The House of Representatives Energy & Commerce Committee has passed FCC reauthorization legislation, also known as H.R. 4986, the Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services Act (RAY BAUM’s Act). The bill, renamed to honor the late Committee Staff Director Ray Baum, includes two important provisions. The first of these is language from The Spectrum Auction Deposits Act of 2017 (H.R. 4109) allowing certain funds of bidders in FCC spectrum auctions to be deposited in the U.S. Treasury—fixing a problem in current law that prevents the FCC from holding a major spectrum auction. The second authorizes additional funding for the repacking of broadcasters required to relocate following the FCC’s broadcast incentive auction.
