Walden sets House Commerce committee tech priorities on net neutrality, spectrum, broadband

In a speech on at the Ripon Society, Rep Greg Walden (R-OR), the chairman of the House Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, outlined his top priorities for this congressional session.

He said he is concerned that the Federal Communications Commission overstepped its boundaries in issuing its recent network neutrality ruling: “Look, whether you’re for it or against it, I don't believe the FCC had the authority to do it." He added that he thinks the FCC often oversteps its boundaries and needs to be reformed. Chairman Walden will take a close look at the broadband provisions in the stimulus package relating to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Rural Utility Service. Turning to spectrum, Walden said that he believes the D block of the spectrum should be auctioned off to the public, not reserved for public safety.

Spectrum, Chairman Walden said, is a public commodity and a good way to raise money for the Treasury, though he did say that the public safety sector has needs to be addressed as well. Chairman Walden said that there is bipartisan agreement that the Universal Service Fund is "broken" and that he looks forward to working with the FCC to get the program "back on sound fiscal footing."