S. 522: Spectrum Relocation Improvement Act of 2011

112th Congress · introduced 2011-03-09 · 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 2011-03-09 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA] · 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 Relocation Improvement Act of 2011

Plain summary

Spectrum Relocation Improvement Act of 2011 - Amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to require the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to post on its website (while taking appropriate measures to safeguard classified or sensitive information) detailed transition plans from each federal entity that is eligible for payments from the Spectrum Relocation Fund for costs related to the reallocation of frequencies from federal to nonfederal use. Requires each federal entity's transition plan to provide certain public information about its spectrum relocation requirements including its: (1) current spectrum use; (2) geographic location of federal facilities or systems, including frequency bands used; (3) steps to be taken to relocate current spectrum uses from eligible frequencies; (4) necessary NTIA interactions; (5) authorized commercial licensee negotiator; (6) plans and timelines for equipment procurement, field-testing, and additional personnel; and (7) relocation process risk factors. Directs the FCC and the NTIA to jointly establish any necessary applicable conditions to define the term "shared access," including methods of sharing spectrum resources and coordination between federal and nonfederal entities (commercial licensees, and/or sharing network infrastructure or other resources). Requires the federal entities, to the fullest extent possible, to provide for sharing and coordination of eligible frequencies with commercial licensees. Requires federal entities to complete spectrum relocation within one year of receiving relocation payments. Sets forth a process for a federal entity to complete such relocation according to an approved alternative time period.

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

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Spectrum Relocation Improvement Act of 2011

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Roger F. Wicker (R-MS)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA] reported raising $20.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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-112s522.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/s>

Record fed-us-cong112-s522 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112