Congress is pushing to adjourn for the year, and that means last-minute work finishing appropriations bills before lawmakers leave for break.
Being closely watched is the Commerce-State-Justice appropriations bill, which contains an amendment that would restrict the Federal Communications Commission's auction of Multichannel Video Distribution and Data Service (MVDDS) spectrum. The provision is supported by Northpoint Technology, the company most associated with MVDDS.
The appropriations legislation will likely be rolled into a package of appropriations bills, which could be done possibly by the end of the week, sources said.
Last week, Congress Daily reported that Senate Appropriations Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) indicated the MVDDS auction provision could be removed from the appropriations bill. And a letter circulated throughout the Senate by Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) asked Senators to support striking the MVDDS provision from the bill, the publication said.
As of press time late Tuesday, there wasn't significant movement on the amendment.
Satellite interests have been watching the MVDDS debate closely, concerned the spectrum-sharing wireless technology will interfere with satellite TV signals.