Auction Reform Act of 2002
Public Law 107-195 · H.R. 4560 · 107th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Jun 19, 2002 · Science, Technology, Communications
Sponsor: Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-LA-3)
Cosponsors (54): Rep. John Dingell, Rep. Fred Upton,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Auction Reform Act of 2002 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to determine the timing of and deadlines for the conduct of competitive bidding for, and the auctioning of, electromagnetic spectrum used by analog television broadcasters.
Prohibits the FCC from commencing or conducting spectrum auctions 31 and 44 on June 19, 2002. Provides exceptions for the auction of certain C- and D-block licenses within the 700 megahertz band, requiring that auction to occur between August 19 and September 19, 2002. Requires the FCC to: (1) report to Congress specifying when it intends to reschedule such auctions and describing progress made in the transition from analog to digital television and in the assignment and allocation of additional spectrum for advanced mobile communications services that warrants the scheduling of such auctions; (2) return to the bidders for specified licenses of auction 44 the full amount of all up-front payments made; and (3) conduct auctions 31 and 44 prior to the September 30, 2007, termination of such auction authority.
States that nothing in this Act shall be construed to relieve television broadcast licensees of their current obligation to complete conversion from analog to digital television.
Prohibits the FCC, in granting a request by a television broadcast station licensee assigned to any of channels 52-69 to utilize any of channels 2-51 assigned for digital broadcasting in order to continue analog broadcasting during the transition to digital broadcasting, from waiving or otherwise reducing the current spacing requirements provided for analog broadcasting licensees within channels 2-51, or the interference standards provided for digital broadcasting licensees within such channels, if such waiver or reduction will result in any degradation or loss of service or an increased level of interference to any television household except as the FCC's rules would otherwise expressly permit. (Excludes any waivers previously granted.) Makes such restrictions inapplicable to a licensee seeking authority to vacate the frequencies that constitute channels 63, 64, 68, or 69 in order to make such frequencies available for public safety purposes.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 15 actions.
- Jun 19, 2002Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 107-195.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jun 18, 2002PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Tauzin asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendment.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- May 7, 2002FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Upton moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Energy and Commerce Committee
- May 2, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Apr 24, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.