Reps. Zeldin, Engel, King, Green Urge Passage of "Don't Break Up the T-Band Act" Following GAO Report

Press Release

Today, following the release of a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, Representatives Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), Eliot Engel (D, NY-16), Peter King (R, NY-2), and Al Green (D, TX09) urged passage of the "Don't Break up the T-Band Act," H.R. 491, legislation that would repeal the provision of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, which mandates the sale of the T-Band spectrum. H.R. 491 would allow law-enforcement, fire officials, and EMS to continue using the T-Band spectrum to operate their radios for day-to-day life saving operations. The GAO reported the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) finding that relocating users from the T-Band spectrum would cost $5 billion to $6 billion and recommended Congress consider legislation allowing the continued use of the spectrum.

Currently, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is required to reallocate and auction the T-Band spectrum by 2021, which would endanger public safety communications in major metropolitan areas across the United States. The T-Band is a portion of spectrum used in 11 heavily populated metropolitan areas, covering over 90 million Americans, to support critical public safety communications (i.e. police and fire radios) and provide regional interoperability among first responders. Public safety agencies have spent numerous years and hundreds of millions of dollars of federal, state and local funds to plan and build out these T-Band networks. The result is battle-tested public safety networks that provide resilient coverage, reliability and regional interoperability. This spectrum is essential to public safety and for many public safety entities there is nowhere else to move, so Reps. Zeldin, Engel, King, and Green have introduced the "Don't Break Up the T-Band Act" to preserve the T-Band spectrum before it is reallocated for good.

Congressman Zeldin (R, NY-1) said, "Our first responders bravely and selflessly put their lives on the line each and every day to protect our communities, and our first priority must be ensuring they have the resources they need to safely and effectively do their jobs. From hurricanes to fires, in the most dire situations, the T-band spectrum provides critical communication between first responders. Even when cell phones, internet, and electricity cease to function, T-band is the last line of defense, and selling off this spectrum would not only be a disservice to our nation's first responders and the millions of Americans they serve, but to our nation's taxpayers. I thank my colleagues from both sides of the aisle for their efforts to ensure our first responders have the tools they need and look forward to getting this important victory over the finish line."

Congressman Engel (D, NY-16) said, "This report reiterates what my colleagues and I have been saying about selling the T-band spectrum: it would not only make things more difficult and less reliable for our first-responders, it would also cost an arm and a leg. There really is no compelling reason to do this, but Congressional action is still needed to prevent it from happening. Thus, I authored the "Don't Break Up the T-Band Act' last Congress and I'm proud to have reintroduced it this Congress with bipartisan support from Reps. Zeldin, King, and Green. Following the GAO report, the House should move quickly to pass our bill."

Congressman Peter King (R, NY-2) said, "This legislation allows our first responders to take advantage of resilient and reliable telecommunication technologies while still retaining their radio communications. In addition, it will remove the requirement to redo emergency communications infrastructure which cost hundreds of millions of dollars and would be an overwhelming and unnecessary financial burden to our state and local governments."

Congressman Al Green (R, TX-9) said, "This GAO report is further evidence of why Congress must pass H.R. 491, the Don't Break Up the T-Band Act of 2019. If Congress fails to act, we will not only hamper the abilities of first responders, but will do so at a cost of billions of dollars."

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