[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 7, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E272-E273]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




REPACK AIRWAVES YIELDING BETTER ACCESS FOR USERS OF MODERN SERVICES ACT 
                                OF 2018

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. BILL FLORES

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 6, 2018

  Mr. FLORES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4986, RAY 
BAUM'S Act, to reauthorize the FCC. I am particularly pleased to see 
that we are addressing potential problems imposed upon our nation's 
radio broadcasters as a result of the 2012 spectrum repack.
  That auction has been a tremendous catalyst for broadband deployment, 
but it created

[[Page E273]]

unintended consequences. Many radio stations that are co-located on TV 
towers could be forced to shut down during spectrum relocation. With 
670 radio stations possibly being impacted, we must ensure our local 
radio stations are protected in a process from which they will receive 
no benefit.
  I appreciate the inclusion of section 603, which makes funds 
available for radio broadcasters to address this problem. This section 
incorporates the fundamentals of the bill that Representative Gene 
Green and I introduced in H.R. 3685, the Radio Consumer Protection Act. 
Our bipartisan bill established a radio protection fund to reimburse 
impacted stations for their costs incurred as a result of the repack.
  I am also appreciative of the addition of FM translators in section 
603. Many FM and AM stations rely on these translators to provide 
service in rural and remote areas across America. Passage of H.R. 4986, 
ensures that the spectrum repack fund will include FM translators.
  In closing, I think it is fitting that H.R. 4986 is named the ``RAY 
BAUM'S Act'' in honor of the former staff director of the Energy and 
Commerce Committee, Ray Baum. Ray dedicated his life to serving the 
people of Oregon and the people of this country. It has been more than 
25 years since Congress last reauthorized the FCC and I can think of no 
better way to honor Ray.
  I urge support for H.R. 4986.

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