House GOP fears big taxpayer tab for public safety network

Republicans on the House Commerce Committee remain wedded to the goal of building a cost-friendly public safety network even though the White House and senators in both parties have backed a more expensive option.

A GOP memo drafted to prepare staff for a May 25 hearing shows that cost is a serious hang-up for the committee Republicans as Congress debates how to build a communications network for police and firefighters. The public safety lobby wants Congress to hand over a valuable chunk of airwaves known as the D Block along with billions in federal funding, a proposal with broad backing — but not among House Republicans. "While we all share the goal of creating a nationwide interoperable public safety network, questions remain about how to achieve it," the memo says. The Commerce Committee memo pointed out that the center of gravity in this debate has moved away from fiscal hawks since the last Congress. This year, the Administration sided with public safety advocates.