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“I’d
like to echo my
colleagues’
congratulations to
Commissioner Gomez
on your
confirmation, and
also to
Commissioners Carr
and Starks on your
reconfirmations.
“I
look forward to
working with you.”
HEAVY-HANDED
REGULATION THROUGH
NET NEUTRALITY
“A
top priority for
Energy and Commerce
is closing the
digital divide, and
the FCC plays a key
role in that effort.
“In
2020, Congress
passed the Broadband
DATA Act, which
directed the FCC to
update the agency’s
broadband maps to
provide a more
accurate perspective
on which parts of
the country are
served and
unserved.
“More
than $42 billion in
federal funding has
been allocated to
deploying broadband
in unserved areas to
ensure all Americans
are connected. This
is in addition to
the funding already
provided by the FCC
through various
programs.
“This
Committee also
passed legislation
to lift broadband
permitting burdens
to make sure every
dollar provided by
Congress goes toward
serving Americans.
“However,
recent actions taken
by the FCC threaten
the success of these
federal funding
programs.
“The
Biden FCC, under
Chairwoman
Rosenworcel, is once
again attempting to
regulate broadband
as a public utility
under Title II of
the Communications
Act of 1934.
“This
heavy-handed
regulatory approach
was designed to
regulate monopolies,
but today’s
competitive
broadband market is
far from a
monopoly.
“This
is apparent, as the
Chair’s Order plans
to forebear from
twenty-seven
provisions in Title
II and more than 700
regulations.
“The
last time we had
this debate during
the Trump
administration,
Democrats claimed
that the Internet as
we knew it would
end, that we would
get the Internet
one-word-at-a-time,
and that repealing
net neutrality would
hasten the death of
the Internet.
“Since
the repeal of the
Democrats’ last
broadband takeover
effort in 2017,
investment in
broadband networks
is up, speeds are
up, and prices are
down.
“Our
broadband networks
withstood the
ultimate stress test
during the COVID-19
pandemic, enduring
increased usage
without needing
government
intervention.
“We
must maintain the
current light-touch
regulatory approach
that has allowed our
networks to adapt
and thrive.”
BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION
MICROMANAGING THE
INTERNET
“To
further expand the
federal government’s
role in this
industry, earlier
this month, the FCC
approved new rules
on digital
discrimination.
“These
new regulations will
put burdensome
requirements on our
nation's broadband
providers, leading
to government
bureaucrats
micromanaging
Americans' Internet
access.
“Rather
than focusing on
intentional
discrimination
against historically
marginalized groups,
as Congress
intended, the Biden
administration is
once again
unilaterally
expanding the power
of unelected
bureaucrats under
the guise of
equity.
“The
FCC’s expansive
standard for what
constitutes
discrimination will
lead to
over-enforcement and
regulatory
uncertainty for
American businesses
and job creators.
“Under
President Biden’s
broadband takeover,
ordinary business
decisions, like
whether to deploy
broadband
infrastructure, what
rates to charge
customers, and even
how to market
services to
communities, could
trigger FCC
scrutiny.
“This
is a significant
power grab for
Federal government
bureaucrats.
“The
reality is,
burdensome
regulations like
these will
discourage
deployment and
innovation, harm our
efforts to close the
digital divide, and
cede our leadership
in next-generation
technology to
China.”
ENDING
THE FCC’S PARTISAN
AGENDA
“That
is why we recently
sent a letter to
Chair Rosenworcel
cautioning against
refreshing the
record to apply
outdated, decades
old regulations to
an evolving media
marketplace.
“Since
I have not received
a response, I will
reiterate my
concern, and my firm
view that changes to
the laws that govern
the media
marketplace need to
be done by Congress,
not by the FCC.
“Since
operating with a
full Commission,
this FCC has moved
full speed ahead to
expand its authority
and ignore
Congressional intent
or direction.
“That
needs to end.
“Instead
of pursuing a
partisan agenda that
leads to more
federal control over
Americans’ broadband
services, the
Chairwoman and the
other Commissioners
have a
responsibility to
work with this
Committee to carry
out the many
responsibilities
that demand full
attention,
especially when so
many critical issues
remain unresolved.
“For
instance, the FCC
has still not
completed its work
to modernize and
streamline the
satellite licensing
process, illegal
robocalls continue
to defraud
Americans, and while
Congress works to
reauthorize spectrum
auction authority,
no spectrum has been
identified to make
available for
commercial use.
“These
should be demanding
the Commission’s
full attention.”
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