S. 3610: Spectrum Measurement and Policy Reform Act

111th Congress · introduced 2010-07-19 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2010-07-19 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Spectrum Measurement and Policy Reform Act

Plain summary

Spectrum Measurement and Policy Reform Act - Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to conduct a study of occupancy on the electromagnetic spectrum (between, at least, 100 megahertz and 10 gigahertz) based on the extent of the use of such spectrum, including the amount and percentage of spectrum used in the band and the duration and percentage of time such spectrum is in use. Directs the FCC and the Administration to determine appropriate benchmarks for assessing: (1) the utilization of each electromagnetic spectrum band; and (2) the availability of services operating in other bands capable of offering substitutable services. Directs the FCC and the Administration to identify specified close proximity electromagnetic spectrum most feasible for: (1) spectrum sharing opportunities for commercial and government users; (2) spectrum reuse opportunities for commercial and government users; (3) temporary or dynamic short-term assignment and use; and (4) spectrum layering opportunities for commercial and government users. Directs the FCC and the Administration to: (1) implement pilot programs to promote spectrum sharing and reuse activities for such identified spectrum bands; (2) perform a cost-benefit analysis on electromagnetic spectrum relocation opportunities to move certain federal users and services currently operating in a specific band of the spectrum to more efficient spectrum bands; and (3) establish the Spectrum Advisory Committee. Amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to: (1) withhold or refuse to assign frequencies for mobile radio service or other radio service; (2) assess from each federal user an annual fee for the assigned spectrum that is based on the spectrum's fair market commercial value; and (3) develop an auction revenue sharing plan where, in exchange for relinquishing spectrum usage rights, certain federal users currently operating in an assigned spectrum band would receive as an auction incentive award a percentage of the auction revenue from any resulting auction. Amends the the Communications Act of 1934 to: (1) provide that, if consistent with the public interest for a licensee to relinquish some or all of its spectrum usage rights in order to permit the assignment of new initial licenses or the allocation of spectrum for unlicensed use, the proceeds from the use of a competitive bidding system may be shared with any licensee who agreed to relinquish such usage rights; and (2) authorize the FCC to assess from each spectrum licensee an annual fee based on the fair market commercial value of that spectrum and the public interest of the service the spectrum is being used for. Amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to provide for the reversion of unused Spectrum Relocation Fund amounts to the Treasury after 20 years (current law provides for reversion after 8 years).

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Spectrum Measurement and Policy Reform Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-111s3610.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/111/s>

Record fed-us-cong111-s3610 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111