Cruz Formally Opposes House Commerce's Spectrum Auction Reauthorization Act

The House Commerce Committee-approved Spectrum Auction Reauthorization Act (HR-3565) “misses the mark,” but “I remain committed to enacting legislation that expands commercial access to spectrum and maximizes value for American taxpayers,” Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told us in a statement Monday. Panel Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and others are citing Cruz as the main impediment right now to congressional leaders reaching a consensus on a spectrum legislative package (see 2306120058). HR-3565 mirrors major parts of the spectrum legislative package House and Senate Commerce leaders proposed in December (see 2212190069), including language to allocate some future auction proceeds to the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program, next-generation 911 technology upgrades and middle-mile projects. Cruz said he's “especially” opposed to “the $20 billion earmarked for a variety of pet projects like unneeded and duplicative broadband subsidies.”