The Republican spectrum wars are back.
Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) are pitted against Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (Texas) and others over the fate of key military airwaves. This latest spat comes just a few months after the issue appeared settled in the GOP’s reconciliation bill.
But Fischer included a provision in the Senate version of the annual defense policy bill to give the secretary of defense and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff more power to block auctions of Pentagon spectrum.
Fischer told us this week she’s gotten a commitment from Senate leadership to keep the measure in the final bill, but the provision is drawing opposition from the White House and Republicans in both chambers.
