House Commerce Committee

In today’s interconnected world, making spectrum available for the private sector to deploy and advance new technologies will not only benefit American consumers, but will also allow our nation to continue to lead on the global stage in 5G and Internet of Things. After hearing from many stakeholders, the FCC made its decision to grant Ligado’s application. This application has been tested, reviewed, revised, and tested again.

House Commerce Committee Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR) and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) announced the subcommittee’s agenda to ensure American leadership in emerging technology to beat China and other challenges to global competitiveness. The emerging technology agenda includes 15 bills designed to advance American leadership. The objectives of the legislation are "Advancing and Securing Emerging Technologies", "Global Data Innovation and Security", "Advancing Innovation Across the Country", and "Combating Harms Through Innovation". 

Recently, more than 30 companies came together to announce a coalition to promote policies that support implementing open 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) technology, a critical part of deploying 5G technology. This commitment by the private sector to advance the same objectives shows the widespread priority to secure our domestic and global communications supply chain, and it’s a great step forward to encourage our allies to follow suit.

The House Democratic Plan to Connect All Americans to Affordable Broadband Internet—an updated and expanded version of the broadband provisions of House Democrats’ Moving America Forward Framework—is the product of significant collaboration between the Rural Broadband Task Force, the Commerce Committee, and many Members of the House Democratic Caucus. 

Invest in Internet Infrastructure

House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai demanding the FCC reassure broadcasters that the agency will not revoke licenses for airing legally protected speech. On March 25, President Donald Trump’s campaign sent letters to certain broadcasters regarding the airing of an advertisement critical of the President’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR), Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Subcommittee Ranking Member Bob Latta (R-OH) released the following statement today after President Trump signed the Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2020 (S. 893) and the Broadband DATA Act (S. 1822) into law:

President Donald Trump has signed the Secure and Trusted Communications Act (HR 4998) into law, which "prohibits certain Federal subsidies from being used to purchase communications equipment or services posing national security risks; and establishes a reimbursement program for the replacement of communications equipment of services posing such risks." Specifically, the law:

House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee member Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA) introduced the Reinforcing and Evaluating Service Integrity, Local Infrastructure, and Emergency Notification for Today’s Networks Act (H.R.

Rep A. Donald McEachin (D-VA) led 22 of his colleagues from the House Commerce Committee in sending a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai requesting that the FCC reconsider the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) Order in light of the last-minute language added to the adopted Order and released Feb 7.

The Chairs of three House Committees released a framework for a five-year, $760 billion investment in infrastructure that would address some of the country’s most urgent infrastructure needs, including broadband internet networks.