WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Rick Allen (GA-01), Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, delivered the following remarks on seven pieces of legislation to be considered on the House Floor.
Vice Chairman Allen’s remarks on H.R. 7386, the First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act of 2026, as prepared for delivery:
“The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) was born to solve the problems first responders faced during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In 2012, Congress established FirstNet as a dedicated network for first responders so they would never again suffer the severe communications failures that undermined their ability to coordinate and respond to the attacks.
“Nearly 15 years later, FirstNet has become a vital tool for first responders nationwide, and it is time for Congress to reauthorize this program so they can continue to do their lifesaving work.
“Plain and simple, this legislation reauthorizes this important tool for first responders and makes improvements to ensure long-term success of the network while increasing transparency and accountability within the program.
“This legislation has strong bipartisan support. I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.”
Vice Chairman Allen’s remarks on H.R. 7022, the Mystic Alerts Act, as prepared for delivery:
“While we work to increase cell phone connectivity across the country, there are, and may always be, certain areas of this country that do not have access to that connectivity. That can be a problem in times of natural disasters or other emergencies. If you don’t have a connection, you may not be able to receive a wireless emergency alert or other emergency notifications.
“Satellite technology is beginning to bridge that gap with our cell phones, and it could bring a huge benefit for public safety.
“This legislation would kickstart the process for mobile service providers to utilize satellite connectivity to send alert messages in areas that may not have access to terrestrial cell network coverage.
“This legislation has strong bipartisan support. I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.”
Vice Chairman Allen’s remarks on H.R. 1681, the Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act, as prepared for delivery:
“This legislation establishes an interagency strike force to help prioritize permitting reviews for deploying broadband on federal lands.
“Broadband has become an essential part of everyday life. We need broadband for work, to stay connected with loved ones, and even for healthcare and education. But too many Americans still lack access to broadband. Thus, Congress has provided billions of dollars to ensure that every American gets connected.
“Deploying on federal lands is a critical part of closing the digital divide. Many unserved communities are near federal lands and thus broadband providers must traverse these lands to reach these unserved homes and businesses.
“Unfortunately, deploying broadband on federal lands can be burdensome, particularly when it comes to the permitting process. Providers have testified that this complicated process moves slowly, and they are often left in the dark on the status of their applications. As a result, unserved communities are left without the broadband they need as providers wait for agencies to approve their permits.
“We need to reform the broadband permitting process. Not only do we need to streamline how we review permits, we need to ensure the agencies that manage federal lands prioritize these reviews. H.R. 1681, the Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act, will help ensure this happens.
“H.R. 1681 directs the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to create an interagency strike force that includes the head of each Federal land management agency to ensure that they are prioritizing the review of broadband-permitting applications. In addition to holding periodic calls, the strike force will establish goals for the review of the requests, and monitor and hold each agency accountable for meeting these goals. This strike force is necessary to expedite the permitting process so that every American has access to broadband.”
Vice Chairman Allen’s remarks on H.R. 1343, the Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act, as prepared for delivery:
“I rise today in support of H.R. 1343, the Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act, sponsored by Representatives Pfluger and Soto. This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to develop a plan for tracking the broadband permitting applications on federal lands.
“Broadband is essential to participate in everyday activities. Most Americans rely on their broadband connection for their work, healthcare, education, and more.
“Congress has provided billions of dollars to close the digital divide. Indeed, the NTIA is in the process of administering the BEAD program, which provides $42.45 billion for broadband deployment.
“But too often, broadband deployment is delayed or prevented due to unnecessary red tape in the form of burdensome permitting requirements.
“Federal agencies are some of the biggest culprits behind this red tape, delaying the deployment of broadband to the communities that need it. The process of application and approval for some of these permits has unfortunately become duplicative, ineffective, and time consuming. Worse, there is no transparency in this process.
“Opaque federal permitting review processes leave applicants in the dark on whether their application is complete, where it is in the review process, and when they can expect a final decision. This uncertainty is not good for planning projects.
“The Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act addresses these concerns by requiring NTIA to develop a plan to improve the tracking of federal broadband permit applications. This plan would include a process to give applicants transparency into the status of their reviews, which would improve the speed and disposition of applications. This is essential to provide clarity into the federal permitting process.
“This is an important moment in time, and we must do all that we can to ensure that every American can access reliable broadband.
“I urge my colleagues to support this bill.”
Vice Chairman Allen’s remarks on H.R. 5200, the Emergency Reporting Act, as prepared for delivery:
“The reliability and resilience of our emergency communications infrastructure is paramount.
“This legislation would direct the FCC to hold hearings and issue reports related to 911 outages after natural disasters and to make recommendations to improve outage reporting, bolster resiliency, and enhance coordination with state and local emergency officials. This will help make our communications systems stronger in the face of natural disasters.
“This legislation has strong bipartisan support. I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.”
Vice Chairman Allen’s remarks on H.R. 5201, the Kari's Law Reporting Act, as prepared for delivery:
“Kari’s Law, enacted in 2018, was named in honor of Kari Hunt, who was killed in a motel room in Marshall, Texas in 2013. Ms. Hunt’s 9-year-old daughter tried to call 911 for help four times from the motel room phone, but the call did not go through because the phone system required dialing ‘9' for an outbound line before dialing 911.
“The law requires multi-line telephone systems, such as those in offices, campuses, and hotels, to allow direct 911 dialing without extra digits when a 911 call is made.
“This legislation would require the FCC to issue a report within 180 days to determine the extent to which multi-line telephone system manufacturers are complying with the Kari’s Law Act of 2017. Requiring these systems in large buildings or campuses will help save lives in case of an emergency.
“This legislation has strong bipartisan support. I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.”
Vice Chairman Allen’s remarks on S. 98, the Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025, as prepared for delivery:
“The House version of this bill, led by Representative Houchin, passed the House by voice vote last year.
“The Federal Communications Commission’s Universal Service Fund (USF) provides funding to support the deployment and operation of broadband networks in our rural communities.
“Although most recipients of this support fulfill their deployment obligations, there have been cases in the past where commitments went unmet.
“The Rural Broadband Protection Act requires the FCC to establish a process for upfront vetting of broadband providers seeking USF funds to ensure they are qualified to uphold their obligations. It also directs the FCC to set penalties for those providers that do not build out where they promised. These new steps will ensure that USF support only goes to qualified providers and that those providers follow through on their commitments to serve rural Americans.
“I would like to thank Representative Houchin for her leadership on this bill. I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.”