February 5, 2026
Mr. Dunn of Florida (for himself and Ms. McClellan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
To amend the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 to reauthorize the First Responder Network Authority, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title; table of contents
(a) Short title
This Act may be cited as the First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act of 2026
.
(b) Table of contents
The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 2. Reauthorization of First Responder Network Authority
Section 6206 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1426) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (f), by striking the date that is 15 years after the date of enactment of this title
and inserting September 30, 2037
; and
(2)
in subsection (g)—
(A)
by striking Not later than 10 years after the date of the enactment of this Act
and inserting Not later than 7 years after the date of the enactment of the First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act of 2026
; and
(B)
by striking 15-year sunset
and inserting termination
.
Sec. 3. Authority of NTIA over First Responder Network Authority
(a) In general
Subtitle B of title VI of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.) is amended—
(1)
in section 6204(a), by striking as an independent authority
; and
(2)
in section 6206—
(A)
by redesignating subsections (d), (e), (f), and (g) as subsections (e), (f), (g), and (h), respectively;
(B)
by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
(d) Actions subject to approval of NTIA
(1) In general
Any action taken by the First Responder Network Authority shall be subject to the approval of the NTIA.
(2) Manner of approval
(A) In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the NTIA shall, after providing an opportunity for public comment, develop a list of actions that do not require prior approval by the NTIA before the First Responder Network Authority may take such an action. The First Responder Network Authority may not take an action that, at the time when such action is taken, is not on such list, unless the NTIA has provided prior approval for such action.
(B) Rule of construction
Nothing in subparagraph (A) may be construed to alter the requirement of subsection (c) of section 6208 that fees may only be assessed under such section if approved by the NTIA.; and
(C)
in subsection (h) (as so redesignated), by striking subsection (f)
and inserting subsection (g)
.
(b) Conforming amendment
Section 6205(b)(2) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1425(b)(2)) is amended by striking If
and inserting Subject to section 6206(d), if
.
(c) Applicability
The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to actions taken by the First Responder Network Authority on or after the date on which the list required by subsection (d)(2) of section 6206 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1426), as amended by this Act, is developed.
Sec. 4. Board of First Responder Network Authority
(a) Public safety professionals
Section 6204(b)(2)(A) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1424(b)(2)(A)) is amended by amending clause (iv) to read as follows:
(iv)
ensure that, on and after the date that is 3 years after the date of the enactment of the First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act of 2026, the Board includes not fewer than 5 individuals who have served as public safety professionals.
(b) Staggered terms
(1) In general
Section 6204(c)(2) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1424(c)(2)) is amended—
(A)
in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking 3 years
and inserting not more than 3 years
; and
(B)
by striking subparagraph (D).
(2) Applicability
The amendments made by this subsection shall apply with respect to appointments made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Sec. 5. Associate Administrator
(a) In general
Section 6204 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1424) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(h) Associate Administrator
(1) In general
The First Responder Network Authority shall have an Associate Administrator, which shall be a position in the Senior Executive Service and who shall be appointed by the Assistant Secretary.
(2) Duties
The Associate Administrator shall do the following:
(A)
Subject to the direction of the Board and approval by the NTIA under section 6206(d), manage the staff and operations of the First Responder Network Authority in order to ensure that the duties and responsibilities of the First Responder Network Authority are carried out.
(B)
Serve as a liaison between the First Responder Network Authority and the NTIA, including with respect to ensuring compliance by the First Responder Network Authority with section 6206(d).
(3) Annual performance reviews
The NTIA, in consultation with the Chair of the Board and any committee of the Board relating to governance and risk, shall conduct an annual performance review of the Associate Administrator.
(b) Continuation in office
The individual serving as the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the First Responder Network Authority on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act may serve as the Associate Administrator under subsection (h) of section 6204 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1424), as added by subsection (a), on and after such date of enactment without the need for appointment under such subsection (h).
Sec. 6. Components of nationwide public safety broadband network
Section 6202(b) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1422(b)) is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking and initially consists of
and inserting and consists of such technologies, spectrum bands, and services as necessary to enable secure, interoperable, resilient, and prioritized broadband communications for public safety entities, including
.
