Hearing is two hours 45 minutes. [inaudible] [inaudible] [inaudible] [inaudible] [inaudible] [inaudible] [inaudible] [inaudible] [inaudible] we would welcome to todays hearing on oversight of the federal communications commission. Should point out this committee has a jurisdiction over sports that last night the south dakota sate State University jackrabbits punch their ticket to the ncaa to a term i winning the tournament. I know im im getting gavel down by someone. That was applause . Thats thats what youre supposed to do. The last time we met i think was six years ago and a lot has changed. We have have a new fcc chairman in charge of the agency for whom this is their first fcc oversight hearing. At the last hearing is that i hope to see changes to have a commission operates. I urged people to treat fairly and respect the law, to be to be willing Test Congress for guidance and seek consensus where possible. While in the early days i am heartened because the new fcc leadership has heated this advice. Their first action under chairman pye were to make reforms to improve the agencys processes and transparency. Color to the to the tread of the recent predecessors and the Chairmans Office as they could, the, the steps empower the public and other commissioners. Chairman pye has emphasized bridging the Digital Divide is a core principle under his leadership. Represented a rural state were many people are still without Broadband Service this is a goal that he and i both share. The fcc has taken huge steps to advance broadband deployment by moving forward with the second phase of the Mobility Fund and connect america fun. That the commission could loose it forward so quickly during a time of Agency Transition begs the question as to why they were not completed much sooner. Nevertheless its refreshing to see the agency take action to help bring broadband to every corner of the country. Its nice to see them move forward with broadcasting items that will help a. M. And broadcast Television Better serve the public. Not everything the commission will do will be as nonpartisan or positively received as chairman pyes first open agenda. I was a vocal critic of the previous chairmans hyper partisan partisan leadership style. It will not be an easy task to rectify some of the mishaps from last year. Im referring to the 2015 title to order and subsequent broadband privacy order. Im im sure other actions may need to be revisited we need to reset both of these items. Glad to see the fcc is started that process by staying certain parts of the rule to go in effect last week. As i suspect most of you know i feel strongly the best way to provide longterm protections for the internet is for congress to pass by partisan legislation. Since we dont have agreement on that front despite goodwill on both sides theres no reason the fcc to hold off doing what is necessary to rebalance the regulatory posture under current statutes. Something tells me much of the hearing will be dedicated to the topic. The open innate to be should not distract the fcc from important work and must do. The fcc is in the final stages of the broadcast tv auction which has been a success. 84 megahertz has been reallocated for wireless broadband and billions of dollars dedicated for deficit reduction. While it may be a mess done the work is far from complete. The clock will start on the broadcast repacking process of this will be no small undertaking for the agency or tv stations. I urge the commission to do whats in its power to ensure this transition happens quickly and responsibly. Robo calls is another problem that needs to be addressed. Theres a a positive step in the right direction. Covenant government must everything we can to protect consumers from those are truly the bad actors which is why this committee has worked out anti spoof legislation. We do make sure that the rules are not punishing legitimate callers who are not acting maliciously. The proposed inquiry has given a jumpstart to that. We will be busy this year with fcc nominations. Chairman pyes term has expired. Hes in his holdover year. Yesterday the president neat renominated him for another full term. Theres theres two vacant seats on the commission. Was the president makes his nomination for the fcc i hope the senate will move swiftly to review and confirm the president s appointees. The most important thing is that to allow the fcc to fall below functioning quorum. I know no responsible person would knowingly deprive the agency to protect consumers in the marketplace. Thank you, i recognize Ranking Member nelson for his opening statement. Thank you mr. Chairman. I welcome the three members of the fcc. Including the new chairman in his first appearance as chairman. The president has a renominated him and given him primary responsibility over what the senator believes is one of the most important Consumer Protection agencies of the federal government. In the last eight years the fcc has had the consumers back. Ultimately, for this senator, the successors failure of the commission rests [inaudible] the fulfillment of wishlist, but on how those who are least able to protect themselves have been treated and whether First Amendment rights, including those of journalists are vigorously protected. So, since assuming the chairmanship in just the last few weeks, the fcc, chairman pye, under your leadership has acted to prevent millions of broadband subscribers from receiving Key Information about rates, terms, conditions of their service. Acted to guarantee that broadband subscribers will have less protections with respect to the security of their online data. While promising to further weaken the duties of broadband providers owed to protect the web browsing history and other personal information