§924 Withdrawal or Limitation of Assignment to Federal Government Stations

Summary

The President must remove or limit a radio frequency’s use by Federal Government stations when the Secretary’s report calls for immediate reallocation or immediate mixed use. The President has 6 months from getting that report to act. If the Secretary sets a later effective date, the President must remove or limit the Federal use on that delayed date (unless an exception applies). The President may also assign different frequencies to Federal stations to make the change work. The President must send a notice and description of what was done to the Commission and to each House of Congress. If the President finds a serious problem, he may substitute a different frequency instead of the one named in the report. He must then explain the reasons to the Commission, the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. Reasons include threats to national defense, unique government needs, serious risks to health or safety, excessive government costs, or harm to amateur radio use. Any substitute frequency must meet the same criteria the Secretary used. If the action cannot be finished by the delayed date or would leave a frequency unused under the Commission’s plan, the President may delay the change (with notice) or substitute other frequencies.