Public Safety Broadband Authorization Act of 2008

Public Safety Broadband Authorization Act of 2008 - Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to modify the nationwide license issued under the Communications Act of 1934 to the Public Safety Broadband Licensee (PSBL) for the use of the broadband spectrum allocated for public safety services to require, among other things, that the PSBL: (1) collaborate with a commercial entity to establish a nationwide, interoperable broadband public safety communications network; (2) be representative of the public safety community; (3) be nonprofit; and (4) have no participation in its management by commercial interests.

Requires the FCC to make grants to the PSBL for administrative and operational costs.

[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H.R. 6055 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6055

     To require the Federal Communications Commission to establish 
requirements and issue a nationwide public safety broadband license, to 
establish a grant program to fund administrative and operational costs 
                of the licensee, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 14, 2008

  Ms. Harman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To require the Federal Communications Commission to establish 
requirements and issue a nationwide public safety broadband license, to 
establish a grant program to fund administrative and operational costs 
                of the licensee, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Public Safety Broadband 
Authorization Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. PUBLIC SAFETY BROADBAND LICENSE.

    (a) In General.--The Federal Communications Commission shall modify 
the nationwide license issued under the Communications Act of 1934 to 
the Public Safety Broadband Licensee (``PSBL'') for the use of the 
broadband segment of the spectrum allocated for public safety services 
under section 337(a)(1) of such Act (47 U.S.C. 337(a)(1)) as required 
by subsection (b).
    (b) License Requirements.--The license under subsection (a) shall 
require, at a minimum, that the PSBL--
            (1) collaborate with a commercial entity to establish a 
        nationwide, interoperable broadband public safety 
        communications network;
            (2) be broadly representative of the public safety 
        community;
            (3) operate as a not-for-profit organization;
            (4) have no participation in its management by commercial 
        entities or interests;
            (5) submit an annual budget to the Commission that includes 
        both projected expenditures and income; and
            (6) submit a report to the Commission, the Committee on 
        Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, and the 
        Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
        Senate not later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal year 
        documenting all income and expenditures made in such fiscal 
        year.

SEC. 3. GRANT FOR ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATIONAL COSTS.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall make grants, not to exceed 
$1,000,000 per fiscal year for each of fiscal years 2009 and 2010, to 
the PSBL to fund administrative and operational costs.
    (b) Budget Required.--Prior to making a grant under subsection (a), 
the Commission shall review and approve the budget submitted under 
section (2)(b)(5).
    (c) Grant Restrictions.--Upon receipt of grant funds under this 
section, the PSBL shall not--
            (1) receive any payments from any entity in each fiscal 
        year covered by such grant funds; and
            (2) use any grant funds received to pay any debts that the 
        PSBL had incurred before the receipt of such grant funds.
    (d) Use of Appropriated Funds.--Any sums appropriated to the 
Commission pursuant to this Act for which the Commission does not make 
grants under this section shall be used by the Commission to promote 
the establishment of a nationwide, interoperable broadband public 
safety communications network.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act, the following definitions apply:
            (1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' refers to the 
        Federal Communications Commission.
            (2) Public safety broadband licensee.--The term ``Public 
        Safety Broadband Licensee'' or ``PSBL'' has the meaning given 
        the term in section 90.7 of the Commission's rules (47 C.F.R. 
        90.7) as in effect on May 1, 2008.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Commission to carry 
out this Act $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 and 2010.
                                 <all>