H.R. 5928: FIRST RESPONDER Act of 2020

116th Congress · introduced 2020-02-18 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-02-18 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Walden, Greg [R-OR-2] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Subcommittee Hearings Held. 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

FIRST RESPONDER Act of 2020

Plain summary

Fee Integrity and Responsibilities and To Regain Essential Spectrum for Public-safety Operators Needed to Deploy Equipment Reliably Act of 2020 or the FIRST RESPONDER Act of 2020 This bill repeals a provision requiring the reallocation of spectrum currently used by public safety entities and otherwise addresses 9–1–1 fees and charges collected for the purpose of supporting 9–1–1 services. Specifically, the bill repeals the requirement for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reallocate and auction the 470-512 MHz band (referred to as the T-Band spectrum ). The T-Band spectrum is a frequency range currently utilized by public safety entities in certain urban areas. The bill also requires the FCC to issue rules designating acceptable purposes and functions for the obligation or expenditure of 9–1–1 fees or charges. Such purposes and functions shall be limited to the support and implementation of 9–1–1 services and the operational expenses of public safety answering points (i.e., the points where emergency calls are routed). In addition, the bill establishes the Ending 9–1–1 Fee Diversion Now Strike Force, to which the FCC must submit any evidence it obtains that a state or taxing jurisdiction is diverting 9–1–1 fees or charges. The strike force must (1) study how the federal government can end such diversion through a determination of the effectiveness of laws and other constraints, and (2) consider whether criminal penalties should be implemented to prevent further diversion.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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

FIRST RESPONDER Act of 2020

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. Walden, Greg [R-OR-2] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

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)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Jurisdiction: The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.
Obligation: A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.
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.

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-116hr5928.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr5928 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116