White House Meeting on First Responder Network Scheduled With Biden, Genachowski

Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) praised the White House for scheduling a meeting June 16 to discuss the need to provide a nationwide interoperable broadband communications network for first responders.

President Barack Obama has already come out in support of allocating D block spectrum to that network rather than auctioning it to private companies, as some Republicans and the National Broadband Plan proposed. That allocation is central to Rockefeller's incentive auction bill, which would allow the Federal Communications Commission to compensate broadcasters for giving up spectrum, which would be auctioned to wireless companies and part of the proceeds used to launch and operate the public safety network. Scheduled to attend the meeting are Vice President Joe Biden, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Attorney General Jeffrey Holder, and Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley (D).