Public Safety Communications Act

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Bill ID: 119/hr/1519
Last Updated: April 29, 2026

Sponsored by

Rep. Cammack, Kat [R-FL-3]

ID: C001039

Follow the money

The bill

Public Safety Communications Act

HR. 1519, 119th Congress — read as touching Telecommunications.

The sponsor

Rep. Cammack, Kat [R-FL-3]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$91,928 raised

25 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

The alignment

85% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Department of Commerce" section, p. 720-722 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

January 14, 2026

Introduced

Committee Review

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill moves to the floor for full chamber debate and voting.

🗳️

Floor Action

✅

Passed House

🏛️

Senate Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another masterpiece of legislative theater, brought to you by the esteemed members of Congress. Let's dissect this farce and see what's really going on.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The Public Safety Communications Act (HR 1519) claims to establish an Office of Public Safety Communications within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The stated goal is to improve public safety communications, specifically Next Generation 9-1-1. How noble. In reality, this bill is a Trojan horse for more bureaucratic bloat, pork-barrel spending, and cronyism.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill creates a new office within the NTIA, headed by an Associate Administrator for Public Safety Communications. This position will be a career appointment in the Senior Executive Service, because we all know how well those have worked out in the past (cough, IRS, cough). The Associate Administrator will oversee grant programs, analyze public safety policy communications issues, and provide advice to the Assistant Secretary.

Oh, and let's not forget the pièce de résistance: the Office will be responsible for managing the First Responder Network Authority, which was established under a previous bill. Because what could possibly go wrong with more bureaucratic layers?

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects are involved:

* The NTIA, because they need more staff to justify their existence. * The Department of Commerce, because they love creating new offices and positions. * First responders, who will supposedly benefit from improved communications (but let's be real, this is just a handout for the telecom industry). * Telecom companies, who will get to bid on lucrative contracts for Next Generation 9-1-1 infrastructure.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a classic case of "solution in search of a problem." The real issue here is not public safety communications, but rather the insatiable appetite of bureaucrats and politicians for more power, money, and influence. This bill will:

* Increase bureaucratic red tape and inefficiency. * Provide a new avenue for pork-barrel spending and cronyism. * Line the pockets of telecom companies with taxpayer dollars. * Do little to nothing to actually improve public safety communications.

In short, this bill is a textbook example of legislative malpractice. It's a cynical attempt to create more bureaucracy, waste taxpayer money, and enrich special interests. But hey, at least it sounds good on paper.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Cammack, Kat [R-FL-3]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$91,928
22 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$8,043
Committees
$0
Individuals
$83,885

No PAC contributions found

1
PASS THE HAT
1 transaction
$3,610
2
SEMINOLE TRIBE OF FLORIDA
1 transaction
$3,300
3
S & K BARRINGTON FARMS
1 transaction
$600
4
83 FARMS, LLC
1 transaction
$283
5
RADIANT CREDIT UNION
1 transaction
$250

No committee contributions found

1
ASSEMI, KEVIN
2 transactions
$6,870
2
STREETER, JACKSON
2 transactions
$6,870
3
ADOLFSSON, MARCUS
1 transaction
$6,600
4
KEMMERER, JOHN
1 transaction
$6,600
5
KEMMERER, KAREN
1 transaction
$6,600
6
HOROWITZ, BEN
1 transaction
$6,600
7
ZUCKER, ANITA G.
2 transactions
$6,600
8
GASTON, BILL FAYE
1 transaction
$5,205
9
WEINGART, BRECK ALLEN
1 transaction
$5,000
10
FREY, HARLEY
1 transaction
$3,435
11
FREY, JOHN
1 transaction
$3,435
12
FREY, LEONARD
1 transaction
$3,435
13
MCCOY, GARY
1 transaction
$3,435
14
BOLCH, SUSAN
1 transaction
$3,300
15
DUNN MD, WILLIAM J.
1 transaction
$3,300
16
HIMSCHOOT, ROBERT
1 transaction
$3,300
17
VECELLIO, LEO
1 transaction
$3,300

Donor Network - Rep. Cammack, Kat [R-FL-3]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

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Showing 49 nodes and 25 connections (59 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $91,928

Top Donors - Rep. Cammack, Kat [R-FL-3]

Showing top 22 donors by contribution amount

5 Orgs17 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 1 helped.

  • +Telecommunicationsconfidence 0.90

    Section 2(c)(6) establishes oversight of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), a public safety broadband network built and operated by AT&T under contract, directly benefiting telecommunications industry through continued federal support and oversight.

Who funds the sponsor on these industries

For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Rep. Cammack, Kat [R-FL-3])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022–present cycles. Donations are not proof of intent — they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.

Industries this bill HELPS

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.AI-enhanced analysis provides detailed alignment ratings.

Department of Commerce

Strong
Vector: 65%
Pages: 720-722AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill aligns with Project 2025's focus on strengthening NTIA's leadership and effectiveness in telecommunications policy, particularly in enhancing federal coordination and oversight of public safety communications infrastructure, which supports broader goals of spectrum utilization and national security resilience."

