WASHINGTON—Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr is once again urging Congress to restore the agency’s auction authority, arguing that the auctions have spurred innovation and produced over $233 billion in much needed revenue for the Federal government.
"U.S. leadership in wireless is also part and parcel of America's political leadership and national security,” he wrote in a letter to chairs and ranking members of two key Congressional committees that have oversight over the FCC. “When we free up spectrum, the world takes notice. It puts the wind at the backs of those working to advance our values. It ensures that next-generation wireless services develop in ways that will benefit our innovators and interests rather than regimes that seek to diminish America's standing in the world. It lets America drive the important standard-setting process, rather than taking the results that our adversaries would dish out. And it ensures that Huawei and ZTE do not dominate the development of vital, next-generation services.”
Congress’ failure to renew that authority in the last three years, he warned, is also having dire consequences. “Unfortunately, the FCC has been unable to conduct spectrum auctions since our authority to do so lapsed three years ago,” he wrote. “Since then, America has been falling behind China and many other nations when it comes to the amount of prime, mid-band spectrum necessary to power new innovations. This puts America at a significant disadvantage to China and harms the U.S. consumers.”
Carr made the comments in a letter to Senator Ted Cruz, chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and Senator Maria Cantwell, ranking member of the committee as well as Representative Brett Guthrie, chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and Representative Frank Pallone, ranking member of the committee.
The FCC recently announced plans to seek public comments on how to best auction mid-band spectrum. But it will be unable to sell the spectrum until its auction authority is renewed by Congress.
