A U.S. House subcommittee approved a bill for a floor vote that would authorize FCC incentive auctions and also allocate unused broadband spectrum for public safety. The FCC would be permitted to create an auction for selling wireless spectrum voluntarily released by TV broadcasters. The bill also includes provisions for allocating spectrum and funding for a nationwide public safety mobile broadband network, a project that has been pushed by the White House for months. The FCC has stated that there is a spectrum shortage and needs the auction so that enough is available for the growing mobile industry. The National Association of Broadcasters does endorse the bill and the U.S. House is expected to place a full vote on the bill by January 2012.