: "I want to make sure the subcommittee and the full committee have as solid an understanding of spectrum needs and demands and issues involved as possible before we legislate." He said he does plan to legislate, but that he "wants to get it right" the first time.