Republican Lawmakers Urge Democrats to Hold NTIA Oversight Hearing

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. "Given NTIA’s role in spectrum management and administering unprecedented amounts of broadband funding, it is imperative that the NTIA Administrator appear before our Committee as soon as possible." In this hearing, Reps Rodgers and Latta request that the NTIA provide information on how it plans to effectively "track and coordinate" the broadband access programs established across the federal government's agencies, including those at the Department of Agriculture, Department of the Treasury, and the Department of Education. In addition, the lawmakers want to hear from the Biden Administration about its "progress in implementing a spectrum information technology modernization plan," which the administration tasked the NTIA with establishing.