Bill · S. 794· Senate(119-S-794)
A bill to require the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to audit Federal spectrum.
- Introduced
- 2/27/2025
- Last activity
- 2/27/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Sponsored by
- Mike Lee
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill requires the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to perform an audit of Federal spectrum. The audit must cover the electromagnetic spectrum assigned or allocated to each Federal entity as of the date of the audit. The Assistant Secretary is tasked with submitting a report containing the results of this audit to Congress. This report must include details such as specific bands used, their purposes, and geographic areas of use. The final report should be submitted in an unclassified form, though it may include a classified annex. Additionally, the Assistant Secretary must coordinate with the Secretary of Transportation to avoid duplicating existing audits.
Yes· 3 of 6
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+3
The requirement for an unclassified report to Congress increases transparency regarding federal spectrum usage.
Is this likely to grow the economy?+2
By identifying unused spectrum, the bill could facilitate more efficient use of resources for economic and technological growth.
Does this get reliable internet to more people?+2
Identifying unused spectrum could lead to increased capacity and better connectivity options.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Transparency through Reporting: Under Section 1(b)(2), the Assistant Secretary must submit a report to Congress and make it available to Members of Congress upon request, which provides oversight regarding how Federal entities use spectrum.
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Detailed Information on Spectrum Usage: Section 1(c) requires the report to include specific details, such as the purpose of each band, how much of the band is being used, and whether it is used exclusively or shared. This provides a clear picture of how spectrum is being utilized by Federal entities.
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Identification of Unused Resources: Section 1(c)(5) requires the report to identify any portion of the spectrum that is not being used by a Federal entity, which could highlight available spectrum.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts or burdens are explicitly stated in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+3Increases Federal Power+1
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Economic Growth+2Improves Fiscal Responsibility+1
- Education And Technology
- Improves Internet Access+2
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Business Owners+1
- 2/27/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Introduced in Senate