---
kind: "section"
citation: "47 U.S.C. § 924"
title: "47"
title_heading: "Telecommunications"
number: "924"
heading: "Withdrawal or limitation of assignment to Federal Government stations"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/47/924"
units:
  - "Chapter 8 — National Telecommunications and Information Administration"
  - "Subchapter II — Transfer of Auctionable Frequencies"
---

# §924. Withdrawal or limitation of assignment to Federal Government stations

- (a) **In general—** The President shall—
  - (1) within 6 months after receipt of a report by the [Secretary](/usc/47/901.md?p=a-3) under subsection (a), (d)(1), or (f) of [section 923 of this title](/usc/47/923.md), withdraw the [assignment](/usc/47/921.md?p=2) to a Federal Government station of any frequency which the report recommends for immediate reallocation;
  - (2) within any such 6-month period, limit the [assignment](/usc/47/921.md?p=2) to a Federal Government station of any frequency which the report recommends be made immediately available for mixed use under [section 923(b)(2) of this title](/usc/47/923.md?p=b-2);
  - (3) by the delayed effective date recommended by the [Secretary](/usc/47/901.md?p=a-3) under [section 923(e) of this title](/usc/47/923.md?p=e) (except as provided in [subsection (b)(4)](#b-4) of this section), withdraw or limit the [assignment](/usc/47/921.md?p=2) to a Federal Government station of any frequency which the report recommends be reallocated or made available for mixed use on such delayed effective date;
  - (4) assign or reassign other frequencies to Federal Government stations as necessary to adjust to such withdrawal or limitation of [assignments](/usc/47/921.md?p=2); and
  - (5) transmit a notice and description to the [Commission](/usc/47/901.md?p=a-4) and each House of Congress of the actions taken under this subsection.
- (b) **Exceptions—**
  - (1) **Authority to substitute—** If the President determines that a circumstance described in [paragraph (2)](#b-2) exists, the President—
    - (A) may substitute an alternative frequency or frequencies for the frequency that is subject to such determination and withdraw (or limit) the [assignment](/usc/47/921.md?p=2) of that alternative frequency in the manner required by [subsection (a)](#a); and
    - (B) shall submit a statement of the reasons for taking the action described in [subparagraph (A)](#b-1-A) to the [Commission](/usc/47/901.md?p=a-4), Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.
  - (2) **Grounds for substitution—** For purposes of [paragraph (1)](#b-1), the following circumstances are described in this paragraph:
    - (A) the reassignment would seriously jeopardize the national defense interests of the United States;
    - (B) the frequency proposed for reassignment is uniquely suited to meeting important governmental needs;
    - (C) the reassignment would seriously jeopardize public health or safety;
    - (D) the reassignment will result in costs to the Federal Government that are excessive in relation to the benefits that may be obtained from commercial or other non-Federal uses of the reassigned frequency; or
    - (E) the reassignment will disrupt the existing use of a Federal Government band of frequencies by amateur radio licensees.
  - (3) **Criteria for substituted frequencies—** For purposes of [paragraph (1)](#b-1), a frequency may not be substituted for a frequency identified and recommended by the report of the [Secretary](/usc/47/901.md?p=a-3) under [section 923(a) of this title](/usc/47/923.md?p=a) unless the substituted frequency also meets each of the criteria specified by [section 923(a) of this title](/usc/47/923.md?p=a).
  - (4) **Delays in implementation—** If the President determines that any action cannot be completed by the delayed effective date recommended by the [Secretary](/usc/47/901.md?p=a-3) pursuant to [section 923(e) of this title](/usc/47/923.md?p=e), or that such an action by such date would result in a frequency being unused as a consequence of the [Commission](/usc/47/901.md?p=a-4)’s plan under [section 925 of this title](/usc/47/925.md), the President may—
    - (A) withdraw or limit the [assignment](/usc/47/921.md?p=2) to Federal Government stations on a later date that is consistent with such plan, except that the President shall notify each committee specified in [paragraph (1)(B)](#b-1-B) and the [Commission](/usc/47/901.md?p=a-4) of the reason that withdrawal or limitation at a later date is required; or
    - (B) substitute alternative frequencies pursuant to the provisions of this subsection.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 102–538, title I, § 114, as added Pub. L. 103–66, title VI, § 6001(a)(3), Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 384; amended Pub. L. 105–33, title III, § 3002(d)(2), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 264.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1997—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 105–33, § 3002(d)(2)(A), substituted “subsection (a), (d)(1), or (f)” for “subsection (a) or (d)(1)”.

Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 105–33, § 3002(d)(2)(B), substituted “any such 6-month period” for “either such 6-month period”.