Letter

"Democratic leadership repeatedly said that if Democrats took control of the Senate they would move quickly to get the Federal Communications Commission back to work protecting the public," said Fight for the Future Evan Greer in a letter to Sen Chuck Schumer (D-NY)."But Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), in her role as chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, has been actively and egregiously preventing Democrats from making good on those promises.

To ensure Congress's largest-ever broadband and digital equity investments are here to stay, we must have robust and accurate broadband adoption data. Unfortunately, such broadband adoption data is not currently publicly available. While the Federal Communications Commission's maps were updated in 2021 with 2020 data, the broadband adoption data was not released. The importance of having robust, accurate, and timely data can not be overstated.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel sent letters to Reps Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), James Comer (R-KY) and Kay Granger (R-TX) on January 14, 2022, responding to their letter that asked for information on FCC efforts to coordinate with other agencies on broadband funding. Rosenworcel said the FCC collaborated with various federal and state agencies on the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, COVID-19 Telehealth Program and Emergency Connectivity Fund.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel responded to Sens Roger Wicker (R-MS) and John Thune (R-SD) and Reps Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Robert Latta (R-OH) on January 7, 2022, regarding their letter about the FCC’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) report on fraudulent enrollments by providers in the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program.

Sens Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) led a bipartisan and bicameral group of 45 lawmakers in calling for the extension of expanded coverage of telehealth services to be included in must-pass legislation in February 2022. Provisions from the Schatz-authored CONNECT for Health Act were included in previous COVID-19 relief legislation to allow Medicare beneficiaries in all areas of the country, and in their homes, to utilize telehealth services and to expand the types of health care providers eligible to provide telehealth.

A coalition of telecommunications industry lobbyists wants the Biden administration to waive “Buy American” requirements in the recent bipartisan infrastructure law for certain information and communications technologies. The new campaign, led by the Telecommunications Industry Association, argues that the available choices for US-made telecomunications equipment are insufficient to meet the law’s goal of building new, affordable broadband networks in underserved or hard-to-reach regions.

In a letter to Department of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, 11 Republican senators raised concerns regarding the recently-announced final rule for broadband infrastructure funding through the Coronavirus State and Local Recovery Funds. We are profoundly disappointed that Treasury’s final rule lacks the proper guidance and constraints needed to ensure that federal funds are used efficiently and for their intended purpose.

Sen Roger Wicker (R-MS) sent a letter urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to work cooperatively to resolve spectrum policy issues and update the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on spectrum coordination, which has not been updated since 2003. "With your recent confirmations by the Senate, it is now time to take steps toward improving the cooperation and collaboration between your agencies that is essential to spectrum management and the future of US spectrum policy," says Thune.

House Energy and Commerce Republicans Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Bob Latta (R-OH) urged Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Mike Doyle (D-PA) to hold an oversight hearing to review ongoing activities and programs at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). "The NTIA has not appeared before the Energy and Commerce Committee since the 115th Congress," said the lawmakers' letter.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel reflected on the accomplishments of the agency in 2021. The chairwoman highlighted a number of programs, funding opportunities, auctions and new initiatives enacted by the FCC, including: