Dear Mr. Chairman and Senator Cantwell,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to provide you with draft legislative text that we have developed collaboratively with the public safety stakeholder community to reauthorize the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) without the burdensome governance provisions included in the House-passed bill, H.R. 7386, the “First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act.”
The public safety community as a whole has expressed support for a clean reauthorization of FirstNet, but the FOP and the wider public safety field are insisting that legislation restore the original purpose of FirstNet—protecting officer and public safety. The alternative legislative text we have provided has the support of the FOP and the public safety community because, unlike the House-passed legislation, it makes public safety interests the prime focus when it comes to regulation, decision-making and vendor interaction. The FirstNet Authority Board needs to make the decisions about the nationwide public safety broadband network as well as the governance and operation of the FirstNet Authority. It is at variance with common sense to shift decision-making authority away from public safety professionals and put it in the hands of bureaucrats, which could revive old weaknesses, marginalize frontline input, and delay vital choices.
After all, ladies and gentlemen, we are not re-writing the Magna Carta, we are reauthorizing a highly effective nationwide public safety broadband network with an incredible track record of success that has the full confidence of the public safety community. The alternative text we have provided does not differ materially from the House bill, except it does not compromise its operational integrity by introducing unnecessary bureaucracy.
In our view, our revised text correctly puts officer and public safety above all other considerations. This is as it should be and, on behalf of the more than 382,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, we look forward to working with you and your staff in this effort. If you need any further assistance or information on this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco in our Washington, D.C. office.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes