Senate Commerce Committee Passes First Responder Communications Bill

Washington, DC (WIBX) - The Senate Commerce Committee has passed a measure aimed at enhancing communications for emergency first responders. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, (D-NY) who is leading the bipartisan effort to pass the bill before the 10th anniversary of 9/11 says the bill fulfills a key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission Report and will provide crucial lifesaving communications tools for emergency workers.

If the bill becomes law, it would allocate spectrum, or the public airwaves, to first responders for the purpose of creating a public safety communications network to keep abreast with an emergency situation. The move to enhance and create the nationwide telecommunication system is due to first responders lacking the ability to adequately communicate with each other during the 9/11 attacks.

In a released statement Gillibrand praised the passage of the measure and said, "Today is a critical step in the effort to arm our first responders with the technology and resources they need to save lives. Nearly ten years after 9/11, it's time to bring our first responder's technology into the 21st Century. Integral to that commitment is ensuring that local, state and federal first responders can effectively communicate in real time during a national crisis. I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that those risking their lives have the tools and technology they need to keep our communities safe."

The SPECTRUM Act, S. 911, (Strengthening Public-safety and Enhancing Communications Through Reform, Utilization and Modernization) Act was introduced by Gillibrand and supported by Commerce Committee Chairman John Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX).