Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) today celebrated unanimous House passage of his bipartisan bill with Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) Codification Act. The bill strengthens the statutory authority of the ITS testing center, which is essential for informing the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) spectrum policy decisions. 

The bill also directs ITS to establish an important and potentially life-saving initiative to develop emergency communication and tracking technologies for use in locating people trapped in areas where mobile connectivity may not be available due to natural disasters and other devastating events.

“The ITS is critical to achieving our goal of beating China by having effective, workable, and innovative spectrum policies and practices. I’m proud to co-lead this effort with Rep. Pettersen and am thrilled that the House unanimously voted to send this important, life-saving bill to the Senate. I’m calling on my Senate colleagues to quickly get this bill to President Trump’s desk, so we can ensure mobile connectivity during natural disasters and other devastating events,” said Rep. Carter.

"The incident at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in my District last October was a devastating cautionary tale about what can happen in an emergency situation when people end up trapped where cell service isn’t available," said Rep. Pettersen. "This bipartisan bill will enhance emergency communications for critical moments like the Gold Mine accident. Ensuring rescuers can effectively communicate can make all the difference in successfully saving lives."

Read the full bill text here.