America stands at a perilous crossroads that, if we choose correctly, could lead to a golden economic opportunity. Our nation’s wireless future — and therefore our economic future, our national security, and our global competitiveness in the digital age — are all on the line. And it’s time for lawmakers in Washington to act.
Spectrum—the invisible infrastructure that powers wireless communications—is the oxygen of modern technological innovation. It’s what fuels 5G and what will power 6G that undergirds the AI revolution that America must lead.
But for years now, instead of moving boldly forward to deploy new spectrum, the U.S. government let bureaucracy and government red tape get in the way of forging a robust spectrum pipeline. What a shame because all the government needs to do is make more bands of licensed spectrum available for commercial deployment.
This isn't just good for expanding our tech leadership. We can also lower our deficit or fund wider tax cuts by auctioning this spectrum to the highest bidder and raise as much as $230 billion over 30 years for future tax cuts or debt reduction.
Meanwhile, while Washington fiddles, China is racing ahead.
In 2019, under President Trump and FCC Chairman Pai’s leadership, America launched an aggressive strategy to lead the world in 5G. The results were immediate: new spectrum auctions, historic private investment, and infrastructure modernization that catapulted the U.S. to the global forefront of wireless deployment. We were winning. But the Biden administration took us backwards.
Today, China has more than four times the midband spectrum allocated for commercial use compared to the U.S. They’ve gone from 17th in global 5G availability to first. And they are exporting not just wireless equipment—but an authoritarian vision of how technology should be deployed and controlled.
This is not just a telecom issue. This is a national security emergency.
Our military and intelligence agencies will increasingly rely and depend upon next-generation wireless and AI systems to maintain U.S. superiority. And yet, thanks to bureaucratic turf wars and a lack of presidential leadership, we now face a dangerous spectrum drought. Without a new pipeline of licensed spectrum, both our economy and our national security capabilities are at risk.
The Department of Defense, one of the largest holders of federal spectrum, has continually resisted change and blocked proposals that would unleash more licensed spectrum for commercial innovation. But this is not a zero-sum game.
We can—and must—create a spectrum regime that serves both strategic defense applications and commercial innovation. That’s how we win the future.
A new round of spectrum auctions for 600 megahertz of licensed spectrum, or ideally more, could raise $200 billion —revenue that will be tremendously important to help finance Trump’s pro-growth tax cuts, reduce the deficit, and reinvest in national defense.
Let’s be clear: China has a plan. Their Made in China 2025 blueprint is a roadmap to dominate global AI, 5G, and future communications technology.
If America fails to respond, we risk becoming dependent on foreign networks, foreign hardware, and foreign ideologies. That’s unacceptable.
President Trump understood that leadership in wireless technology meant more than economic growth—it meant global leadership. We urge Congress to act swiftly to reinstate spectrum auction authority, identify and release new bands for commercial use, and deliver the tools our industries need to build and defend the future.
Spectrum is the new oil of the information age. If we fail to harness it, China wins.
In the Big Beautiful tax bill, Congress should authorize an auction of unused bands of spectrum, which is estimated to raise $200 billion for Uncle Sam almost immediately. Taxpayers, the government and our tech and communications industries win. That's called the art of the deal.
Comment
Show comments
Hide Comments
