This hearing will continue to explore the complex issues concerning spectrum management in an effort to help us move forward and develop a national spectrum management policy..Piecemeal proposals to allocate and reallocate spectrum are not in our nation's best interest. In addition, the ongoing war against terrorism has shed new light on government spectrum needs.
The testimony before the Committee today should provide useful information as we work to develop a legislative framework for managing spectrum.

The particular issues before us today include: (1) improving the process for assigning and allocating spectrum; (2) reimbursing government users for their relocation costs if they are required to relinquish their spectrum for commercial uses; (3) increasing U.S. participation in the World Radio Conference process; and (4) the status of third generation wireless service.

Since 1993, government users have been required to turn over portions of their spectrum for use by commercial users. In order to facilitate this process, many have suggested that government users should be reimbursed through auction proceeds for relocation costs they incur in order to move to new spectrum blocks or to consolidate their existing operations..As we will hear today, there are also proposals to use auction proceeds for other beneficial purposes.
In July of last year, the Communications Subcommittee studied the need to make available spectrum for third generation wireless service. However, it seems that almost a year later we are not much closer to a resolution of this matter..Recent postponement of spectrum auctions reinforce the need to develop a national spectrum policy; one that supports the development of emerging technologies, while meeting the needs of government users.
Spectrum allocation is not only a domestic issue. It has become an important international issue. The U.S. must work to improve its participation in the World Radio Conference to successfully negotiate spectrum use internationally.
As we consider these issues and work to improve the nation's management of spectrum, regulators must recognize the need to exercise leadership on, and more effectively address, these increasingly complex spectrum use and management issues. Spectrum management is important to both government and commercial users.
Incumbents and new entrants continue to seek additional spectrum to upgrade existing wireless technologies as well as introduce new ones. Given the growing importance of wireless technologies to consumers and government users, we must rise to the challenge and resolve these issues to best serve our nation's interests. We must face these challenges head on.
In developing a new spectrum management approach, it is my hope that regulators will strive to stand in each others' shoes; by viewing the issues not only from the perspective of their constituencies, but also from the perspective of those with competing interests. .We must all approach this issue creatively and bring forward new ideas to comprehensively address our nation's spectrum allocation.
With that said, I welcome the witnesses and look forward to their testimony.