the pain subscribers. By the way, that will arouse people pretty quick when he starts filling their personal data. Third thing is, just in the last few weeks, threaten the expansion of broadband into the homes of low income americans by limiting the effectiveness of new Lifeline Program reforms. The fourth thing, and the last last few weeks formally rescinded in fcc staff report detailing the implementation of the agencys comprehensive eat right modernization effort that sent shockwaves through schools and libraries across the country. They are worried that you are going to try to upend this highly functioning and bipartisan program. These are actions that directly impact the lives of millions of americans. I hope they are not signs of things to come. At the end of the day, the fcc fcc has the responsibility to put the Public Interest ahead of special interests. And just as it has with its past chairman, congress expects the commission to uphold the laws it has passed and enforce the regulations properly adopted by the agency. That is what the Public Interest, and the senator has, and will continue to demand. Now, there is something left undone that has not been done. That is, the three of us right here were just talking about, discussing my frustration with the fact that jessica is not sitting here today in front of us. The failure to confirm her in the last congress that was made a commitment as an exchange of the appointments of commissioner oreilly, that commitment was never fulfilled. That is a black mark on the senate. The president s decision to pull her nomination last week, i think was unfortunate. I hope the white house is going to correct that and nominate this impressive Public Servant for another fcc term, once again. Fax if you perform well. [laughter] no pressure chairman and Ranking Member of the committee thinking you for holding this committee today thank you for the president to nominate me to serve a second term at the fcc. Of wood like to offer a personal note agrippa and the great state of kansas as an Indian American and just a few months ago i made a personal or professional visit to leave the kansas it was quite painful to me to learn of the coldblooded murder of the garment engineer in the shootings in the cannot fathom how those involved must feel in as this diems words cannot capture however has hurt those of indian descent to call kansas home. But the do want to say my thoughts and prayers are with the families. Thanks for the courage he showed to risk his life into station along the millions of kansans to save the perpetrator is the despicable exception to prove the rule with the spirit of open and respect in the sunflower state. Returning to the focus of todays hearing like to discuss for fcc priorities closing the Digital Divide, protecting consumers and reforming the fcc process. First, highspeed Internet Access for broadband is critical to Economic Opportunity. Broadband is unaffordable and to many places. The fcc can help close the Digital Divide by targeting federal funds and revising regulations and by creating deployment friendly best practices. The first six weeks we have already taken bold action. We adopted on a bipartisan basis a 4. 5 billion dollar plan to expand lte and expanded rules adding 2 billion for fixed broadband and eliminated outdated rules so providers can spend on the appointment rather than unnecessary paperwork and that will develop a model code for those interested. And to promote innovation. Would to prisoners are causally developing new technologies san services because cl outdated rules stand in the way. Going forward want the fcc faugh for we propose to allow Television Broadcasters for the next generation standard on a voluntary marketdriven basis for was spectrum sharing in the innovation the core mission is to serve the broader Public Interest protecting consumers. All americans seemed united in their disgust with robocall. Number one complaint every year and every year americans receive approximately 2. 4 billion robocall. I have in the just set aggressive agenda to target those we will vote to allow carriers to block the spoof robocall there is no reason why any legitimate caller should be spoofing numbers and when it comes to Public Safety we granted an emergency waiver to Jewish Community centers to identify those who are responsible for the recent wave of bomb threats and hope this measure helps to bring the perpetrators to justice. M process reform. Working to make the fcc more open and transparent to found a strange the public could not see Commission Meeting items until after they voted. Well connected lobbyists but every day americans were in the dark and now that is changing. Last month i made public as the Pilot Project in things went so well last week amid public for all six items before the march reading. One of them anyways i intend to make a more open and accountable to the American People to implement more process reforms. Thank you once again for holding this hearing to answering your questions and working with you in the time to come. Chairman and Ranking Member and members of the committee did morning it is an honor to appear before you to share my priorities for putting consumers first. As more than seven years of a commissioner eye of an advocate for those whose voices far too often go on heard. Emission not be able to give love food or health care that is broad band access in benefit from tel health services. The with an open internet for all and forms were with like to share with the committee today talk about the open internet a larger question must be asked will there be a cop on the be in a broadband world . Is a just with the Service Providers in a remote area we cannot rely on competition. As a protector