A hearing was held wednesday on the oversight of the fcc. The hearing focused on a range of topics including Broadband Access during coronavirus, expanding broadband to rural areas, telehealth, and more. This is three hours and 25 minutes. Welcome to todays hearing on the federal communication committee. I thank our witnesses for appearing. Today we will hear from the fcc chairman, commissioner michael o riley, and jeffrey starks. The fcc is the nations primary regulator of interstate and international networks. They ensure that all people in the United States have access to rapid, efficient, and nationwide Communication Services at reason prices. Never has their job been more important. They have put a spot right on the nations Nations Communications networks. There has been a dramatic usage and we are fairing better than other countries in meeting this increased demand. This is to be applauded, but there is still more work to be done, of course. Today there are far too Many Americans that remain unserved and who lack Affordable Access to any broad band connection whatever. In the effort to secure the next generations technologies. Over 700 providers have not shut off businesses for those that are unable to pay, but they cannot sustain that indefinitely. We need to have thoughtful ways to extend the pledge. I welcome the work on the newly creating covid19 Telehealth Program. It is designed to provide access to critical life saving Telehealth Services for those who lack access to quality care in the Global Health crisis. Todays hearing is an opportunity to discuss what more can be done to expand brondband access and Digital Opportunity for all americans. The work begins with the implementation of the broadband data map. Accurate maps are essential for targeting universal Service Funds and other resources to underserved areas and communities in need. To ensure the success of new programs like the 5g fund it is important they have accurate broadband maps with information about where it is available and where it is not and at what speeds. I hope they will outline what is available in the law. I appreciate commissioner o rileys commitment last week that he would not support moving forward with the 5g fund until they acquire the broad band data act. Congress needs to explore the feez ability of more resources for broadband deployment for areas that are not economical to serve or to families that experienced Economic Hardship as a result of the pandemic. I look forward to discussing the accelerating Broadband Connectivity act that i have awe th authors that would not undermine or delay the auction. I hope commissioners will also discussion ways to provide connectivity relief to schools, minority families, and those experiencing Economic Hardship because of the coronavirus. Another important part of making broadband universally available is having regulatory a Regulatory Framework that fosters investment and promotes broad band deployment. Im sure the commissioners want to discussion the 5g upgrade order which includes the installation of equipment and streamlining processes that can stall deployment in too many communities across the country. I appreciate commissioner carrs leadership on the a 5g upgrade order. For those who are in health care and personal activities, it is vital that we ensure the security of our health chains. We should include network and supply Chain Security including full funding for the fcc newly authorized rip and replace program. I hope commissioners will discuss funding needs and other plans to increase Network Security and reliability. Finally, section 230 of the Communications Decency act is intended to preserve a vibrant and competitive online marketplace for the benefit of all americans. Section 230 protects Interactive Computer Services such as social media platforms for being held liable for the content posted by their users. Section 230 also specifically allows interactive users to restrict access to or the availability of content that it considers to be obscene, lewd, filthy, violent, harassing or n objectionable. Some Online Platforms are disproportionately sensoring conservative voices or imposing an unfair bias through their policies and terms of service. Last week the federalist, an online magazine was notified they would be removed from googles advertising platform about a complaint from the content section. The comments on the sight were derogatory and impermissible. However policing offensive concept is one thing. Threatening the demon tization f a site is another thing. If there is to be a debate over the future of section 230 it is clear that each side as a responsibility to make sure the internet is a true diversity. It will evaluate the merits of section 230 and if modifications are necessary to promote more tra transparency and accountability. Clearly there is much to discussion toddiscuss today. I thank my friend and college for her cooperation at Ranking Member and i will turn to her for this. The full fcc comes to us at what i think is a pivotal moment. If we were still in any doubt that covid would make its impact clear to us, it is clear today. It is really an essential service and millions of americans remain on the other side of the Digital Divide. The statistics are well known but no less damming. 18 million americans do not have broadband. 13 million children do not have the ability to learn remotely and as we have uncertainty it is imperative that we deal with this issue. 