[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 102 (Monday, July 19, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1593-E1594]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2000

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. TOM BLILEY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 14, 1999

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2466) making 
     appropriations for the Department of the Interior and related 
     agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, and 
     for other purposes.


  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Chairman, section 322 of H.R. 2466 is a funding 
limitation to prevent monies appropriated under the bill to be used by 
the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) 
for spectrum purposes, GSA Telecommunication Centers, or the 
President's Council on Sustainable Development. I rise in opposition to 
this provision's applicability to NTIA's spectrum functions because of 
its potential impact on telecommunications policy and efficient use of 
the radio spectrum by government users.
  Spectrum management issues fall within the jurisdiction of the 
Commerce Committee. As our Members have learned over the years, 
spectrum management is a complex task that requires detailed and 
analysis and consideration. Under the current process, the Federal 
Communications Commission (FCC) oversees the use of spectrum by private 
entities and NTIA oversees the use of spectrum by government entities, 
including the Department of Interior.
  NTIA currently is required to be reimbursed by all federal agencies 
for the spectrum management functions NTIA does on behalf of the 
agencies. Today, federal agencies typically reimburse NTIA for about 80 
percent of the costs associated with spectrum management. Since its 
inception, reimbursement by federal agencies to NTIA for spectrum 
functions has had a positive impact on the spectrum efficiency of 
federal agencies. Putting a cost on government spectrum has caused 
agencies to reassess exactly how much spectrum and what precise 
frequencies they need to complete their mission. This cost, however, is 
not an attempt to decrease or interfere with the valuable functions 
that federal agencies use spectrum for. In practice, the concept has 
promoted spectrum efficiency and promoted the efficiency of NTIA's 
spectrum management functions.

[[Page E1594]]

  Section 322 would, in effect, prohibit the Department of Interior 
from reimbursing NTIA for spectrum functions. The Department of the 
Interior has already been required to reimburse NTIA since FY1996 and 
had to take into account such provisions prior to submitting a budget 
request to the Congress for FY2000. Section 322 is a direct effort to 
undermine the reimbursement effort and provides the Department of 
Interior with extra funding for other purposes for FY2000 that they 
wouldn't have otherwise. Providing the Department of the Interior with 
a statutory mechanism to avoid paying its fair share for spectrum 
management functions is not sound policy.
  Further, section 322 could harm the Department of Interior's use of 
spectrum because under current restrictions NTIA is prohibited from 
providing any spectrum functions to a federal agency that does not 
reimburse NTIA for such functions. To the extent that the Department of 
Interior does not have funding outside of the monies provided in H.R. 
2466, the Congress may be limiting the spectrum functions and 
capabilities of the Department of Interior. In effect, this provision 
may be prohibiting the Department of Interior from reimbursing NTIA for 
spectrum functions and as a result preventing the Department of 
Interior from using spectrum.
  The Commerce Committee intends to move legislation reauthorizing NTIA 
this session. In particular, the Subcommittee on Telecommunications, 
Trade, and Consumer Protection is considering legislation to codify the 
current reimbursement practices and expand on the level of 
reimbursement from federal agencies to 100 percent. If any effort is 
necessary to adjust, alter, or exempt any federal agency from 
reimbursing NTIA for spectrum functions it should be through this 
vehicle and not through an appropriations bill.
  Accordingly, I believe that section 322 may have a negative impact on 
spectrum policy. The Commerce Committee will be active to ensure that 
the inclusion of any provision within the final version of this bill 
not interfere or cause harm to telecommunications policy. I 
respectfully request that these concerns be taken into account during 
further consideration of this legislation.

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