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www.house.govlisrael
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.STEVt; ISRAEL
Second District, New York
September 21, 2012
The Honorable Julius Genachowski
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
445 Twelfth Street, S.W.
Washington, D,C. 20554
CC: Lawrence E, Strickling
Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Avenue, N,W,
Washington, D,C. 20230
Dear Chairman Genachowski,
I am writing to express my concern for the spectrum changes mandated by the public radio
frequency portion of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act that will undoubtedly
affect first responders in my district and all across the nation.
The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of2012 states that the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) shall reallocate the spectrum currently used by public
safety eligibles, often referred to as T-Band spectrum, and begin a competitive bidding process to
grant new initial licenses for the use of the T-Band spectrum. The Act also states that the auction
proceeds from the competitive bidding process shall be available to the Assistant Secretary for
Communications and Information at the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA) to make grants in such sums as necessary to cover the relocation costs of
public safety entities from the T-Band spectrum.
The concern of many first responders in my district is that the new equipment, which needs to be
purchased in order to relocate from the T-Band spectrum to D-B1ock spectrum, will not be
sufficiently covered, This could also potentially put the citizens they serve at risk.
I respectfully ask that the fifteen member board within the NTIA that is tasked with managing all
aspects of the auction process carefully consider the cost of new equipment and work with local
first responders in each state to ensure that all necessary costs are being met in order to make the
transition as safe and smooth as possible. I would also ask that the NTIA continue to work with
Congress and other stakeholders in order to ensure that the interests of frontline fire fighters and
first responders are protected during this process.
Sincerely,
Steve Israel
Member of Congress