Matsui's Spectrum Challenge Prize Bill Passes Out of Energy & Commerce Committee Unanimously
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Contact: Lauren Dart Matsui's Spectrum Challenge Prize Bill Passes Out of Energy andamp; Commerce Committee Unanimously Today, the House Energy andamp; Commerce Committee unanimously passed Congresswoman Doris Matsui's (D-CA) Spectrum Challenge Prize Act, which encourages private sector innovation by awarding up to $5 million for breakthrough wireless technologies that dramatically improve spectrum efficiency. Congresswoman Matsui issued the following statement upon passage of the bill by full Committee: "Today's passage of my Spectrum Challenge Prize bill out of Committee is a win for our wireless economy. "Spectrum is the invisible infrastructure that supports our mobile connectivity, but unlike bridges or railroads, we cannot go out and build more spectrum. As more and more products and services use wireless, the efficient use of spectrum will be critical to our continued global leadership in the technology sector. "We have taken important steps to encourage the efficient management of spectrum at the federal level. That progress must be paired with greater technological efficiencies. "The spectrum challenge prize established by this legislation would encourage wireless innovation, help incentivize innovators and entrepreneurs to develop technologies that eclipse the current state-of-the-art, and promote the efficient use of spectrum. "This bill creates a new opportunity for the federal government and the private sector to work collaboratively in the pursuit of a spectrum efficiency breakthrough, which is ultimately a victory for American consumers." The Spectrum Challenge Prize Act would instruct the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), in consultation with other federal partners, to award up to $5 million in prizes to participants who develop ground-breaking solutions to spectrum efficiency. In contrast to traditional research grants, the spectrum challenge prize maximizes the impact of federal investment by paying only for successful solutions, not research and development costs. Challenge prizes have a long track record of spurring innovation, including designing a glove used by astronauts, lunar lander and driverless car technology. Prizes have been successfully implemented by several federal agencies in the past to incentivize technological innovation, and complement traditional research and development efforts by attracting a broad range of innovators to solving big problems. The text of the legislation can be found by clicking here. # # # |