Bush issues executive memorandum on spectrum policy

President George Bush late Tuesday issued an executive memorandum calling on federal agencies to implement spectrum-efficient policies during the next year to free airwaves for a variety of uses.

"This initiative will foster economic growth; promote our national and homeland security; maintain U.S. global leadership in communications technology; and satisfy other vital U.S. needs in areas such as public safety, scientific research, Federal transportation infrastructure, and law enforcement," Bush wrote in the memorandum.

The memorandum calls on federal agencies to execute the 24 recommendations for spectrum policy outlined in a Department of Commerce report released in June. Michael Gallagher, assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information, applauded the action, which he described as "historic."

"We are looking forward to working with the Congressional leadership on Capitol Hill and with the Federal Communications Commission to implement the 24 recommendations," Gallagher said in a prepared statement. "The next steps will be the development of a Federal Strategic Spectrum Plan, the creation of incentives to promote efficient and effective spectrum use for federal agencies, as well as new I.T. applications and the development of a spectrum sharing and innovation test bed."

One of the incentive plans to promote spectral efficiency within the government is the creation of a spectrum relocation trust fund that agencies could tap to pay the costs incurred when spectrum is vacated. Money for the trust fund would come from proceeds generated by FCC auctions of cleared airwaves. Legislation for the spectrum relocation trust fund has been passed by the House of Representatives but has stalled in the Senate, where Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has vowed to block the bill unless legislation to establish a national boxing commission is passed.

Bush’s memorandum calls for most of the spectrum-policy recommendations to be implemented within a year. Precursor wireless strategist Rudy Baca called the timetable "a little bit aggressive but doable."