*Pages 1--1 from  Microsoft Word - 43749.doc*
 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  TTY  202/  418-  2555  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT  November  8,  2004  David  Fiske  202-  418-  0513 
 Statement  of  FCC  Chairman  Michael  Powell  on  GAO  Opinion  Letter  Regarding  FCC  Action  in  800  MHz  Proceeding 
 I  am  pleased  that  GAO  recognizes  the  FCC's  legal  authority  to  implement  a  solution  to  the  800  MHz  interference  problem. 
 The  GAO  independently  confirmed  that  the  Commission's  authority  to  regulate  spectrum  in  the  public  interest  is  broad  enough  to  include  the  tools  we  utilized  to  resolve  this  critical 
 public  safety  matter. 
 GAO's  decision  provides  further  impetus  to  the  entire  industry  to  work  with  the  FCC  as  we  implement  our  plan  to  improve  communications  for  public  safety  and  emergency  responders. 


 -  FCC  - 
1