D.C. Memo: Blackburn Looking at $100 Billion Spectrum Auction Haul
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Spectrum: The federal government could take in $100 billion in revenue from future spectrum auctions but for now the pipeline is clogged, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said yesterday. “One of the biggest obstacles we face are federal agencies squatting on unused spectrum that could be used more efficiently,” Blackburn said, adding that in her view about 60% of spectrum bands are held by the U.S. government. “That's why I've called for an audit of federal spectrum usage so we can free up spectrum and get it to commercial use,” she told the State of the Net conference in Washington, D.C. But FCC auctions can’t happen because the agency lost auction authority in March 2023. “We are going to have to restore that auction authority and then move forward with legislation that will build a spectrum pipeline. Getting available spectrum to auction could be as much as a $100 billion in revenue item for the federal government.”
