The Senate Commerce Committee late Monday scrapped plans for a markup Tuesday morning of wireless spectrum auction legislation that had already been punted several times.
Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., attributed the markup’s cancellation to the panel’s ranking member, Ted Cruz of Texas. Cruz has has own spectrum bill with Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., that is considered more industry-friendly and also refrains from spending auction proceeds on a variety of purposes as Cantwell’s bill would, such as restoring rural broadband subsidies that ran out last month.
“We had a chance to secure affordable broadband for millions of Americans, but Sen. Cruz said ‘no,'” Cantwell said in a statement. “He said ‘no’ to securing a lifeline for millions of Americans who rely on the Affordable Connectivity Program to speak to their doctors, do their homework, connect to their jobs, and stay in touch with loved ones — including more than one million Texas families.”