Key themes:NTIA leadershipspectrum utilizationpublic safety communicationsfederal coordinationemergency response

— 687 — Department of Commerce that do not allow open access to their markets should not be setting the standards for markets that do allow open access. The incoming Administration should consider increased government-sponsored participation by private companies and government employees with relevant expertise. NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION SERVICE The independent National Telecommunications and Information Service (NTIS) is charged with ensuring that federally funded research and data are accessible to the public. NTIS operates through user fees but is largely obsolete due to modern usage of the internet by federal agencies and researchers. NTIS’s functions should be moved to NIST and consolidated with the Tech Transfer and ROI initiatives. NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION The National Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA) is the exec- utive branch’s statutory lead on telecommunications and information policy. It focuses on broadband access, spectrum utilization, and other issues that are crucial to the high-tech economy. For decades, NTIA has suffered from organizational malaise and will require strong and energetic leadership by political appointees to implement conservative policies. The next Administration will face the primary challenge of rapidly deploying 5G without compromising other priorities. Further recommendations include: l Support free speech and hold big tech accountable. Immediately conduct a thorough review of federal policy regarding free speech online and provide policy solutions to address big tech’s censorship of speech. l Utilize new tools to eliminate threats to national security. Fully implement the Trump Administration’s Information and Communications Technology and Services (ICTS) Executive Order authorities in a way that ensures long-term success and the legal viability of this new national security tool.9 l Expand utilization of federal spectrum. Begin short term, temporary leasing of government allocated spectrum to ensure optimum utilization while preserving federal agency use rights. l Support the commercial space industry. Advocate for licensing decisions at the Federal Communications Commission that continue to enable U.S. dominance in the commercial space industry.

Department of Commerce

Strong
Vector: 64%
Pages: 720-722AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill aligns strongly with Project 2025's focus on NTIA leadership, spectrum utilization, and oversight of FirstNet, as it establishes a dedicated office within NTIA to improve public safety communications and mandates review of FirstNet's performance."

Key themes:NTIA leadershipFirstNet reviewspectrum utilizationpublic safety communicationsfederal oversight

— 687 — Department of Commerce that do not allow open access to their markets should not be setting the standards for markets that do allow open access. The incoming Administration should consider increased government-sponsored participation by private companies and government employees with relevant expertise. NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION SERVICE The independent National Telecommunications and Information Service (NTIS) is charged with ensuring that federally funded research and data are accessible to the public. NTIS operates through user fees but is largely obsolete due to modern usage of the internet by federal agencies and researchers. NTIS’s functions should be moved to NIST and consolidated with the Tech Transfer and ROI initiatives. NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION The National Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA) is the exec- utive branch’s statutory lead on telecommunications and information policy. It focuses on broadband access, spectrum utilization, and other issues that are crucial to the high-tech economy. For decades, NTIA has suffered from organizational malaise and will require strong and energetic leadership by political appointees to implement conservative policies. The next Administration will face the primary challenge of rapidly deploying 5G without compromising other priorities. Further recommendations include: l Support free speech and hold big tech accountable. Immediately conduct a thorough review of federal policy regarding free speech online and provide policy solutions to address big tech’s censorship of speech. l Utilize new tools to eliminate threats to national security. Fully implement the Trump Administration’s Information and Communications Technology and Services (ICTS) Executive Order authorities in a way that ensures long-term success and the legal viability of this new national security tool.9 l Expand utilization of federal spectrum. Begin short term, temporary leasing of government allocated spectrum to ensure optimum utilization while preserving federal agency use rights. l Support the commercial space industry. Advocate for licensing decisions at the Federal Communications Commission that continue to enable U.S. dominance in the commercial space industry. — 688 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise l Defend U.S. interests in international bodies. Strong representation at the International Telecommunication Union should protect the interests of both private and government users of spectrum. The U.S. has differing needs from many other countries, for instance, because of U.S. government satellites and commercial space industry. NTIA should work with the U.S. delegation to ensure maximum adoption of the U.S. position. l Set fresh priorities in broadband grant programs. Reevaluate broadband grant programs and, when possible, establish Administration priorities in how each grant is structured. First and foremost, widespread deployment of infrastructure is needed for 5G adoption in rural and exurban areas, which will be a key factor in future economic competitiveness for these under-served communities. l Review FirstNet. Evaluate the performance and long-term value proposition of FirstNet in view of modern technologies that will render it obsolete. CONCLUSION The above policies, strategies, and tactics will set a new Administration on firm footing that allows the Department of Commerce to assist the President in implementing a bold agenda that delivers economic prosperity and strong national security to the American people. While many of the department’s functions fall outside the remit of the federal government, its unique authorities in diverse areas provide critical tools that can and should be brought to bear in implementing a conservative governing philosophy that keeps Americans safe and provides oppor- tunity for all. AUTHOR’S NOTE: This chapter includes invaluable input from over a dozen alumni of the Department of Commerce and numerous other members of the 2025 Presidential Transition Project. All contributors to this chapter are listed at the front of this volume, but James Rockas, Nazak Nikakhtar, Louis Heinzer, Robert Burkett, Iain Murray, Michael Gonzalez, David Legates, and Kristen Eichamer deserve special recognition. The author alone assumes responsibility for the content of this chapter, and no views expressed herein should be attributed to any other individual.