Sec. 7. Flexibility in establishing fee amounts
Section 6208(b) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1428(b)) is amended—
(1)
by inserting (or other period specified by the First Responder Network Authority)
after for each fiscal year
; and
(2)
by striking the fiscal year involved
and inserting such fiscal year (or other period)
.
Sec. 8. Reports to Congress on First Responder Network Authority
(a) Additional matters To be included in First Responder Network Authority audit report
Section 6209(b)(2) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1429(b)(2)) is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (B), by striking ; and
and inserting a semicolon;
(2)
in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and
; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following:
(D)
an evaluation of the performance of the FirstNet contractor under the contract in building, operating, and maintaining the nationwide public safety broadband network.
(b) Annual reports to Congress
Subtitle B of title VI of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.), as amended by the preceding provisions of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
6214. Annual reports on First Responder Network Authority
(a) Report on cybersecurity matters
The NTIA shall submit to Congress an annual report that includes information on cyberattacks, outages, and cyber defense efforts with respect to the nationwide public safety broadband network. Each such annual report shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a classified annex.
(b) Report on adoption rates
The NTIA shall submit to Congress an annual report on adoption rates, by profession and geographic area, with respect to the nationwide public safety broadband network.
(c) Annual briefing
Subtitle B of title VI of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.), as amended by the preceding provisions of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
6215. Annual briefings on First Responder Network Authority
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the NTIA shall provide to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a briefing on activities with respect to the First Responder Network Authority.
Sec. 9. Business continuity and disaster recovery plan
Subtitle B of title VI of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.), as amended by the preceding provisions of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
6216. Business continuity and disaster recovery plan
(a) In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, and every 5 years thereafter, the FirstNet contractor shall submit to the NTIA for approval a business continuity and disaster recovery plan to ensure rapid restoration of the nationwide public safety broadband network following an outage resulting from a natural disaster or other emergency.
(b) Timing of approval or request for resubmission
Not later than 180 days after the date on which the NTIA receives a plan submitted under this section, the NTIA shall—
(1)
approve such plan; or
(2)
provide to the FirstNet contractor a written notice of—
(A)
the reasoning for not approving such plan; and
(B)
the timeframe and process, as determined by the NTIA, for resubmitting such plan for approval.
Sec. 10. Outage notifications
Subtitle B of title VI of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.), as amended by the preceding provisions of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
6217. Outage notifications
In the case of any outage with respect to the nationwide public safety broadband network—
(1)
as soon as practicable, but not later than 30 minutes, after the FirstNet contractor has confirmed such outage, the FirstNet contractor shall notify the First Responder Network Authority of such outage;
(2)
the FirstNet contractor shall provide to the departments and agencies that use such network a network status tool that provides timely information on such outage; and
(3)
after receiving a notification under paragraph (1), the First Responder Network Authority shall report such outage for purposes of the—
(A)
Network Outage Reporting System of the Federal Communications Commission; and
(B)
Disaster Information Reporting System of the Federal Communications Commission.
Sec. 11. Submission to Congress of FirstNet contract
Subtitle B of title VI of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.), as amended by the preceding provisions of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
6218. Submission to Congress of FirstNet contract
Not later than 7 days after receiving a request, in writing, from the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, or from the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, the First Responder Network Authority shall submit to such Committee any contract between the First Responder Network Authority and the FirstNet contractor with respect to building, operating, or maintaining the nationwide public safety broadband network.
Sec. 12. Definitions
Section 6001 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1401) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating paragraphs (19) through (33) as paragraphs (21) through (35), respectively;
(2)
by redesignating paragraphs (15) through (18) as paragraphs (16) through (19), respectively;
(3)
by inserting after paragraph (14) the following:
(15) FirstNet contractor
The term
FirstNet contractormeans the entity that, under contract with the First Responder Network Authority, builds, operates, and maintains the nationwide public safety broadband network.; and
(4)
by inserting after paragraph (19) (as so redesignated) the following:
(20) Interoperable; interoperability
The terms
interoperableandinteroperabilitymean ensuring, and the ensuring of, respectively, communications for public safety entities between networks, providers of commercial mobile service and commercial mobile data service, and jurisdictions through the use of commercial standards for mission-critical services, quality of service, and priority mechanisms.