Transcripts For CSPAN3 New FCC Chair Ajit Pai Testifies On C

CSPAN3 New FCC Chair Ajit Pai Testifies On Capitol Hill March 13, 2017

Nomination judge neil gorsuch. Well hear from the former law partner and some former law clerks live at noon eastern here on cspan3. Federal chair joined clyburn and Michael Oreilly at a Senate Oversight hearing. Net neutrality and wireless Broadband Access. This was first appearance on capitol hill since becoming head of the fcc. This is just under 3 hours. Good morning. Welcome to todays hearing on oversight on the federal communications commission. I should point out since this committee has jurisdiction over sports that last night, the South Dakota State University jack rabbits punched their ticket to the ncaa 2a tournament by winning the summit tournament. I know im getting gavelled down here by someone, but okay, good. That was applause. Thats what youre soeupposed t do. Listen, the last time we met, i think 6 years ago and a lot has changed since then. Weve got a new fcc chairman and new majority in charge of the agency and many, the first fcc oversight hearing but last hearing, i said i hope to see changes to how commission operates and treat each other fairly, respect the law and be willing to ask guidance and seek consensus whenever and wherever possible and still in the early days, im heartened because the new fcc leadership heeded this advice. First actions under chairman pie were to make much immediatneedes to improve process and transparency. Counter to the recent predecessors saw to amass much power in the Chairpersons Office as they could and instead, empower the public and others and under his leadership and a rural state and still without broadband and services. Long delayed second phases with the Mobility Fund and the connect america fund. The commission could move forward so quickly with the universal service fund items with Agency Transition begs the question why they were not completed much, much sooner. Nevertheless, it is retreshifre to bring broadband to every corner of the country and see the fcc move with a. M. Radio and broadcast television to better serve the American Public. I recognize not everything the commission will do will be as nonpartisan or positively received as chairman pies agenda. I was a vocal critic and recognize it will not be an easy task to rectify some of the agencys missteps. The 2015 title 2 order and the subsequent broadband privacy order. While im sure theres other actions that need to be revisited, i think we need to hit reset on both of these items and im glad to see the fcc ha stated parts of the rules. As i suspect everyone knows, i feel pretty strongly the best way to provide longterm protections for the internet is to pass bipartisan legislation. But since we dont yet have an agreement on that front, despite goodwill on both sides, no reason to hold off whats doing to rebalance the regulatory posture under current statutes. Should not distract from other areas as well. For instance, the fcc is in the final stages of the broadcast tv incentive auction which has been a real success. 84 mega herz have been reallocated to billions of dollars dedicated to deficit reduction. The fccs work is far from complete. The clock will soon start on the broadcaster repacking process and this is no small undertaking for the agency or tv stations. I urge the commission to do everything to ensure this transition is successful and occurs as quickly and responsibly as possible. Robocalls address another problem that need to be addressed. A positive step in the right direction. The government must do everything that we can to protect consumers from those truly the bad actors, one reason why this committee is also worked on antispoofing legislation. I would note, well be busy with fcc nominations. Chairman pie in his holdover and renominated him to another full term. Theres obviously two vacant seats on the commission and clyburns current term expires at the end of june. The most important thing is that we not allow the fcc to fall below a functioning quorum. I know no responsible person would willingly deprive the agency of its ability to protect the marketplace in ensuring the agency is sufficiently instituted a priority of mind this year. So thank you and recognize the Ranking Member nelson for his opening statement. Thank you, commissioner chairman. I welcome three members of the fcc including the new chairman in his first appearance as chairman. The president has renominated him and given him primary responsibility over what this senator believes and one Consumer Protection agencies of the federal government. The last eight years, the fcc has had the consumers back. Ultimately, for this senator, the success is or failure of the commission rests not on the fulfillment of wish lists, 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 sassuming the chairmanship in the last few weeks, fcc chairman pie under your leadership has acted to prevent millions of broadband subscribers from receiving Key Information about rates, terms, and conditions of their service. Acted to guarantee that broadband subscribers will have less protections with respect to the security of their own line data while promising to further weaken the duties broadband providers owed to protect the web browsing history and other personal information of paying subscribers. And by the way, that will arouse people pretty quick when you start stealing their personal data. Lett threaten the expansion of broadband from low income americans by limiting the effectiveness of new Lifeline Program reforms and the thing in the last few weeks, formally rescinded an fcc staff report detailing the implementation of the agencys comprehensive erate modernization effort that sent shock waves through