S. 4049 — Introduced in Senate

II 118th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4049 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 21, 2024Mr. Daines (for himself, Mr. Wicker, and Ms. Lummis) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To appropriate more funds for the Federal Communication Commission's rip and replace program, to require a spectrum auction, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Supporting National Security with Spectrum Act. 2. Additional rip and replace funding Section 4(k) of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1603(k)) is amended by striking $1,900,000,000 and inserting $4,980,000,000. 3. Appropriation of funds There is appropriated to the Federal Communications Commission for fiscal year 2024, out of amounts in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $3,080,000,000, to remain available until expended, to carry out section 4 of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1603). 4. FCC Auction 97 reauction of certain licenses; completion of reauction (a) FCC Auction 97 reauction of certain licenses Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall initiate a system of competitive bidding under section 309(j) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 309(j)) to grant licenses for spectrum in the inventory of the Commission within the bands of frequencies referred to by the Commission as the AWS–3 bands, without regard to whether the authority of the Commission under paragraph (11) of that section has expired. (b) Completion of reauction The Federal Communications Commission shall complete the system of competitive bidding described in subsection (a), including receiving payments, processing applications, and granting licenses, without regard to whether the authority of the Commission under paragraph (11) of section 309(j) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 309(j)) has expired.