Jobs bill includes 1st responder bandwidth

Quietly slipped into the 155-page American Jobs Act bill that President Barack Obama sent to Congress Monday is a proposal to set aside spectrum for a national broadband network for first responders.

Obama didn't mention it in his speech a week ago, but lawmakers working to grant spectrum to public safety officials for the network said they're pleased it's included it in his $447 billion jobs package.

It's one more potential route to passage, joining measures already introduced in the House and Senate, say backers of the network, as they seek a way around opposition by key House Republicans.

"It's a win-win proposal," said Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W. Va.), sponsor of the Senate bill. "This provision brings our first responders into the 21st century while paying down the deficit," said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), a co-sponsor.

Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, gave the network's inclusion in the jobs bill a cooler reception. "We will look at the president's specific proposals." said a committee spokeswoman.

A bill sponsored by Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) similar to the Rockefeller and Obama measures is tied up in Upton's committee.

Upton has said he prefers current policy to auction spectrum known as D Block to the private sector and then requiring the winner to develop the public safety network.

Police, firefighter and other first-responder groups argue they need control of the spectrum and network. They said they need the broadband network to help fix their inability to communicate among agencies over incompatible radios.

In July, Democrats sought to include the public safety network in the debt-limit deal, but the House GOP knocked it out. Adding it to Obama's jobs bill is just one more shot. "At a minimum, it's another option of moving this bill forward," said a Senate Democratic aide.

But Congress isn't expected to act on the jobs bill or the network until after it passes a way to fund government for the new fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, Senate aides said.