The Federal Communications Commission’s response to issues related to broadband expansion, natural disaster communications, net neutrality and process reforms was highlighted during a subcommittee review led by U.S. Reps. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Greg Walden (R-OR) on Wednesday.
Blackburn, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, and Walden, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, heard testimony from all five FCC commissioners during the hearing.
“It is very important that we fulfill our oversight responsibilities, because we have given the FCC a critical mission and critical tasks to fulfill,” Blackburn said. “From the commission’s disaster response efforts, to its work supporting the deployment of rural broadband, to its efforts to streamline and modernize the regulatory environment impacting some of America’s greatest creators and innovators, you are all doing important work, and we appreciate it.”
Blackburn noted that the FCC’s mission is to unleash America’s innovation. The committee is awaiting key reforms to address media ownership rules, expansion of rural broadband, restoration of a free and open internet, and also the federal Lifeline program, which lowers the cost of phone or internet service for low-income consumers.
“I look forward to hearing updates on the agency’s contributions to the overall federal relief efforts underway in these areas as well as those impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria,” Walden said. “Although some of the affected areas are almost back up to speed, thanks to a lot of hard work on the part of both industry and government, we are facing enormous challenges in restoring essential services in other areas.”
Walden noted that the subcommittee recently finished its markup of the first FCC reauthorization bill in many years, and he said Congress is the appropriate venue to settle the net neutrality debate and establish a federal framework that provides certainty to internet users.
“We have the same end goal: preserving the Internet as a free, open, dynamic environment to unleash innovation and drive our economy, while also doing everything we can to extend its benefits to every American. We should be able to work together and clear this issue off our plates,” he said.