The Senate Commerce Committee’s reconciliation proposal to sell slices of spectrum is generating warnings that the move will interfere with sensitive aviation instruments like radio altimeters, threatening aviation safety.
The concern spells potential trouble for the panel’s proposed spectrum auctions. Defense hawks had already been concerned that the sale could limit the Pentagon’s access to the sensitive portion of the spectrum used for activities like missile defense systems. It’s not clear whether the committee plan allayed those concerns.
Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., ranking member on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, is sounding alarms over provisions that would require the Federal Communications Commission to auction at least 100 megahertz in the 3.98-4.2 gigahertz band within two years. The panel says the auctions would generate $85 billion in deficit reduction over 10 years.
