Chair Rodgers to FCC Commissioners: “It’s Critical that the FCC is Accountable"

The House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered opening remarks at the Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing titled “Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission:"

• Oversight of the FCC: FCC Inspector General advisories have identified waste, fraud, and abuse in multi-billion-dollar programs that were created to keep Americans connected during COVID.

• Reauthorizing the FCC's Spectrum Auction Authority: This Committee has prioritized providing the FCC with the tools it needs to manage our nation’s airwaves effectively. Unfortunately, a key tool used by the FCC—the authority to issue spectrum licenses—expired earlier this year for the first time ever. I have been working with my colleagues in the House for over a year, and with my colleagues in the Senate, to extend this authority. We’re continuing to work on advancing this legislation out of the House, through the Senate, and to the President’s desk to sign.

• Closing the Digital Divide: This Committee is also prioritizing closing the digital divide, and the FCC has a key role to play in this effort. I am pleased that the FCC has released two versions of its broadband maps since our last oversight hearing. These maps are significantly better than previous FCC maps and we need to make sure the FCC gets this right in order to ensure every person can participate in [the] economy. [However] since 2021, the FCC Inspector General has released two advisories warning of fraud in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). This fraud undermines confidence in the program and the FCC’s ability to administer it.