Hudson Hopes for NG911 Act Funding Resolution Before House Commerce Markup
House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C., told us that he's aiming to have a final figure for the amount of funding to include in the Next Generation 911 Act (HR-6505) before the full Commerce Committee marks up the measure. As expected (see 2601130072), the subpanel on Thursday advanced HR-6505 and five other communications bills on bipartisan voice votes: the Public Safety Communications Act (HR-1519), Lulu’s Law (HR-2076), the Emergency Reporting Act (HR-5200), Kari’s Law Reporting Act (HR-5201) and the Mystic Alerts Act (HR-7022).
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“My hope is we keep moving [on HR-6505], and by the time we get to the full [House Commerce] markup [session], we’ll have the funding issue resolved through the conversations” that were happening as recently as Thursday morning, Hudson told us after the Communications meeting. HR-6505 would set up federal grants to pay for NG911 technology upgrades, but as of Thursday, it didn’t include a defined allocation amount. A previous iteration of the measure in the last Congress allocated $15 billion (see 2303240067).
“We’re still having discussions across the aisle in the House and Senate” on a funding mechanism to pay for the NG911 grants, Hudson told us. He also acknowledged the issue during the House Communications markup, emphasizing that “it’s critical we balance the need to fund this important program while making sure we maintain fiscal responsibility.” NG911 advocates have been pressing for an alternative funding mechanism since congressional Republicans decided last year against allocating future spectrum auction revenue for it in the budget reconciliation package (see 2507080065). Communications ranking member Doris Matsui, D-Calif., also said she needs to “talk with” Hudson further on the mechanism before a full Commerce vote.
Hudson told us he’s factoring in the proposed Supporting U.S. Critical Connectivity and Economic Strategy and Security for BEAD Act (HR-6920/S-3565), which Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi and other Republicans filed in December to allow states to repurpose non-deployment BEAD funding for NG911 and other purposes (see 2512180064). “That’s one of the options to look at for where we get the funding from,” Hudson said. But the funding mechanism remains “a moving target because we don't have an exact cost estimate for what it'll take to complete the system.” Lawmakers may also “fund [NG911] up to a certain number or do something where it's a little bit flexible,” he said.
NTIA 'Oversight'
House Communications’ advancement of HR-1519 followed an impassioned defense from its lead sponsor, Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., over criticisms that the Fraternal Order of Police and Public Safety Broadband Technology Association lobbed in December (see 2512160073). HR-1519 would create an Office of Public Safety Communications within NTIA to administer NG911 funding and communicate policies to public and private entities. FOP and PSBTA argued that the bill would encroach on the board governing the FirstNet public safety broadband network.
HR-1519 “does not change any FirstNet governance or authorities,” Cammack said. “It does not take away authority from the FirstNet board, it does not diminish the role of the Public Safety Advisory Committee, and it does not allow NTIA to override or delay decisions made by public safety leaders.” The measure “is about accountability at the federal level, not control over the network,” she said.
“Oversight does not mean interference,” Cammack said. “NTIA already has the responsibilities related to FirstNet and NG911, but those responsibilities are not clearly defined in statute,” something HR-1519 aims to fix. HR-1519 mandates that the leader of the proposed NTIA public safety office be “a career, nonpolitical official [and] ensures continuity, expertise and, importantly, transparency on” FirstNet, she said.
Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials CEO Mel Maier praised House Communications for clearing HR-6505, HR-5200 and HR-5201. Those bills will collectively “help modernize our 9-1-1 networks and strengthen public safety communications for all Americans,” Maier said in a statement. “We look forward to swift action by” House Commerce to advance the measures. HR-5200 would direct the FCC to issue reports and do field hearings after activating the disaster information reporting system. HR-5201 would mandate that the agency report on the extent to which multiline telephone system manufacturers and vendors are complying with the 2018 Kari’s Law requirement that such systems give direct access to 911 without the need to dial a prefix.