S. 93 911 Modernization Act

On February 13, 2007, Sen Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) introduced the 911 Modernization Act (S.93). The bill would provide funding to build broadband out to every Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) responsible for answering 9-1-1 calls for emergency assistance from police, fire, and ambulance services.

From the Congressional Budget Office...

S. 93 would allow the National Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA) to borrow up to $44 million from the U.S. Treasury in 2007 to carry out provisions of title III of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-171) concerning emergency communications services. The Secretary would repay any borrowing with proceeds from the government's planned 2008 auctions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The Deficit Reduction Act authorized spending of up to $44 million in 2008, to be derived from auction proceeds, to provide grants to state and local governments and tribal organizations for improving emergency communications services.

CBO estimates that using the borrowing authority provided by S. 93 would cause spending for this purpose to commence in 2007 instead of 2008. We estimate that outlays would rise by $1 million in 2007. The bill would thus increase direct spending in fiscal year 2007 and reduce direct spending in fiscal year 2008. We expect that total direct spending by NTIA over the two years would remain unchanged under the bill.