crs_reports: R48923

Congressional Research Service reports with summaries, authors, and topic classifications.

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R48923 First Responder Network (FirstNet) Authority: Reauthorization and Selected Issues 2026-04-29T04:00:00Z 2026-05-01T16:07:58Z Active Reports Colby Leigh Pechtol, Amanda H. Peskin   In the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-96)—in response to communications issues experienced during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and other disasters—Congress created the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority). The FirstNet Authority is an independent authority within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), under the U.S. Department of Commerce. P.L. 112-96 tasked the FirstNet Authority with establishing a nationwide public safety broadband network (FirstNet Network) dedicated to and customized for public safety use. The act provided $7 billion in electromagnetic spectrum auction proceeds to fund the FirstNet Authority and FirstNet Network; allocated 20 megahertz of spectrum for public safety use; directed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to grant a renewable 10-year spectrum license to the FirstNet Authority (which was granted in 2012 and renewed in 2023); authorized the FirstNet Authority to enter into a public-private partnership to develop, deploy, and operate the FirstNet Network; and directed that the FirstNet Network be permanently self-sustaining. The statutory authorization of the FirstNet Authority expires in February 2027. In March 2017, the FirstNet Authority awarded a 25-year contract to AT&T to build and maintain the FirstNet Network. P.L. 112-96 required that states be given the choice to opt in to the FirstNet Network or opt out and build a separate statewide network that would be interoperable with the FirstNet Network. By January 2018, all states, territories, and the District of Columbia had opted in, meaning AT&T would be deploying the FirstNet Network in each jurisdiction. In March 2018, the FirstNet Authority announced that AT&T had begun deploying the FirstNet Network, including the core network and cell sites, in each state. By December 2023, the FirstNet Authority validated that the initial five-year build-out was complete. In February 2024, the FirstNet Authority (with AT&T) announced plans to reinvest up to $8 billion over the next 10 years to expand and evolve the FirstNet Network. As of October 2025, the FirstNet Authority and AT&T reported that over 30,000 public safety agencies and organizations use the FirstNet Network, including several federal agencies. In the 119th Congress, both the House and Senate have held hearings on FirstNet. The hearings centered on assessing progress of the FirstNet Network and other policy issues, including clarification of the FirstNet Authority’s and NTIA’s management responsibilities, interoperability with other networks, recent audit findings, and expiration of the authorizing statute. A key issue for Congress is reauthorization of the FirstNet Authority. Other concerns may include organizational and structural issues within the FirstNet Authority and between the FirstNet Authority and NTIA; oversight of the FirstNet Authority and FirstNet Network; market competition; and interoperability with other networks, including Next Generation 911. Legislation relating to the FirstNet Authority has been introduced in the 119th Congress. For example, H.R. 1519 would provide statutory authority for the Office of Public Safety Communications (within NTIA) to support efforts related to public safety communications, including managing and auditing the FirstNet Authority. H.R. 7386 would extend the FirstNet Authority’s statutory authorization through 2037 and take measures to increase transparency and accountability. Options for Congress could include removing or extending the FirstNet Authority’s sunset provision, set forth in P.L. 112-96. Removing the sunset provision would authorize the FirstNet Authority to operate permanently and could help to avoid uncertainty around the future of the FirstNet Network and services. On the other hand, retaining the reauthorization provision could allow Congress to periodically assess the progress and performance of the FirstNet Network and address policy issues of interest to Congress. Congress could extend the FirstNet Authority’s authorization, for example, to align with the expiration of the current AT&T contract or impose certain conditions—such as changing the FirstNet Authority’s organizational structure, requiring interoperability between FirstNet and other networks, or encouraging more carriers within the FirstNet Network. Congress could also opt not to reauthorize the FirstNet Authority, which could raise questions regarding the fate of the spectrum license, management of the FirstNet Network, and oversight of the contract with AT&T. https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/R/PDF/R48923/R48923.2.pdf https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/R/HTML/R48923.html

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