Department of Transportation

Moderate
Vector: 64%
Pages: 658-660AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"Both the bill and the Project 2025 DOT section emphasize improving safety through better communications and spectrum allocation, though the bill focuses on first‑responder/public safety communications while the DOT section centers on transportation safety, automated vehicles, and ITS spectrum needs."

Key themes:spectrum allocationpublic safety communicationstransportation safetyfederal oversightemergency response

— 625 — Department of Transportation security, and privacy without hampering innovation. DOT can oversee the testing and deployment of a wide variety of new technologies, allowing communities and individuals to choose what best fits their needs. It is the role of the private sector, not the government, to pick winners and losers in technology development. If a technology underperforms, the private sector should be liable, not the government. The department should ensure a tech-neutral approach to addressing any emerging transportation technology while keeping safety as the number one priority. As part of this, it should work to facilitate the safe and full integration of automated vehicles into the national transportation system. Over time, these advanced technologies can save lives, transform personal mobility, and provide additional transportation opportunities—including for people with disabili- ties, aging populations, and communities where car ownership is expensive or impractical. NHTSA’s and FMCSA’s current regulations were written before the advent of automated vehicles and driving systems. Both operating administrations have issued Advance Notices of Proposed Rulemakings (ANPRMs) that begin the pro- cess of updating their regulations to reflect this new technology. However, these regulations have stalled under the Biden Administration, which has chosen to use the department’s tools to get people to take transit and drive electric vehicles instead of helping people to choose the transportation options that suit them best. l NHTSA should work to remove regulatory barriers by focusing on updating vehicle standards as well as publishing performance-based rules for the operations of automated vehicles (AVs). l FMCSA should work to clarify the regulations to align with DOT’s AV 3.0 guidance, which would allow the drivers to be safely removed from the operations of a commercial motor vehicle. From a nonregulatory point of view, DOT has pivoted from a successful focus on the voluntary sharing of data to improve safety outcomes to adoption of a more compulsory and antagonistic approach to mandating data collection and publica- tion through a Standing General Order related to automated vehicles. This needs to be reversed. Many of these new and innovative technologies rely on wireless communica- tions that depend on the availability and purchase of radio frequency spectrum, a trend that is consistent with what we see in connectivity in our everyday lives. There is a role for DOT in ensuring that in the fight over spectrum, transportation gets its fair share. For technologies to work in transportation, and in particular to work for transportation safety, they have to meet the unique needs of a transportation — 626 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise environment. They need to account for rapidly moving and out-of-line-of-sight vehicles as well as pedestrians, bicyclists, and other road users. They should account for the potential for radio interference, and they should address security. This is why in 1999, in response to a request from Congress, the Federal Com- munications Commission allocated the 5.9 GHz band of spectrum to traffic safety and intelligent transportation systems (ITS). In 2020, the FCC took away 45 MHz of the 75 MHz it had added, leaving only 30 MHz for transportation safety and ITS. DOT needs to represent the transportation community and make the case for needed spectrum to the public and Congress. CORPORATE AVERAGE FUEL ECONOMY (CAFE) STANDARDS One reason for the high numbers of injuries on American roadways is that national fuel economy standards raise the price of cars, disincentivizing people from purchasing newer, safer vehicles. Congress requires the Secretary of Transportation to set national fuel econ- omy standards for new motor vehicles sold in the United States. This mandate was established in the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA),6 a law passed in the wake of the Arab oil embargo to promote greater energy efficiency and lessen the national security threat of U.S. dependence on foreign oil. The stat- ute directs DOT to prescribe the “maximum feasible” mileage requirements for different categories of internal-combustion engine (ICE) automobiles for each model year. The standards must be achievable using available ICE technologies running on gasoline, diesel fuel, or similar combustible fuels and must not be set so high as to prevent automakers from profitably producing new vehicles at sufficient volume to meet consumer demand. Congress recognized that the ICE-powered automobile has been instrumen- tal to advancing the mobility and prosperity of the American people and that the domestic mass production of new ICE vehicles generates millions of jobs and remains critical to the overall health of the U.S. economy and the strength of the nation’s industrial base. Accordingly, Congress took care to ensure that the mileage requirements issued by DOT would not undermine the vitality of America’s auto industry or interfere with the market economics that drives consumer demand for new vehicles. This rulemaking authority, which has been delegated by the Secretary to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is exclusive to DOT. EPCA expressly preempts states from adopting or enforcing any different requirement “related to fuel economy standards” for new motor vehicles. While the statute instructs DOT to consult with the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in formulating its standards, no other federal agency, including EPA, has clear authority to set fuel economy requirements in place of NHTSA. The Clean Air Act7 gives EPA general authority to establish emissions

Showing 3 of 5 policy matches

About These Correlations

Policy matches are calculated using a hybrid approach: initial candidates are found using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text, then an AI model (Llama 3.1 70B) provides detailed alignment ratings and analysis. Ratings range from 1 (minimal alignment) to 5 (very strong alignment). This analysis does not imply direct causation or intent.

Full Policy Text

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