schools and libraries across the country which are worried that you all are going to try to up end this highly functioning and bipartisan program. These are actions that directly impact the lives of millions of americans. I hope theyre not signs of things to come. Because at the end of the day, the 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. And thats what the Public Interest and this senator has and will continue to demand. Now, theres something left undone that hasnt been done. And that is the three of us right here were just talking about it. Discussing my frustration with the fact that jessica ros rosenwursal is not seated 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 appointment of commissioner oreilly, that commitment was never fulfilled and thats a black mark on the senate. And the president s decision to pull her nomination last week i think was in fortune. I hope that the white house is going to correct that and nominate this impressive Public Servant for another tfcc term once again. If so, its imperative to the Senate Leadership for the promise and confirm her without dispatch. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you, senator nelson. And i would share your high level of interest in getting a full compliment of commissioners and i hope that we receive those nominations soon and we will process them very quickly through this committee when that time comes. I do want to recognize the commissioners we have in front of us today and thank you for being here. Well start that i would not congratulate and the agency has work ahead of it and getting it soon will start on the right direction and if lucky, perhaps, if you perform well today, this could be your double nomination hearing allowing us to move quickly toward that confirmation and commissioner, neil clyburn, welcome, its good to have you here and commissioner Michael Reily and well start with you, if you make your remarks and then turn to commissioner riley. Did you get that . If you perform well. No pressure. Ranking members of the committee, thank you for holding this hearing today and i would like to thank the confidence hes shown in me to serve a second term at the fcc. Before discussing the matters ruling to the agency, i would like to offer a personal monote. I grew up in the great state of kansas and i am an Indian American. A few months ago, i made a professional in kansas and thus, quite painful to me to learn of the coldblooded murder and the shootings. I cannot fathom how those involved must feel. They cannot capture how this would hurt particularly those of indian descent who call kansas home and i want to say my thoughts and prayers are with the families. To thank for the courage he showed in risking his life and to stand alongside the millions of kansasians is saying the perpetrator is the despicable exception with the spirit of openness and respect in the sunflower state. Returning to the focus of todays hearing, id like to discuss four fcc priorities. Promoting innovation, protecting consumers and Public Safety, and reforming the processes. First, high Speed Internet access or broadband is critical to opportunity. Its unavailable or affordable in too many places. The fcc can more efficiently target funds under usf programs and revising relations by reprograms and deployment friendly practices. The first six weeks of the chairmanship, weve already taken bold action along these lines. We adopted on a bipartisan basis a 4. 5 billion plan to advance 4g lte across our country. We finalized rules on a bipartisan basis to provide 2 billion to deliver fixed broadband to unserved americans. Weve eliminated outdated rules so that providers can spend on broadband deployment and established for the first time, the Advisory Committee that will, among other things, develop a model code for localties interested broadband friendly policies. Second, promoting innovation. Creating innovation friendly regulatory viertory environment. Too often, theyre unable to bring them to market for consumers because outdated rules or regulatory inertia stand in the way. I want the fcc to facilitate rather than frustrate innovation. Last month, for example, we proposed to allow broadcasters to adopt the next Generation Television standard on a voluntary marketdriven basis and also authorized first ever lte devices in the 5 giga hertz band and allowed to benefit from free data offerings. Third, the fccs core mission is to serve the broader opinion interest and that means protecting consumers. For instance, all americans seem united in their disgust of robocalls. They are the number one Consumer Complaint the fcc year in and year out and no wonder. Evening ye every year, receive approximately 4. 6 billion robocalls. This month, for instance, the commission will vote on my proposal to allow carriers to block many spoofed robocallrobo. There is no reason why any legitimate caller should be spoofing numbers so they appear to becoming from an an invalid or unassigned tophone number. We helped enable those who are responsible for the recent wave of bomb threats. I hope this measure among others helps brings the perpetrators to justice. Tou fourth and finally, justice reform. I hope to make the fcc more transparent. I found it strange that the public wasnt allowed to Seek Commission items until after voted. Lobbyists still in the know but Everyday Americans in the dark. At long last, that is changing. Last month, i made public the full text of two draft items on the agenda as part of a pilot project. Things went so well, last week, i made public the draft text and fact sheets for all six items for the march meeting. Thats just one of the many ways i intend to make the fcc more accountable to the American People. I look forward to implement more. Chairman, members