Fischer Questions Stephen Feinberg at Confirmation Hearing on Spectrum Policy

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, questioned Stephen Feinberg at the confirmation hearing on his nomination to be Deputy Secretary of Defense.
During the hearing, Senator Fischer asked Feinberg whether the Department of Defense deserves a seat at the table in shaping spectrum policy. She also asked him to clarify that, while sharing with commercial entities may be possible, the national security risks posed by forcing the Department to vacate airwaves entirely far outweigh economic considerations.
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On Spectrum Defense:
Senator Fischer:
Mr. Feinberg, there are currently efforts underway to force the Department of Defense to vacate critical bands of spectrum, including the lower 3 band and the 7-8 GHz band, and this would mean that the Department would not be allowed to operate radar systems or satellite systems that allow our warfighters to detect, discriminate, track, and shoot incoming missiles and enemy targets.
I adamantly believe that forcing national security systems to vacate these bans would be detrimental to national security. It would degrade our missile defense capabilities when we should be aggressively pursuing an Iron Dome for America. That would be off the table if these were vacated.
However, I also understand that sharing these bands with commercial entities may be possible. This would potentially allow DoD systems to operate and coexist with commercial systems in the same exact bands without forcing us to lose these capabilities. Do you believe the Department of Defense must have a meaningful co-leadership role in interagency determinations about the future of federal spectrum? Should DoD be at the table to be involved in those decisions?
Stephen Feinberg:
I totally agree we need spectrum to defend our country. We also need commercial use of it to develop the technologies that will defend our country. The best solution is sharing. But we have to get it right, make sure sharing can be done without risk. That needs to get tested, and until that it’s clear that it can be done without risk, we must protect DoD's spectrum position.
Senator Fischer:
Thank you. It must be clear that it can be done without risk, correct?
Stephen Feinberg:
Yes, Senator, 100 percent.
Senator Fischer:
Thank you, sir.