CWA Backs Rockefeller D-Block Legislation
The Communications Workers of America released a letter in support of Senate Commerce Chairman John Rockefeller's (D-W.Va) legislation that would re-allocate the D-block of spectrum for an interoperable public safety communications network.
With advances in technology and a need to access high-speed data, police, fire, and emergency personnel simply do not have enough dedicated spectrum to meet their needs.
The Rockefeller bill (S-3756) would allocate the 10 megahertz spectrum D-block to public safety nationwide. Any portion of the spectrum voluntarily returned to the FCC could be auctioned to commercial users and provide funding for the construction and maintenance of the public safety network.
As CWA President Larry Cohen notes, "In an emergency situation such as September 11, 2001 or Hurricane Katrina, public safety cannot depend upon commercial networks. Public safety needs its own dedicated network, built and maintained by network operators with skilled, career employees."
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