A coalition of public-safety groups, formally known as the Public Safety Alliance, have launched a campaign to push Congress to modify the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) proposed auction of the D Block included in its National Broadband Plan.

This group is led by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, but also includes seven other major public safety groups, other law enforcement and public safety organizations, seven major state and local organizations, and eight companies that support reallocation of the D block, including Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Inc., Motorola, Inc., Alcatel-Lucent, and Harris Corp. Several public safety groups have voiced opposition to the FCC plan to auction the D block ever since FCC's Chairman Julius Genachowski made the proposal in February.

The National Broadband Plan recommended that the spectrum be auctioned to commercial providers, with public safety retaining priority user status, but the group states that Public safety agencies need the 10 MhZ of block of spectrum in order to have enough wireless spectrum to build a nationwide voice and data network that police, fire departments and other emergency responder agencies need.

In late April, Rep. Peter King, (NY-R) introduced the Broadband for First Responders Act, which would give the D block to emergency responder groups; the bill now has 21 co-sponsors, and is also supported by the alliance. The group is now opening up a $500,000 advertising campaign aimed at persuading Congress to give the 10 MHz of D-Block spectrum to the public-safety community.

 The House Energy and Commerce Committee has already tentatively scheduled a hearing on the 700 D block spectrum and the creation of a national interoperable emergency response network.