The Senate late Wed. shot down 75-21 an attempt to remove the Interoperable Emergency Communications Act from the 9/11 homeland security bill. The Interoperability bill would set up a Dept. of Commerce grant program financed with proceeds from the license auction planned as part of the transition to DTV. The Bush Administration wants the grants handled by the Dept. of Homeland Security (CD March 5 p1).

Sen. Coburn (R-Okla.) tried to remove the interoperability provisions because he doesn't believe the money will be used wisely. "The last thing we need to be doing is having a grant program that is rushed so we are not making sure the money is well spent," said Coburn on the Senate floor. Coburn also believes the new grant program too closely resembles an existing program in DHS. "There is no difference in the grant programs whatsoever, other than the deadline, which isn't going to be followed anyway," he said. The interoperability program would start making grants Sept. 30, but DHS and Commerce have questioned this date, and Coburn echoed those concerns: "They haven't written the requirements for the grant applications."

Both Sens. Stevens (R-Alaska) and Inouye (D-Hawaii) jumped to the defense of the Commerce program. Coburn "is not only changing the manner in which the money can be used... he is putting limitations on the grants... $300 million for the whole nation to meet the immediate needs for interoperability," said Stevens. Inouye objected to what he believed was Coburn's implication that the grant program was a boondoggle to benefit Alaska and Hawaii. "The State of Hawaii is almost completely interoperable," he said. "We want all other states to have that benefit."

The Satellite Industries Assn., which had urged passage of the interoperability provision (CD March 7 p14) hailed the vote. The Senate "has clearly recognized the critical role satellite communications" have in disaster relief and recovery, said SIA Exec. Dir. David Cavossa.