Sponsors
The bill improves transparency and economic-informed decisionmaking about Federal spectrum—making reallocations to commercial uses more likely—at the risk of political pressure that could undermine federal mission and national security capabilities.
Small businesses, wireless consumers, and taxpayers will benefit from regular, phased (every ~3 years) market valuations of Federal spectrum that can identify underused bands for reallocation to higher‑value commercial wireless use, supporting expanded capacity and economic growth.
Taxpayers, Congress, and industry will get clearer fiscal transparency because federal agencies must include NTIA's market‑value spectrum estimates in OMB budget submissions and NTIA must publicly disclose its valuation methodology and non‑sensitive findings, improving accountability and informed policy debates.
Policymakers and taxpayers will have better cost‑benefit information because the bill requires using dynamic scoring in spectrum valuation estimates to capture broader economic impacts of reallocations.
Federal agencies and their missions could be harmed because placing market‑valued spectrum estimates in budget documents may create political pressure to relinquish spectrum, potentially degrading national security or mission capabilities.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires NTIA, with FCC and OMB input, to estimate and publish market values for federal-held spectrum (3 kHz–95 GHz) on a phased, recurring schedule and require agencies to include those estimates in budget and financial reports.
Introduced February 27, 2025 by Mike Lee · Last progress February 27, 2025
Requires the NTIA, working with the FCC and OMB, to produce regular market-value estimates for electromagnetic spectrum held by federal entities across 3 kHz–95 GHz, on a phased schedule, and to publish methodologies and results (except classified or sensitive material). Federal agencies must include the most recent NTIA valuation for spectrum they hold in their budget submissions to OMB and in annual financial statements, and NTIA must use dynamic scoring and assume reallocation to the highest-value commercial use when estimating value. Sets deadlines for initial and recurring estimates by frequency band (lower bands fastest), allows limited confidentiality for sensitive material while providing classified annexes to Members of Congress on request, and makes minor technical renumbering fixes to existing NTIA law.