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Legislative Priorities Update: D-Block Developments in the House and Senate

Published Date: 07.28.2011

Fire Police Fairness Act Introduced in Senate; SERVE Act Introduced in House

D-Block Developments in House and Senate

On July 11, Congressman John Dingell (D-MI) introduced H.R. 2482, the Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act, along with original co-sponsor Gene Green (D-TX). Dingell and Green are both members of the House Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee, which Dingell once chaired. On July 14, California Representatives Henry Waxman and Anna Eshoo, the highest ranking Democrats on the E&C and the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, respectively, circulated a discussion draft of the Public Safety Broadband Wireless Innovation Act. These actions are particularly significant because E&C has primary jurisdiction on communications legislation.

H.R. 2482 and the draft Waxman-Eshoo bill are the latest in an ongoing effort on Capitol Hill to allocate 10 MHz of radio spectrum in the 700 MHz band (commonly referred to as the “D-Block”) to public safety for the purpose of building a nationwide broadband communications network. Construction of such a network is one of the National Volunteer Fire Council’s (NVFC) top legislative priorities.

A cost estimate for similar legislation in the Senate, S. 911, which was approved by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) in June, was released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on July 20. A joint statement released by Senators Jay Rockefeller IV (D-WV) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), the sponsors of S. 911 and the Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the CST Committee, said:

“The Congressional Budget Office’s estimate reconfirms that our bill builds a robust public safety network, pays for itself, and still generates real deficit reduction. This is just another step along the path to final passage. S. 911 has strong bipartisan support, and we look forward to getting it through the Senate.”

Fire Police Fairness Act Introduced in Senate

On June 30, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) along with original co-sponsor Joe Lieberman (D-CT) introduced S. 1315, the Fire Police Fairness Act. The bill is companion legislation to H.R. 1348, introduced in April by Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT), and would allow fire police officers who are officially dispatched and acting as members of a qualified public safety agency to be eligible for the Public Safety Officers’ Benefit. The NVFC supports S. 1315 and H.R. 1348.

SERVE Act Introduced in House

On July 11, Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) introduced H.R. 2488, the Supporting Emergency Responders Volunteer Efforts (SERVE) Act of 2011, which would provide a $1,000 income tax credit for individuals who are bona fide volunteer members of volunteer firefighting and emergency medical service organizations. The bill is companion legislation to S. 932, introduced in May by Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY). The NVFC supports H.R. 2488 and S. 932.

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