Policymakers

Ahead of the December 1 vote in the Senate Commerce Committee, Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, who’s been re-nominated to another term as commissioner, and Federal Trade Commission nominee Alvaro Bedoya answered questions from lawmakers on topics ranging from broadband and spectrum use to social media use and antitrust. Rosenworcel told senators point-blank that she had no plans to regulate broadband rates — a concern prompted after she previously seemed open to the option as a way to increase broadband access.

To understand what’s “likely the most unreliable,” level of broadband coverage in the country, Alaska should open a statewide broadband office and prioritize data-driven infrastructure spending, a task force of state legislators, agency executives, rural officials and tribal leaders concluded.

Broadband and spectrum issues are top of mind for Gigi Sohn and Alan Davidson, President Joe Biden’s picks for the Federal Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications Information Administration, respectively. Ahead of their confirmation hearings before the Senate Commerce Committee on Dec 1 (where there’s expected to be plenty of fireworks), they shared with lawmakers what they view are the top challenges facing their agencies:

Gigi Sohn, a progressive nominated by President Joe Biden for an open seat on the Federal Communications Commission, is facing some friction in her confirmation bid. Here's what you need to know about Sohn's prospects for joining the FCC heading into Thanksgiving weekend. The Senate Commerce Committee explore Sohn's qualifications to fill the fifth and final FCC seat in a session directly following the vote.

Winsome Sears (R-VA), Virginia's lieutenant governor-elect, expressed the importance of rural broadband access and her concerns over how funds allocated for broadband access in the newly signed infrastructure law would help Virginians, especially in the southwestern part of the state.

House Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Republican Leader Bob Latta (R-OH) sent a letter to Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Subcommittee Chairman Michael Doyle (D-PA) urging them to hold a Federal Communications Commission oversight hearing to address the unprecedented influx of funding to the commission. Democrats provided an additional $25 billion to the FCC through their partisan American Rescue Plan and infrastructure packages and want to give the agency more funds in another partisan Reconciliat

Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan announced several new additions to the FTC’s Office of Policy Planning:

Long before the COVID-19 pandemic forced millions of children to attend school via the internet, Federal Communications Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel was sounding the alarm about US students who lacked access to broadband.

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving next week, it’s appropriate to take stock and look to the future. I’d like to reflect on our nation’s progress on 5G and observe a few of the related issues facing us in 2022 and beyond. Since the first mobile deployments in 2019, US 5G service and adoption have steadily expanded. The [Federal Communications Commission] has played a key part in that growth, and we must ensure that it continues. But we must also draw lessons from that work, so we’re prepared for the days ahead.

The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) and the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition wrote a joint letter of support urging the Senate Commerce Committee to quickly conduct hearings and speedily confirm President Biden’s nominees to the Federal Communications Commission and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).