/news/ en cmcconville@grassroots.com Copyright 2012 2012-02-16T16:14:23+00:00 http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/psa-optimistic-about-congress-securing-the-future-of-public-safety-bro/ http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/psa-optimistic-about-congress-securing-the-future-of-public-safety-bro/#When:16:14:23Z Today, the Public Safety Alliance (PSA) applauds Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV-D), House Speaker John Boehner (OH-R), and the bipartisan House and Senate Conferees to the Payroll Tax Reduction Extension legislation that provides for a much needed nationwide interoperable Public Safety Broadband Network (PSBN). This bill includes the allocation of D Block spectrum and an estimated $7 billion in funding from the proceeds of incentive auctions for its successful implementation. Creation of a nationwide 20 MHz PSBN is one of the last remaining recommendations of the 9/11 Commission made in the wake of the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Congress is expected to vote the bill through both the House and the Senate by Friday, and have it on the President’s desk for signature and final enactment next week. The White House has consistently urged inclusion of public safety broadband and comprehensive spectrum legislation as part of the overall package, and has indicated its strong support for enactment. 2012-02-16T16:14:23+00:00 http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/public-safety-alliance-calls-for-spectrum-legislation-to-be-included-i/ http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/public-safety-alliance-calls-for-spectrum-legislation-to-be-included-i/#When:21:35:03Z As Congress returns from their holiday recess and the appointed conferees begin negotiations ahead of February 29 mandate for enacting a yearlong Payroll Tax Reduction Extension bill, the Public Safety Alliance (PSA) today reiterated its strong support for finally realizing a nationwide interoperable public safety broadband network now. 2012-01-12T21:35:03+00:00 http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/psa-letter-to-speaker-boehner-and-democratic-leader-pelosi/ http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/psa-letter-to-speaker-boehner-and-democratic-leader-pelosi/#When:18:48:20Z We urge the House to pass legislation that includes D Block allocation to public safety with sufficient funding to expedite nationwide construction of the public safety broadband network that includes rural America, and does not include damaging provisions to require 700 MHz narrowband giveback, nor an unworkable and unaccountable private entity “administrator” governance model. Additionally, the PSA urges Congress to maximize state and local flexibility in allowing “secondary use” of the public safety broadband network by non-public safety entities and users, as well as with respect to forming public and private partnerships that best meet their specific needs to assure sustainment of their mission-critical public safety broadband systems.Click here to download the letter. 2011-12-15T18:48:20+00:00 http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/psa-letter-to-majority-leader-reid-and-republican-leader-mcconnell/ http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/psa-letter-to-majority-leader-reid-and-republican-leader-mcconnell/#When:17:45:12Z We urge the Senate to pass legislation that includes D Block allocation to public safety with sufficient funding to expedite nationwide construction of the public safety broadband network that includes rural America, and does not include damaging provisions to require 700 MHz narrowband giveback, nor an unworkable and unaccountable private entity “administrator” governance model. Additionally, the PSA urges the Senate to maximize state and local flexibility in allowing enhanced “secondary use” of the public safety broadband network by non-public safety entities and users, as well as with respect to forming public and private partnerships that best meet their specific needs to assure sustainment of their mission-critical public safety broadband systems. In sum, the PSA strongly believes that S.911 best provides these priorities, and we urge you together as the Senate’s leadership to replace the Walden JOBS Act provisions that compose Title IV of H.R. 3630 with language similar to S. 911 for Senate passage of the overall bill. Click here to download the full letter. 2011-12-15T17:45:12+00:00 http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/psa-welcomes-house-d-block-allocation-fundingconcerned-with-narrowband/ http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/psa-welcomes-house-d-block-allocation-fundingconcerned-with-narrowband/#When:17:21:15Z The Public Safety Alliance (PSA) today expressed its appreciation for the full House’s vote of support for D Block spectrum allocation to public safety and funding for the Public Safety Broadband Network, but warned of an ominous storm cloud on the horizon as our nation’s first responders, who put their lives on the line everyday, learn more about the full extent of the other provisions in the bill that gives with one hand and takes away with the other to make H.R. 3630, the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2011 disastrous for public safety’s goal for nationwide interoperable emergency communications. 2011-12-15T17:21:15+00:00 http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/nations-public-safety-leadership-reiterates-support-for-s-911/ http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/nations-public-safety-leadership-reiterates-support-for-s-911/#When:23:57:21Z As Congress continues to move forward with legislation to allocate D block spectrum to public safety and provide sufficient funding to realize a nationwide, interoperable Public Safety Broadband Network, the Public Safety Alliance (PSA) today sought to assure all Members of Congress that America’s public safety community is unified in their support, along with the nation’s state and local government officials, in enactment of legislation to finally implement one of the last remaining unmet recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission. 2011-12-08T23:57:21+00:00 http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/public-safety-declares-major-progress-in-reaction-to-release-of-walden-disc/ http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/public-safety-declares-major-progress-in-reaction-to-release-of-walden-disc/#When:16:20:41Z WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 30, 1011 – The Public Safety Alliance (PSA) today welcomed House Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden’s (R - OR5) latest discussion draft language on spectrum allocation, which was released yesterday ahead of a scheduled mark-up of spectrum legislation on Thursday, December 1st at 10am. 2011-12-02T16:20:41+00:00 http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/walden-subcommittee-allocates-d-block-provides-6.5-billion-for-public-/ http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/walden-subcommittee-allocates-d-block-provides-6.5-billion-for-public-/#When:16:13:50Z WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 2, 2011 – The Public Safety Alliance (PSA) announced that it is pleased that the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Communications and Technology subcommittee took action today to allocate 10 MHz of spectrum within the 700 MHz band, or D block, to public safety while providing up to $6.5 billion for construction of a 20 MHz nationwide, interoperable public safety broadband network for our nation’s first responders. 2011-12-02T16:13:50+00:00 http://psafirst.org/news/news-clipping/law-makers-urge-super-committee-to-include-d-block-and-funding-for-pub/ http://psafirst.org/news/news-clipping/law-makers-urge-super-committee-to-include-d-block-and-funding-for-pub/#When:17:33:07Z Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), along with Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), Congressman Peter King (R-NY) and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA) were joined by more than 40 uniformed public safety officials and dozens more supporters to urge members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, or Super Committee, to include S.911 language to allocate the D block spectrum within the 700 MHz band to public safety and to provide for $11 billion for construction of the Public Safety Broadband Network. 2011-11-16T17:33:07+00:00 http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/americas-most-wanteds-host-john-walsh-to-call-for-d-block-allocation/ http://psafirst.org/news/press-release/americas-most-wanteds-host-john-walsh-to-call-for-d-block-allocation/#When:23:28:56Z John Walsh, Host of America’s Most Wanted and leading child protection advocate will ask Congress to help first preventers to save and better protect the lives of our children, elderly and special needs communities from crime and health threats by creating a real-time, mission-critical nationwide broadband network. 2011-10-25T23:28:56+00:00