The Broadband Priorities of the New Senate Commerce Committee
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Digital Beat
The Broadband Priorities of the New Senate Commerce Committee
Part I: The Republicans
As the Senate Commerce Committee is set to convene for the first time in the 119th Congress, we look at the membership of the panel and their priorities when it comes to broadband policy. Previously, we looked at the priorities of Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), who sits on the Commerce Committee as well. The committee includes 15 Republicans and 13 Democrats.
Roger Wicker
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) is a senior member of the Commerce Committee having served previously as the chairman and ranking member for the 116th and 117th Congresses, respectively. He represented Mississippi’s First Congressional District in the House of Representatives starting in 1994. He has represented Mississippi in the United States Senate since December 2007, championing, he says, pro-growth policies to create jobs, limit federal overreach, protect life, and maintain a strong national defense.
Sen. Wicker has a long record on broadband policy. He authored the Broadband DATA Act to better measure broadband deployment throughout the country. The legislation established the National Broadband Map used for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program.
Over the past two years, Sen. Wicker sponsored and cosponsored a number of bills including:
- S.341- Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act: A bill that would have excluded from gross income, for income tax purposes, certain broadband grants made for broadband deployment. This bipartisan bill had the support of 22 senators.
- S.856 - FAIR Contributions Act: A bill to require the Federal Communications Commission to study and report on the feasibility of funding the Universal Service Fund through contributions from edge providers (i.e., providers of online content or services, such as search engines).
- S.1234 - Broadband Buildout Accountability Act would have made the actions and decisions of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration concerning the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program subject to the Freedom of Information Act, which governs the release of federal documents.
- S.2238 - PLAN for Broadband Act would have directed the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to develop and implement a national strategy to improve the coordination and management of federally supported programs for expanding access to and adoption of broadband internet. The bill was ultimately amended to provide needed additional funding for the FCC's Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program (also known as Rip and Replace). With these provisions, the bill advanced from the Commerce Committee but never got a vote on the Senate floor.
Deb Fischer
Improving broadband connectivity is one of the top priorities for Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE). In 2015, Fisher teamed with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) on the Rural Spectrum Accessibility Act to create the Enhanced Competition Incentive Program (ECIP), which expands spectrum access opportunities for small carriers and rural wireless entities. She voted for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and its $65 billion to address broadband availability and accessibility. She secured an amendment in the law directing the FCC to create a publicly accessible online mapping tool for broadband infrastructure deployment. This tool helps federal agencies like USDA to avoid duplication and efficiently deploy broadband networks across America.
In the last Congress, Sen. Fisher was an original cosponsor of Sen Thune's Rural Internet Improvement Act (S.130) which would have merged the U.S. Department of Agriculture's pilot ReConnect Loan and Grant Program with existing USDA loans and grants to facilitate broadband access to rural areas that lack sufficient access to broadband. Fisher also introduced the Linking Access to Spur Technology for Agriculture Connectivity in Rural Environments (LAST ACRE) Act to create a new Last Acre Program at the USDA aiming to expand network connectivity across farmland and ranchland.
Jerry Moran
Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) has worked on a number of broadband bills including:
- S.690 - NET Act, a bill that advanced from the Senate Commerce Committee that would have required the FCC to determine (subject to available data) whether the lack of network equipment significantly impacted the deployment of broadband and other advanced telecommunications capability. The bill never received a vote from the full Senate.
- Reforming Broadband Connectivity Act of 2023 (S.975) would have required the FCC to make changes to the financing of the Universal Service Fund. This fund, which is financed by fees contributed by telecommunications carriers, supports programs to expand the availability of and access to telecommunications services. The bicameral, bipartisan legislation would have directed the FCC to initiate a rulemaking process to reform the contributions system, taking into account the fairness and the relative burden any changes in fees will have on consumers and businesses, as well as the impact the proposed changes to the contribution system will have on seniors.
Dan Sullivan
Alaska has much less broadband connectivity than any other state, Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) said in explaining his "difficult" vote to support the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. He's noted how high-speed internet access can be “life-changing,” particularly for rural Alaska residents without access to other communications infrastructure. In August 2022, Sen. Sullivan hosted the Alaska Broadband Summit. He said, "We must be ready as a state to take advantage of this historical funding" and he urged stakeholders to work together to secure the funding and not let it go to waste. In the 118th Congress, Sen. Sullivan cosponsored the Broadband Buildout Accountability Act and the Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act.