of consumers in the naval air of the ecosystem who will they turn to if they throttle their favorite website. This is what i strongly support the commissions 2015 open Internet Order and continue to live there provides the best Legal Framework to protect consumers and entrepreneurs. To empower consumers to make informed choices of personal information to comply with the rules that work for the company to be sure consumers have the tools to protect in the broadband world. The machine is of biggest and most distressing former injustice i have ever witnessed of an industry regulator we cannot continue to turn our backs while wife pays for a call for 15 minutes from her husband. And win the inmates get to society is not paid again and again by their sons and daughters and mothers and fathers and grandparents. To focus on infrastructure and access the sec universal service mandate can be described as a foreleg in stool with four different programs working in concert to close the Digital Divide. And with connectivity in we cannot leave out any lady of the stool in continued to stand that also means being courageous reforming the contribution system that is a heavy burden to shoulder the burden of bad nationwide by been deployment. And i believe the conversation must urge to have of moving the needle to own and operate broadcast properties to its this end i support reinstating the Tax Certificate Program working with the broad cast industry to start a program for new entrants are disadvantaged businesses and increasing diversity in front and behind the camera. We must focus on enhancing Consumer Protection and this agency overseeing miscommunication sector this is highly alarming in we can and must do more. There are many more issues i am hopeful that will tackle including streamlining of the infrastructure deployment of tel a health and telemedicine and my written testimony addresses many of these issues and greater detail but i think you for the opportunity to present before you today in answering any questions you may have. Thank you for the opportunity to address and discuss the important work occurring at the fcc of light to raise a handful of attentions in answer any questions you may have. For and disparate of cooperation. Let me college and applied chairman pai to improve our internal workings m procedures in five short weeks he has assured the reforms with the efficiency and transparency and accountability to publicly releasing the text the process reform is an important mark as we have ideas for further reforms with authority process in the scope of information Data Collection and on another topic is discouraging to movement to protect spectrum rights is not sufficiently achieved they are affecting the band that Consumer Services think leo believe the situation is fixable and preventable to take diligence with new targeted Statutory Authority dedicated to address radio. A high priority to ensure their Broadband Access is recently available to facilitate the time involved in the remaining pieces and at the same time standing in the way of greater access barriers imposed that is the difficult process to how difficult psalms with an effort to have government sponsored networks will the vast number of communities see the broad band deployment that there are bad doctors with those preemptive measures in those International Representatives via the different forms continue to seek greater role of an traneight bond negative internet oversight with a possible expansion of government interference with the longterm sustainability and afford to your questions. We have a lot of members today he will ask questions so as closely as possible and the week to work more closely with the gavel. Mr. Chairman serving during the clinton term said you are off to a very good start and set a very constructive tone everybody is reacting positively office of Personnel Management is global satisfaction based on the employees satisfaction plus recommending the organization as a good place to work global satisfaction fell more than any other time or large agency this was doing when satisfaction increase did is the development because pour rowdies to ineffective organizations. Because i am the chairman did take this extremely seriously with professional staff. Commission rules require requirement to be fully functional and then either by leaving your were that term expires will you commit to serving out your full term to ensure that maintains a quorum quick. Would you have read has never been suggested. I have no plan to do anything that would it jeopardize the functionality of this institution that the love so much. That they must charge customers for customers that this is known as the rate for. That has continued to increase every year and there is little effort to assess this impact as ellen Service Providers. With the ever increasing rate for man to have substantial concerns i have spoken about the several years ago was struck me as odd as under admission compulsion they were raised rates for those who have less in town so this is something i am committed to working with the bureaus staff about. Their husbands lot of discussion the what would happen if it suddenly went away is it true when the fcc be obligated under section 222 of the Communications Act greg. And the breach notification requirements. Q said you were comfortable pushing of the insulation house they speed the deployment working with the chairman with the steps they have taken the we may have to get into congress that is preventing broadband from being disbanded throughout the nation. Thats all for now. Mr. Chairman i will let our guys go first to clean up i will flip it over but i just want to make sure that you all understand the rate which was set up in suppos