Energy and Commerce is the oldest standing legislative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. House Commerce is vested with the broadest jurisdiction of any congressional authorizing committee. The Subcommittee on Communications and Technology has jurisdiction over “electronic communications, both interstate and foreign, including voice, video, audio and data, whether transmitted by wire or wirelessly, and whether transmitted by telecommunications, commercial or private mobile service, broadcast, cable, satellite, microwave, or other modes; technology generally; emergency and public safety communications; cybersecurity, privacy, and data security; the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)."

Previously, we looked at the Republican leadership of the committee. Here, we take a look at the broadband priorities of the rank-and-file Republican members. 

Of note, many Republican members joined to support two resolutions during the 118th Congress:

1. Rep. Bob Latta introduced House Joint Resolution 153, which would have nullified the final rule issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) titled Safeguarding and Securing the Open Internet; Restoring Internet Freedom, which classified broadband internet access service (BIAS in wonkspeak) as a telecommunications service for purposes of FCC regulation. The FCC rules prohibited BIAS providers from blocking or slowing traffic to lawful content and from engaging in paid prioritization arrangements. Reps Joyce, Allen, Fulcher, and Pfluger joined in the resolution.
2. House Joint Resolution 107, introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA-9), would have nullified the FCC’s final rules aimed at preventing and eliminating digital discrimination. The rules prohibit broadband providers from adopting policies or practices that differentially impact consumers' access to broadband service based on their income, race, ethnicity, religion, or national origin. Reps Bilirakis, Carter, Dunn, Joyce, Fulcher, Pfluger, Cammack, and Obernolte joined in the resolution.

Bob Latta 

Rep Bob Latte (R-OH-5) has been in the House of Representatives since 2007 and served as chair of the subcommittee in the 118th Congress. Rep Latta lost to Rep Brett Guthrie (R-KY-2) for control of the full Commerce Committee for the 119th Congress.

In the 118th Congress, Rep. Latta introduced the NTIA Reauthorization Bill of 2024 (H.R.4510), which would have reauthorized NTIA through fiscal year 2025, as well as modified some of the structures and functions of the agency. The measure passed the House but did not advance in the Senate.

Rep. Latta also cosponsored the Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity Act (H.R.1139), which would have required the FCC to review and recommend changes to its rules for fixed, mobile, and earth exploration satellites to promote precision agriculture. The bill passed the House in 2023 and moved to the Senate. The bill was referred to the Senate Commerce Committee, where it died.

Gus Bilirakis

Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12) has been in the House of Representatives since 2007 when he succeeded his father, Rep Michael Bilirakis. 

In the 118th Congress, Rep. Bilirakis introduced the Coastal Broadband Deployment Act (H.R.3311), which would have excluded projects to deploy or modify certain transmitting devices, towers, antennas, or other communications facilities from specified environmental and historic preservation reviews if the project was carried out entirely within a floodplain.

Rep Bilirakis also cosponsored:

• H.R.3557 - American Broadband Deployment Act of 2023. The bill aimed to streamline Federal, State, and local permitting and regulatory reviews to expedite the deployment of communications facilities, and for other purposes.

Buddy Carter

Rep Buddy Carter (R-GA-1) has been a member of the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology since 2021. In 2023, he introduced the American Broadband Deployment Act of 2023 (H.R.3557), which aimed to streamline Federal, State, and local permitting and regulatory reviews to expedite the deployment of communications facilities. In the 119th Congress, Rep Carter cosponsored the Coastal Broadband Deployment Act (H.R.3311).

Neal Dunn

In 2017, Rep Dunn (R-FL-2) joined 107 of his Republican colleagues in a letter to then-FCC Chairman Ajit Pai supporting Pai’s plan to end net neutrality. In the 118th Congress, Rep Dunn cosponsored a number of bills, including:

• H.R.3311 - Coastal Broadband Deployment Act
• H.R.3557 - American Broadband Deployment Act of 2023

John Joyce

In 2023, Rep John Joyce (R-PA-13) introduced the Broadband Competition and Efficient Deployment Act (H.R.3288). The bill would have provided that projects for the collocation of a telecommunications service facility were not subject to requirements to prepare certain environmental or historical preservation reviews. 

Rick Allen

In 2023, Rep Rick Allen (R-GA-12) introduced the BEAD FEE Act of 2023 (H.R.3298), which would have restricted recipients of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program grants from charging fees related to the deployment of broadband infrastructure. In the 118th Congress, Rep Allen also cosponsored the Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act (H.R.889).

Russ Fulcher

Rep Russ Fulcher (R-ID-1) spent 24 years in the technology industry before turning to politics. In 2023, he introduced the Reducing Barriers for Broadband on Federal Lands Act of 2023 (H.R.3297). The legislation would have ensured that certain broadband projects were not subject to requirements to prepare certain environmental or historical preservation reviews. 

August Pfluger

Rep August Pfluger (R-TX-11) joined the House of Representatives in 2021. In the 118th Congress, Rep Pfluger introduced a number of bills, including:

• The Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act (H.R.3343), would have required the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to submit a plan to Congress for tracking the acceptance, processing, and disposition of applications for communications use authorizations.
• The Broadband Buildout Accountability Act (H.R.5173) would have made actions or decisions of the NTIA concerning the BEAD Program subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Sen Rick Scot (R-FL) introduced the companion bill in the Senate.
• The Provide Rigorous Oversight To Optimize Connectivity and Offset Latency or PROTOCOL Act (H.R.9450), which would have required federal agencies administering funding programs for broadband deployment to coordinate with one another, and with the states, to collect, publish, and utilize data on government-funded broadband deployments. 

Kat Cammack

Rep Kat Cammack (R-FL-3) joined the House of Representatives in 2021. In the 118th Congress, she introduced the Rural Internet Improvement Act of 2023 (H.R.3216), which would have merged the pilot ReConnect Loan and Grant Program with existing loans and grants provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to facilitate broadband access to rural areas that lack sufficient access to broadband. 

Rep Cammack also cosponsored:

• American Broadband Deployment Act of 2023 (H.R.3557)
• Broadband Buildout Accountability Act (H.R.5173)

Jay Obernolte

Rep Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23) is a former video game developer who joined the House of Representatives in 2021. In March of 2021, he voted against the American Rescue Plan Act, which created the Capital Projects Fund and Affordable Connectivity Program. In November 2021, he voted against the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which created the BEAD program and included the Digital Equity Act. 

Erin Houchin

Rep Erin Houchin (R-IN-9) is the Secretary of the House Republican Conference and a new member of the House Communications Subcommittee. She has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2023. She has not sponsored or cosponsored any broadband legislation during her time in the House. 

Thomas Kean Jr

Rep Thomas Kean Jr (R-NJ-7) is a new member of the House Communications Subcommittee in the 119th Congress. During the 118th Congress, Rep Kean cosponsored the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024 (H.R.6929), which would have extended funding for the program through fiscal year 2024. Rep Kean also cosponsored the EXPLORE Act (H.R.6492), which set forth policies for the Department of the Interior and Department of Agriculture related to recreation on public lands and included guidelines regarding broadband and cellular service. 

Craig Goldman 

Rep Craig Goldman (R-TX-12) is a new member of the House of Representatives. He served in the Texas House of Representatives from 2013-2025, during which time he coauthored House Bill 18, the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act, which, among other things, established the duty of certain digital service providers to register a user's age before entering into an agreement with the user to create an account.

Julie Fedorchak 

Rep Julie Fedorchak (R-ND-At Large) is the first woman elected to the House of Representatives from North Dakota. She previously served as a member of the North Dakota Public Service Commission NDPSC) from 2012-2025.

First appointed by the governor in 2012 and elected to a six-year term in 2016, Fedorchak headed pipeline siting, generation siting, and rail portfolios and was the NDPSC’s lead for issues relating to the Midwest Independent System Operations. Fedorchak’s background includes 20 years of state policy experience and a decade in the private sector, founding and managing her own business, Liffrig Communications.

Also see:

• The Republicans Driving Broadband Policy in the 119th Congress
• The Broadband Priorities of the New Senate Commerce Committee
• The Broadband Priorities of Senate Commerce Democrats
• New Leadership for House Commerce Committee in the 119th Congress

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people in the U.S. have access to competitive, High-Performance Broadband regardless of where they live or who they are. We believe communication policy - rooted in the values of access, equity, and diversity - has the power to deliver new opportunities and strengthen communities.

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