Washington, D.C.—New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg this week announced that he is supporting efforts by Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV and Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison to give first responders a dedicated nationwide communications network.

“As we approach the 10th anniversary of 9/11, we can no longer afford to leave this issue—one of the key areas of focus of the 9/11 Commission—unaddressed,” Mayor Bloomberg writes. “Legislation setting aside a dedicated portion of the 700 MHz spectrum for public safety officials for a nationwide interoperable network—known as the D Block—must be passed immediately to aid first responders across the country and at every level in saving countless lives and ensuring homeland security.”

Yesterday, the Commerce Committee overwhelmingly approved the Rockefeller-Hutchison bill, moving it one step closer to becoming law. The bill, called the Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act, now awaits floor action.

Mayor Bloomberg’s endorsement of the SPECTRUM Act (the Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act) can be found below.

Source: Democratic Press Office – (202) 224-8374, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation.