FCC Chairman Kevin Martin recently appeared before the Subcommittee on Science, State, Justice and Commerce of the Committee on Appropriations in the House of Representatives to explain the FCC's 2006 budget estimates.
Items include a request for $1,350,000 for the Licensing Integration Initiative, which would provide enhancements to the FCC's computer systems to improve licensing resources and facilitate cross-bureau applications. Another is a $9,3000,000 request for a special Field Facilities Improvement Initiative at the FCC's Columbia, Md. offices. The plan is to consolidate the Technology Laboratory and the Enforcement Monitoring facilities into a single new building.
Chairman Martin also noted that the Commission's auction authority would expire on Sept. 30, 2007, under the current law. The Administration has said it will propose legislation to indefinitely extend that authority. Two budget organizations, OMB and CBO, predicted that lifting the expiration of this authority will increase the value of spectrum scheduled to be auctioned by avoiding a potential glut in the market if auctions are rushed to completion by Sept. 30, 2007.
For more information on the FCC's 2006 budget requests, see the Testimony of Kevin J. Martin, Chairman, Federal communications Commission.
