VIDEO RELEASE: Senate Panel Approves Legislation to Create Public Safety Broadband Network
Press Release
U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, today announced that the Committee has approved the "Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act." The legislation approved today would help fulfill an important recommendation of the 9/11 Commission and create a much-needed, nationwide wireless network for public safety officials to communicate during emergencies.
"The attacks of September 11th demonstrated the need for our police, firefighters and rescue personnel to have dedicated lines of communication," Lautenberg said. "The 9/11 Commission recommended a nationwide wireless emergency communications network for our first responders, and this is a recommendation that simply must be fulfilled. America's first responders put their lives on the line for us every day and it is our responsibility to provide them with the tools they need to do the job."
Watch Senator Lautenberg at today's Commerce Committee Markup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hys7vIuZkTI
Senator Lautenberg is an original co-sponsor of the "Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act," introduced by Commerce Committee Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.). The bill seeks to provide the public safety community with the radio frequency spectrum and funding needed to deploy a nationwide, interoperable, broadband network. Unlike other proposals, this bill gives the public safety community sole control of the airwaves to be used for this network. The legislation also establishes a funding program to pay for the construction and maintenance of a nationwide, public safety broadband network. The bill must now be considered by the full Senate.
Insufficient interoperability between communications systems for first responders was one of the problems identified in the 9/11 Commission Report. The 9/11 Commission Report recommended that Congress provide for the expedited and increased assignment of radio spectrum for public safety purposes and that it make federal funding a high priority.
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