16 of families with children have no access to broadband and 31 of households lack access to high spaed broadband. So we must expand high quality affordable broadband in unserved communities to american whos are being isolated can effectively endure during this pandemic and work remotely if is so important they increase their ability to help deliver medicine at this critical time. We have a real opportunity here to close the Digital Divide. It will require significant investment. I know our colleagues have promised more than 100 billion. We have to make sure that connectivity is an issue that we address. We need to pro moe literal si and adoption targeting these marginalized communities. I wrote on march 5th and asked for consideration of the existing policies to see if rule waivers could be used. Specifically i asked what take home emergency actions to fa sit date at home activity. So im not interested in just applying aggressive laws to industry. Im interested in making sure that millions of children caught in the gap of not being able to do their homework dont fall further behind. And yet nothing has happened. Im concerned about the spectrum as well. I know were in a high pro file dispute, but they are questioning national safety. It would be tempting to take it as a sign of internal chaos. It looks like the agency has narrowed interest. Today the fcc dismisses defaults to the belief that the highest and best use of spectrum is ter re restrial broadband. They would cause harm to the gps spectrum of critical to safety operations. Despite a fundamental areas. The fcc and i hope that we will continue to discussion this issue. I believe that the fcc should not be the place to just move forward but to have the discussion. It is important that these issues move forward. And the many interests, the s m spectrum because this issue of spectrum is not going to go away if will be more in demand. If youre the Default Agency you can see it has not gone away if just moved over to the Armed Services committee. I ask you to think about how well do a Better Process given the need for spectrum in the future. I know there is more that we want to discuss today. Ly is i have to go to the floor but i will return at some point for some questions. I thank the commissioners for being here in person. Thank you, senator. Were recognizing this order today. Were starting with the chair and recognizing commissioners in terms of seniority. So we will begin with the honorable ajit pi, chair of the fcc, and we will receive each set of written testimony in fool and ask you to summarize in five minutes. Thank you, chairman. I appreciate you inviting know testify and update you on the federal communications commission. Internet connectivity is more important than ever. Americans rely on broadband to telework, learn, talk to doctors, and stay in touch with loved ones. That is why were using every resource to deal with this unprecedented emergency. A commitment to, among other things, not terminate service to residential or Small Business consumers because of their inability to pay their bills due to disruptions. More than 780 providers took the pledge including all of our largest if has been critical for millions of american consumers. These companies especially small ones cannot continue to provide Service Without being paid for an indefinite period of time. As the pledge ends i have called on providers not to disconnection consumers in july, but to instead adopt extended payment plans to make sure they have a chance to catch up. This transition period will give congress the chance next month to provide funding to help ensure that Many Americans have continued access to broadband and tellphone services. I would welcome the opportunity to work with the committee on this or other related legislati legislativetivities. I want to thank you for establishing the program for the cares act. The fcc has worked quickly for this to review the submissions that we have received. Im proud that as of this morning with have approved 444 applications for a this program is enabling Health Care Providers to treat people remotely. And during this nation gnat emergency our networks have been tested like never before and im pleased to say they have done very well. Average fixed speeds in our country are higher than they were before the pandemic hit we cant rest on our laurels and thats why the fcc is working to expedite the deployment. Were also on track to kmengs a public auction . December. Because they have committed to interested relocation, this spectrum will become available two to five years earlier than would have been the case. Just yesterday we won a mayor court victory. I would especially like to thank chairman thun for this leadership. It enables tribes to get first dibs before we hold in auction next year. We have also unanimously opened up the entire sixth gighertz ban and we almost finished the van tigs. Because it has gone well, Wireless Services are now being provided throughout america. Finally i would like to mention a personal and professional priority that is literally a matter of life and death, suicide prevention. Three weeks from today the fcc will vote on final rules to have a nationwide three digit number for the National Suicide prevention hotline making it easier for those in trouble to get help. We can save lives and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. At a time when suicide rates are on the rise especially for vulnerable populations like veterans, lbgtq youth and africanamerican teens. 