of the committee, thank you, and i look bard to continue working with you in the time to come. Chairman thune, Ranking Member nelson, members of the committee, good morning. It is an honor to once again appear to share my priorities for putting consumers first. During my more than 7 years as an fcc commissioner, i have been an advocate for those whose voices far too often go unheard. This means looking out for nations most vulnerable populations including families who should not have to give up food or Health Care Just to keep in touch with an incarcerated loved one and means enabling br wr broadband for those at or below the poverty line so they can apply for help services. My vision for competition affordable connectivity, reliable service, no surprise billing, and an open internet for all informs what i would like to share with the committee today including several of the issues at the top of my priority list. When we talk about the principles underpinning an open internet, larger question must be asked. Will there be a cop on the beat many a broadband world . When we rightly talk about finite universal service dollars and supporting just one provider in a remote area, we cannot rely on the disciplining forces of the competition. As a protector of consumers and enabler of choice in the broadband ecosystem. If not the fcc, who will consumers turn to when their broadband provider tl er thrott their favorite web site and what if there were a billing dispute, poor service, privacy concerns . These underlie the many reasons i strongly supported the commissions 2015 open Internet Order and continue to believe it provides the best Legal Framework to protect consumers, innovators, and entrepreneurs. Consistent with the ftcs privacy framework, i am proud of the steps taken by the fcc last october to empower consumers to make informed choices about their personal information and give broadband providers the flexibility to comply with the rules in a manner that works for their company. I am committed to do everything i can to ensure consumers have the tools to recollect their proo privacy in a broadband world. Much attention is on open internet and privacy, the inmate calling regime continues to be the greatest and most distressing form of injustice i have witnessed in my 18 years as an industry regulator. We cannot continue to turn our backs while a wife pays as much as 24 for a 15 minute call with her husband. I applaud the leadership of booker and duckworth on these issues and look forward to working with all interested offices to ensure that an inmates debt to society is not paid again and again by sons, daughters, mothers, fathers and grandparents. I applaud focus on broadband infrastructure and access. The fccs universal serviceman date can be described as a fourlegged tool with four different programs, working in concert to close the Digital Divide. Collectively, these programs are enabling rule broadband deployment, improving Rule Health Care, theyre bringing about connectivity to schools and libraries and its tackling the affordability gap. We cannot leave out any leg of the stool and expect it to continue to stand. This means we need action on reforming our Rule Health Care program. It also means being courageous about reforming the contributions system which is increasingly becoming a heavy burden on Senior Citizens who can ill afford to shoulder the burden of nationwide broadband deployment. Turning now to our media own ownership rules, i believe the conversation must start by asking how we move the inclusion and opportunity needle. For those seeking to fulfill the dream of owning and operating broadcast properties. To this end, i support reinstating an fcc tax certificate program, working with the broadcast injury to start a Pilot Incubator Program to aid new entrance or disadvantaged businesses and increasing diversity both in front and behind the camera. Finally, we must focus on enhancing Consumer Protection. In a consumers report survey last year, over 172,000 subscribers of only those who were surveyed, only onethird of those say that they were very or completely satisfied with their home internet, pay tv or Telephone Service. As a commissioner at the Agency Responsible for overseeing the communications sector, this is highly alarming. We can and must do more. There are many more issues i hope the commission will tackle including streamlining of the broadband infrastructure deployment, tele health. My written testimony addresses these issues in greater detail but once again, thank you for the opportunity to present before you today and look forward to answering any questions you may have. Thank you, commissioner clyburn. Commissioner riley . Thank you, thune and riley to appear to address and discuss the important work occurring at the communications commission. I would like to raise a handful of issues and get ready to stand any issues you may have. Led to a change of leadership. Theres a breath of fresh air and a new spirit of cooperation not rent in tpresent in the las commission. Let me applaud on the internal workings and procedures that had been a long cause of hien. In approximately five short weeks, the new chairman has improved the accountability of the commission from fixing not existent postadoption privileges to releasing text of documents at the same time theyre shared with commissioners to ending the practice of providing outside parties with information before commissioners were in the loop. Processing for them has been necessary for the chairman and hopefully, more to come as i s have a number of ideas with scope of information and Data Collections. On another topic, it is discouraging to admit that a core function of the commissio

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