On July 27, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 7624, the Spectrum Innovation Act of 2022, by a bipartisan vote of 336 to 90. This bill would provide up to $10 billion for Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG 9-1-1). This bill also would provide $3.4 billion for removing Chinese telecommunications equipment from U.S. networks and extend the Federal Communications Commission’s spectrum auction authority through 2024.
To fund the nationwide NG 9-1-1 transition, this bill specifically would allocate up to $10 billion from the proceeds from the auction of portions of 3.15-3.45 GHz spectrum. It also would include funding for training, cyber security enhancements, and a public safety advisory committee to ensure that the NG 9-1-1 rollout meets the needs of state and local public safety agencies. NG 9-1-1 technology will allow public safety answering points to receive voice calls, text, video, and data (like crash information) from the public and relay this vital information to the first responders on scene.
As part of the Public Safety NG 9-1-1 Coalition, the IAFC is urging Congress to pass legislation to fund the nationwide transition to NG 9-1-1.