988 could make all of the difference. I would like to thank senator godwin and thun. I look forward to answering your questions today. Precisely five minutes, thank you very much. Welcome. Members of the committee, it is good to see you today from a safe distance. These are historic days, a Public Health emergency has strained our hospitals and crashed our economy. Protests have filled our streets in our largest streets and smallest towns. We need connections now that strengthen our mutual bonds. Networks that connect more people in more places lift us all. Let me start by telling you about a conversation that i had a couple weeks ago. I spoke to a middle School Teacher from a small town in virginia. But it could have happened anywhere in rural or ur bran merge. This teacher was out and about. That student had not been going to online classes in the last week. Of course the mother knew. Right after she exchanged the usual please pleasantries she said the internet ran out. They were meters out life online. Stuck allocating bits of Smart Phone Services to health care and emergencies. That is haunting but not surprising. This has exposed a hard truth of the Digital Divide is very real and very big. You see it how nationwide parking lot wifi is a thing. People are driving to parking lots, sitting in their cars and trying to maintain a semblance of normal modern life. Question do better. First we need a clear plan for broadbrand for all. It was just a few weeks ago we got the report. Only 18 million americans do not have access to broadband. But that is not credible. That is based on the methodology you called for us to use. But the fcc is about to hand out billions in fixed broadband sport wi support on maps that we know are wrong. We cant afford to delay improved data any further because without it we will never be sure that were targeting support services to the right places. We also cant limit our foe douse just deployment. We need to address barriers to adopt. It is not just a problem in rural america. By some estimate theres are three to four times as many households without Internet Access. Second we need a clear plan to fix the homework gap. In the fall no student will be without the Internet Access they need to go to class online. The fcc could do this with a program right now, but if you choose to address it through legislation i hope we can move fast so no child is left offline. Third we need a clear plan to keep all americans connected. The fcc at the charmts direction have assured they will not cut off carriers. But that comes to an end and we should all worry about what is on the other side. We need to find a way took tend this commitment. We need to rethink the program from top to bottom. Fourth we need a clear plan for a secure future. If we want to be a leader we need a whole of government approach to 5g service. We dont have one. It is nearly a year over due and authorities are fighting about 5g spectrum bans. We also have a need to address the security of the growing internet of things. We need a clear plan to sustain local media and stand up for the first amendment. Local news is vital but the economics that under lie the industry is changing. I think we need to study our rules and identify how to better support local media and diversity. One thing that we should not do is compromise our values. Nowhere is this clearer than in the checkti tiexecutive order. I know that social media can be frustrating, but an executive order that turns the fcc into the president s Speech Police cannot be the answer. Finally we need a clear plan to learn from this crisis so we can take stock in changes in network demand. Thank you. I look forward to answering any questions you might have. Thank you very, very much, commissioner. Commission eer o riley, welcome back. I prefer not to, but if you want to ill be here. Thank you for the opportunity to be here to discuss important matters before the federal communications commission. I thought it would be best to focus my comments on a few topics. At the forefront is bringing broad band access to areas as expediti expeditiou expeditiously as possible. They are sberting their broadband deployment operations through funding provided by congress. I thank you for introducing the connectivity bill and i dmoit continuing to work with the committee and the staff on this initiative. I also commit to working with members of congress. I have long been critical of the fcc data for purposes of distributing funding and the mapping statue being signed into law earlier this year. I agree that we must have more accurate coverage maps before moving forward e. Switching gears one of the primary obligation sgs to allocate and license spectrum for the purposes to accommodate the demand for existing licenses must relocate, shrink their footprints. Sometimes there is opportunities to voluntarily alter their current use the vast majority assesses current usage and making changes to the molding ifs it is not being used. It would be correct to say that in 20 plus years little progress has been made in deploying dsrc technology. But a finer point on the matter, the university zero automobile manufacturers are deploying dsrc and no one has stated they have any plans to use it at all in the u. S. In the future. All of the other purposes envisions but one. On top of this a new Technology Based on lte wireless standard has gained prom nant and every companies are actively considering it for active safety enhancements. They are trying to balance this with the demand for spectrum. They have sought to share a portion for dedicated automobile safety purposes. Consider theyre being connected via wireless wisps. And millions of americans can enjoy connectivity from expanded wifi in terms of frees spectrum for future offerings. The most ideal ban is the 3. 1 to the 3. 55 gigahertz band. I respectfully argue that upwards of 200 megahertz needs to be cleared for the remainder of shared use. They must Work Together to take every action to replenish our future spectrum pipeline that lies naerd the md. We should look for licensed or unlicensed use. Separately i hope the committee look closely at proposals including my written testimony including the work of an ambassador and modify the commissions marketing and input rules for device innovation. I look forward the questions that anyone may have. Thank you, commissioner carr. Distinguished members of the committee, thank you for