H.R. 911: Spectrum Inventory and Auction Act of 2011

112th Congress · introduced 2011-03-03 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2011-03-03 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Barrow, John [D-GA-12] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. 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 Inventory and Auction Act of 2011

Plain summary

Spectrum Inventory and Auction Act of 2011 - Amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to require the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information at the Department of Commerce and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to: (1) inventory, at least semiannually, each broadband radio spectrum band of frequencies listed in the U.S. Table of Frequency Allocations, including the identity of each federal or non-federal user within each radio service authorized to operate in each band of frequencies, the activities and capabilities (whether space-, air-, or ground-based) supported by transmitters and other radio frequency devices, the total amount of spectrum and geographic coverage areas assigned or licensed to each user, and other specified information; and (2) make the inventory available to the public on an Internet website. Directs the Assistant Secretary and the FCC to submit to Congress a biennial report containing a recommendation of which bands of inventoried frequencies, if any, should be reallocated or made available for shared access. Sets forth exceptions for federal agencies to withhold certain national security information. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to provide that, if the FCC determines that it is consistent with the public interest in spectrum utilization (after a report of the initial inventory is submitted to Congress and made available on the Internet) for a licensee to voluntarily relinquish licensed spectrum usage rights to permit the assignment of new initial licenses or the allocation of spectrum for unlicensed use subject to new service rules, the proceeds from granting such rights to another licensee under an appropriate competitive bidding system must be shared, in a more than de minimis amount that the FCC considers appropriate, with the licensee who voluntarily relinquished such rights. Directs the FCC to establish rules for such voluntary incentive auction revenue sharing. Prohibits the FCC from reclaiming frequencies of any licensees on an involuntary basis for certain licensing purposes. Extends the FCC's authority to grant a license or permit under the applicable competitive bidding provisions to September 30, 2020.

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

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A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Spectrum Inventory and Auction Act of 2011

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Barrow, John [D-GA-12] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)

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 (4)

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.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112hr911.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/hr>

Record fed-us-cong112-hr911 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112