Marsha Blackburn
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) cosponsored the Broadband Buildout Accountability Act. She also cosponsored, along with Sens. Cruz and Thune, the Spectrum Pipeline Act (S. 3909), legislation aimed at expanding commercial access to mid-band spectrum by:
- Identifying spectrum: Requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to identify at least 2,500 megahertz of mid-band spectrum that can be reallocated from Federal use to non-Federal or shared use in the next 5 years (including at least 1,250 megahertz in the next 2 years);
- Renewing the FCC’s auction authority: Renews the FCC’s auction authority, which expired in March 2023, and requires the FCC to auction at least 1,250 megahertz of spectrum for full-power commercial wireless services, including 5G, within 6 years (including at least 600 megahertz within 3 years);
- Promoting unlicensed innovation: Expands the United States’ leading role in unlicensed innovation by requiring the FCC to allocate at least 125 megahertz of additional spectrum for unlicensed services;
- Ensuring remaining spectrum can be licensed or unlicensed: Provides further opportunity for technology-neutral innovation in the remaining 1,125 megahertz of remaining spectrum identified by NTIA for commercial services;
- Creating new reporting requirements: Ensures effective oversight by requiring the FCC and NTIA to submit to Congress annual progress reports as well as reports within 60 days of each identification made by NTIA;
- Upgrading federal systems: Removes a limitation in current law to allow federal agencies to purchase new state-of-the-art equipment using spectrum auction proceeds.
Todd Young
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) joined a bipartisan group of senators to introduce the Keeping Critical Connections Act, which would help small broadband providers ensure rural broadband connectivity for students and their families. The legislation would have appropriated $2 billion for a Keeping Critical Connections fund at the FCC under which small broadband providers with fewer than 250,000 customers could be compensated for broadband services—if they provided free or discounted broadband services or upgrades—during the pandemic for low-income families who could not afford to pay their bills or provided distance learning capability for students. The Senate Agriculture Committee never voted on the bill.
Ted Budd
In August 2023, Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) joined Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) in introducing the Connecting Our Neighbors to Networks and Ensuring Competitive Telecommunications (CONNECT) Act (S. 2663). The bipartisan, bicameral bill would have streamlined the application process for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect Program in the following ways:
- Establishes a ReConnect Office of Technical Assistance to aid eligible providers with application forms.
- Creates a Mini-Grant Program offering grants up to $20,000 for small providers to offset the cost of the application process.
- Shortens certain permitting deadlines for USDA-funded broadband projects from 270 to 180 days.
- Prioritizes applications from those submitted by a local government, a nonprofit organization, or a cooperative.
- Designates rural areas that receive broadband service via non-wireline technology as eligible for ReConnect funding.
- Creates an interagency Broadband Council to recommend uniform speed and application requirements for federal programs.
- Expands federal easements for certain electric utilities to enable them to lease existing fiber capacity.
Eric Schmitt
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) championed the Launch Communications Act (S. 1648), which became law in September 2024. The law establishes a new process for the FCC to issue spectrum licenses for commercial space launches. This updated process will not only help eliminate regulatory paperwork but also help improve interagency coordination over the use of spectrum frequencies while protecting federal users. Sen. Schmitt also prioritized funding for the FCC's Rip and Replace program. This was eventually realized through the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025.
John Curtis
Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) joins the chamber and the committee after serving his state in the House of Representatives since 2017. In the House, Curtis served on the Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. In the 118th Congress, he backed a number of broadband-related bills including:
- Federal Broadband Permit Coordination Act of 2023 (H.R.3306), a bill to require the USDA and the Department of the Interior to coordinate with specified federal entities and other stakeholders to expedite permits for broadband projects. The legislation would also have allowed the departments to establish teams to support the coordination efforts. The bill had no cosponsors. It was referred to the House Committees on Agriculture and Natural Resources but was not voted on.
- Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act of 2023 (H.R.3307), Curtis introduced a second bill to facilitate the expansion of broadband service to rural and Tribal communities through improved permitting efficiency. That bill was also referred to the House Committees on Agriculture and Natural Resources but was not voted on.
- Curtis was joined by Rep. Michael Lawler (R-NY) on the Connect Our Parks Act (H.R.5919). The bill would have required the Secretary of the Interior to conduct an assessment to identify locations in National Parks in which there is the greatest need for broadband internet access service and areas in National Parks in which there is the greatest need for cellular service. A related bill—the EXPLORE Act H.R.6492—requires the USDA and Department of Commerce to enter into an agreement on the installation or construction of broadband internet infrastructure at developed recreation sites on Federal recreational lands and waters. This bill became law on January 5, 2025.
