The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) has issued a call for action requesting each IAFC member "immediately contact his/her two U.S. senators and member(s) of the U.S. House of Representatives" to urge Congress to set a firm date for public access to the 700 MHz spectrum now occupied by TV channels 63, 64, 68 and 69. IAFC notes that although the Senate unanimously passed an amendment to the intelligence reform package setting a firm date of Dec. 31, 2007 for the FCC to clear TV stations from channels impacting use of this spectrum, "for the Senate action to help public safety actually get spectrum access, the combined bill which emerges from the Senate and House Conference Committee for the President's signature must include the Senate bill provisions on TV clearing. Otherwise, we all must start over next year with the new Congress. This is a critical issue that cannot wait another year for Congressional resolution."
IAFC specifically calls on members to ask their senators and congressmen to support amendments from Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), for return of channels 63, 64, 68 and 69, and modification, reassignment or return of adjacent channels 62, 65, and 67, "as necessary to permit operations by public safety services on frequencies between 764 and 776 MHz and between 794 and 806 MHz, after the date of enactment of the this section, but such modifications, reassignments, or returns may not take effect until after Dec. 31, 2007.'' To view the text of McCain's amendments, go to the 108th Congress Bill Summary and Status page and put S.AMDT.3766 or S.AMDT.3773 in the box labeled "Bill, Amendment, or Public Law Number."
