Communications & Technology

TUNE IN: The House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, led by Chairman Richard Hudson (NC-09), is holding a hearing at 10:00 AM to discuss a strategic spectrum policy that empowers our innovators and can launch a new era of American leadership.   Who You’ll Hear from: Michael Powell, President and CEO, NCTA – The Internet and Television Association: “Wireless technologies are central to bringing high-speed internet to our customers and have allowed us to enter the competitive mobile broadband market. As a relatively new entrant, we have quickly become the Nation’s fourth largest wireless carrier.” Brad Gillen, Executive Vice President, CTIA: “The wireless industry can play a key role in addressing many of the core challenges facing our country today—from helping families with everyday household costs and creating more good paying jobs to competing more effectively against China and connecting all Americans." Diane Rinaldo, Executive Director, Open RAN Policy Coalition: “To navigate these challenges, the U.S. must reassert its leadership by restoring spectrum auction authority, strengthening collaboration across sectors, and advancing a clear, coordinated national strategy for telecommunications with competition and cybersecurity at its heart.” Additional Witness: Chris Lewis, President & CEO, Public Knowledge CLICK HERE to watch live or tune in to Channel 37 on the internal House network. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, delivered the following opening remarks at today’s hearing titled “Strengthening American Leadership in Wireless Technology.”   “Good morning, and welcome to the first hearing in the Communications and Technology subcommittee of the 119th Congress. “I am honored to serve as the Chairman of this subcommittee, where there’s a rich history of identifying and addressing the most pressing issues raised in the communications and technology sectors. “As technology continues to advance, this subcommittee will be at the forefront of solving tough issues. “The subcommittee has historically worked in a bipartisan manner to solve many of the issues before us, and I plan to continue that tradition working with my Ranking Member, Representative Matsui. “I have admired and respected her bipartisan work and accomplishments as a leader in this space and look forward to working together and learning from her. “I am grateful for the work Chairman Latta brought to this subcommittee and I’m looking forward to continuing it and learning from him as well. “I’m also excited to work with my Vice Chair Mr. Rick Allen, and all my colleagues on this subcommittee to advance important legislation this Congress.” U.S. Leadership “Our nation is the world’s economic powerhouse, and we lead the world in innovation.  “America is home to the best technology companies, both large and small. These companies lead in everything from next-generation wireless technology to all the emerging technologies that rely on connectivity, ranging from artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things to NextGen 9-1-1 and precision agriculture. “Our country’s startup ecosystem is strong and should be fostered. This Committee must advance thoughtful policy that continues to grow American innovation and productivity rather than stifle it. “Next-generation wireless technology supports many of these technological advancements. It impacts nearly every sector of our economy, from powering everyday communication networks and advancements in healthcare and manufacturing, to being used for our national defense, something heavily present in my district at Fort Bragg, the home of our Special Forces and the largest military base in the world. “But if our wireless networks are going to keep pace with the speed of innovation, we need to make sure they have additional spectrum resources. “Spectrum is a crucial element for wireless technology to operate. Americans depend on connected devices in their everyday lives, and the congestion on our networks has skyrocketed. “Our wireless networks need to keep up. “As our wireless networks advance from 5G to 6G technology and beyond, the demand for spectrum will only continue to grow.” Spectrum Landscape “We must remember these important resources are finite. Managing these limited resources is vital to maintaining our economic dominance and protecting our national security. “We will take a balanced approach to making both licensed and unlicensed spectrum available. “This includes working with our federal partners such as the Department of Defense, which must have enough spectrum to defend the homeland, but also be held accountable to use their resources efficiently. “Last Congress, the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC’s, spectrum auction authority expired for the first time due to disagreements about how spectrum resources should be allocated. These auctions have historically brought in billions to our national economy, with the highest spectrum auctions raising over $80 billion from private companies. “It is simple economics: there is limited supply, unlimited demand, and a willingness to pay. We need to reauthorize the FCC’s spectrum auction authority immediately. “We must also continue looking for ways to make unlicensed spectrum available. Unlicensed spectrum unlocks the Internet of Things and smart device economy on which Americans rely, providing tremendous economic growth. “Under the first Trump Administration, more than 1,200 megahertz of unlicensed spectrum was made available in the 6 gigahertz band, leading to massive opportunities for innovation for our farmers, industrialists, and communities.” Securing our Networks “These successes are just a start. “However, as we progress, our adversaries are constantly trying to undermine our leadership in international standard setting bodies, through IP theft, and through cyberattacks. “The U.S. must remain resolute in defending our leadership to safeguard democratic values, and this happens by trusting in our private sector partners to address some of our nation’s most pressing challenges. “We recently learned about ‘Salt Typhoon,’ which may be the largest Chinese-backed telecommunications hack in our nation’s history. “As we deploy advanced networks and connected devices in an environment of Great Power Competition, we have to thoughtfully secure our networks every step of the way. “At the end of last year, I was glad to see Congress fund the removal of the remaining Chinese equipment in our communications networks. “China is producing cheap communications equipment at the cost of our national security, and that needs to change. We need trusted alternatives. “Companies are working to develop and deploy Open RAN technology, which is intended to promote an ecosystem of trusted vendors for communications network equipment, and I look forward to hearing an update on its progress today. “The key to our success is working together with all stakeholders to deploy and secure our networks. “As our adversaries seek to undermine U.S. leadership, we will continue to build a comprehensive spectrum policy in the United States and a unified position on the international stage. “I look forward to discussing these issues more in depth with our witnesses today and discussing the future of spectrum policy in the United States.” ###

Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, led a hearing titled Strengthening American Leadership in Wireless Technology . “Effectively allocating spectrum to meet the ever-growing need is critical to promoting American innovation and protecting our national security,” said Chairman Hudson. “Today’s hearing underscored the importance of building a comprehensive spectrum policy that ensures the United States continues leading in the global economy.” Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing : Subcommittee Vice Chairman Rick Allen (GA-12): “Access to telecommunications isn't just a luxury. It's something Americans depend on every single day. Students need it to finish their homework. Folks of all ages, especially in rural communities, rely on it for telehealth visits with their doctors, and small businesses use it to reach customers and keep the doors open. And let's not forget, we all use it to stay in touch with friends and loved ones. Additionally, when natural disasters strike, access to reliable communication becomes even more critical.” Congressman John Joyce (PA-13): “Spectrum is a finite resource, and we must ensure that we're being innovative and thoughtful when forming any spectrum legislation moving forward. Solving this spectrum auction authority lapse and generating new spectrum policy is my top priority on this subcommittee, and I look forward to working with Chairman Hudson on getting this across the finish line.” Congresswoman Erin Houchin (IN-09): “While we may not realize it, spectrum directly impacts the ways in which millions of Americans go about their daily lives both at home and at work. From listening to the radio to watching television, to using cell phones and browsing the internet, spectrum determines how these devices carry data. That said, it is a limited resource, and I recognize that the United States must play a leading role in innovation relative to spectrum to maintain our position as the world's leader in new technology.” ###

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) today sent letters to five independent federal agencies urging the Biden-Harris administration appointees to abandon partisan efforts and instead focus remaining efforts on bipartisan, consensus items.   The letters state, “The results of the 2024 presidential election are now apparent and leadership of the [agency] will soon change. As a traditional part of the peaceful transfer of power, the [agency] should immediately stop work on any partisan or controversial item under consideration, consistent with applicable law and regulation.”    Click below to read each agency’s letter:   Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Federal Communications Commission (FCC)   Federal Trade Commission (FTC)   Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)   Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Note: In the letter, Chair Rodgers urges NRC to continue timely implementation of the ADVANCE Act. 

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), as well as Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chair Bob Latta (R-OH) and Ranking Member Doris Matsui (D-CA),  sent letter s to AT&T , Verizon , and Lumen demanding answers and requesting a briefing following breaches of their communications networks by hackers tied to the Chinese government. Reporting from the  Wall Street Journal  revealed the cyberattack was focused on intelligence collection and may have accessed U.S. wiretapping requests.  KEY LETTER QUOTE :   “We are concerned by the recent reports of a massive breach of AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen’s communications networks by Chinese hackers. These types of breaches are increasing in frequency and severity, and there is a growing concern regarding the cybersecurity vulnerabilities embedded in U.S. telecommunications networks. The Committee needs to understand better how this incident occurred and what steps your company is taking to prevent future service disruptions and secure your customers’ data.” BACKGROUND :   On October 5th,  The Wall Street Journal  reported U.S. broadband providers were breached by a Chinese government-tied hacker organization. The attack appears to be geared towards intelligence collection, and Chinese hackers potentially accessed vulnerable information, including court-authorized network wiretapping requests and internet traffic. AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen are among the U.S. broadband providers breached. According to the  Wall Street Journal , “The widespread compromise is considered a potentially catastrophic security breach and was carried out by a sophisticated Chinese hacking group dubbed Salt Typhoon.” CLICK HERE to read the letter to AT&T. CLICK HERE to read the letter to Verizon. CLICK HERE to read the letter to Lumen.

Soros-linked fund to acquire more than 200 local radio stations weeks before election Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) led 40 of her Republican colleagues in demanding answers from the Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding her recent decision to fast-track a media deal allowing the Fund for Policy Reform, a group aligned with Democratic mega-donor George Soros, to buy over 200 radio stations just weeks before the 2024 election. With a party line vote of 3-2, the decision at the Commission level by the Democratic members of the FCC to temporarily waive the required national security review and allow excessive foreign ownership of American radio stations is deeply disturbing. KEY LETTER EXCERPT: “It is highly concerning that the FCC did not follow regular order for a transaction of this magnitude. Licensees and investors need certainty that the FCC will follow its rules and procedures when approving transactions so that the broadcast industry can have the resources it needs to continue serving the public.”  BACKGROUND: Audacy, Inc., a radio broadcasting group, which owns more than 200 radio-station licenses, filed for bankruptcy earlier this year.  Audacy’s filings revealed that a George Soros-backed group known as the Fund for Policy Reform had acquired at least 40 percent of Audacy’s debt.   Audacy estimated that, upon emerging from bankruptcy, 25 percent or more of its stock would be indirectly foreign owned, which triggers FCC review.   This review process requires national security agencies to review the transaction and offer any policy or national security concerns.   On September 30, 2024, the FCC released an Order granting a temporary waiver of this review process, delaying a national security review until after the bankruptcy process is complete and allowing foreign control of a significant number of radio stations across the entire United States, weeks before a national election. CLICK HERE to read Breitbart's exclusive coverage. CLICK HERE to read the full letter.