Spectrum Auction Would Help U.S. Treasury

Everyone has a suggestion for the Congressional Super Committee on how to cut the federal deficit and budget.

(Mine? Make all members of Congress, present, past and future, part of the Social Security system and have them get their health care through The Affordable Care Act, the health care reform bill passed last year.)

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) suggested a way related to its industry today, in a letter by its president/CEO Gary Shapiro: having the FCC hold voluntary incentive spectrum auctions “so that our nation’s spectrum may be put to the highest possible use. This pro-growth, bipartisan policy would bring billions in revenue to the United States Treasury, while advancing innovation and spurring economic growth.”

According to Shapiro, “It is estimated that the auctions alone would generate some $24.5 billion to $33 billion for the U.S. Treasury.”

The idea put forth by Shapiro and CEA in the letter is not brand new, but he makes the point that the U.S. “faces a crisis as demand for wireless spectrum will soon outstrip supply” and that “a voluntary incentive auction would enable interested television broadcasters to get paid for returning their underutilized spectrum. The returned spectrum would be made available at auction for valuable wireless broadband and other services.”

Sounds like a good idea to me. Now about those new Social Security and health care plans for Congress …