Rep. Ann Kuster (D-NH) joined Curtis in introducing the House version of the Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2024 (H.R.7005). The bill, which was passed in the Senate, would have required the FCC to establish a process to vet applicants for certain funding that supports affordable broadband deployment in high-cost areas, including rural communities.
Bernie Moreno
Newly-elected Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) was born in Bogota, Colombia. Moreno moved to the United States with his family at age five and became an American citizen at age 18. He worked for Saturn, a now-defunct General Motors subsidiary when he graduated from college. Bernie Moreno purchased his first Mercedes-Benz dealership in 2005 and grew that one dealership into one of the largest dealership groups in America. Moreno sold off his dealerships from 2016 to 2019. In 2016, Moreno recognized the value and transformational potential of blockchain technology, before it received mainstream attention, and moved much of his volunteer time and investment dollars into the space. In 2018, he pushed to make Ohio an international leader in blockchain technology. That led to the creation of Blockland, a short-lived Cleveland convention, and state government accepting Bitcoin payments. He created a blockchain company called Champ Titles to revolutionize the auto title industry, which he later sold.
Moreno first ran for the U.S. Senate in 2021, hoping to replace retiring Cincinnati Republican Rob Portman. His MAGA-themed campaign aimed at earning backing from Trump and his supporters, though he lost the Trump endorsement to author and businessman JD Vance. Moreno was one of the first Republicans to drop out of that race and throw his support to Vance, who won the seat and is now set to be Trump’s vice president. Before his first Senate run, Moreno had a vaguely anti-Trump reputation, having publicly argued in favor of permanent legal status for undocumented immigrants in a 2016 op-ed and compared Trump to Adolf Hitler on social media while privately calling him a “lunatic invading the party.”
Tim Sheehy
Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT) is new to Congress. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 2008. Sheehy completed several deployments and hundreds of missions as a Navy SEAL Officer and Team Leader, deploying to Iraq, Afghanistan, South America, and the Pacific region. Later, he founded Bridger Aerospace, an aerial firefighting company based in Belgrade, Montana. Sheehy himself was a firefighting pilot, completing hundreds of firefighting missions across the U.S. West. With wildfires fires ravaging Los Angeles, Sen. Sheehy is working with Sens. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Andy Kim (D-NJ) on wildfire preparedness legislation. Other priorities include the national debt, border control, the Veterans Administration, inflation, crime, and the cost of housing.
Shelley Moore Capito
"Broadband is absolutely critical for developing businesses, improving education, and sharing ideas."—Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) is the daughter of Governor Arch Moore Jr. (R-WV). Starting as a college counselor and advisor at West Virginia State College (now University), Capito was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000, working to expand transportation infrastructure throughout the state. After seven terms representing the Second Congressional District, she ran for the United States Senate. Sen. Capito is the first female Senator in West Virginia’s history and was elected with the largest margin of victory for a Republican in state history in 2020—winning more than 70 percent of the vote and all 55 counties, surpassing the previous mark she set in 2014 when she won more than 62 percent of the vote and all 55 counties. Sen. Capito currently serves as the Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference.
Sen. Capito was instrumental in shaping and passing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the creation of the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program. BEAD is providing over $1.2 billion to deploy high-speed internet networks across West Virginia. Sen. Capito worked diligently to get the FCC to improve broadband deployment data and the National Broadband Map.
Sen. Capito has also worked closely with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) on the Rural Broadband Protection Act (S.275), which would require the FCC to create a more thorough vetting and verification process for internet service providers seeking to participate in the FCC's high-cost programs. The bill, which advanced from the Senate in the 118th Congress, would provide essential safeguards to the Universal Service Fund's high-cost programs by ensuring that funding goes to companies with both a proven track record of success and have demonstrated sound judgment in deploying in hard-to-serve areas.
Cynthia Lummis
In September 2024, Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) joined Republican colleagues on the Commerce Committee in a letter to Vice President Kamala Harris criticizing her leadership role in the slow rollout of the BEAD Program. In the last Congress, she supported the Connect Our Parks Act (S.2018) and the Secure and Affordable Broadband Extension Act (S.4317).
We will take a look at the priorities of the committee's Democrats in our next article.
Also see:
- The Republicans Driving Broadband Policy in the 119th Congress
- New Leadership for House Commerce Committee in the 119th Congress
- Project 2025's Plan for the NTIA
- Project 2025: Brendan Carr's Agenda for the FCC
Kevin Taglang is the Executive Editor at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society.
Zoë Walker is a Writing Associate at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society.
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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