US House of Representatives Commerce Committee

House Commerce Leaders Request GAO Review of Federal Spectrum Management

House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR) sent a letter to the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) urging the government watchdog to conduct an updated review of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) federal spectrum management processes. They asked GAO to consider as part of its review how federal spectrum users interact with NTIA and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), how the NTIA and FCC interact with each other, and the recent federal spectrum management process breakdowns.

House Commerce Committee Democratic Reps Request Update from FCC on Investigation of Unauthorized Real-Time Location Data Disclosures

Eleven House Commerce Committee Democratic Reps sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai expressing growing concern that the FCC is failing to protect consumers’ privacy by refusing to hold wireless carriers accountable for unauthorized disclosures of consumers’ real-time location data. Over a year ago, in May 2018, it was reported that major wireless carriers were selling consumers’ real-time location data to third-party data aggregators.  This location data was then easily purchased by other private companies, such as bounty hunters.

House Commerce Committee Releases Whitepaper on Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure Cybersecurity Practices

The House Commerce Committee released a white paper detailing the committee’s investigation and recommendations regarding coordinated vulnerability disclosure (CVD) cybersecurity practices. The committee offers two main recommendations to support public and private sector organizations in their adoption of CVD programs as part of their cybersecurity risk management strategies.

Rep. Pallone to Tech Giants: Are Foreign Agents Using Social Media Platforms to Influence the Kavanaugh Nomination?

House Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) wrote to the CEOs of Alphabet, Facebook and Twitter following concerning reports of Russia-linked efforts to influence the national debate over the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. In his letters, Ranking Member Pallone requests answers on the companies’ efforts to safeguard the American political system and to combat foreign interference campaigns on their platforms.

House Commerce Leaders Press Apple and Google on Third-Party Access, Audio and Location Data Collection

The House Commerce Committee sent letters to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Alphabet CEO Larry Page to probe the companies’ representation of third-party access to consumer data, and the collection and use of audio recording data as well as location information via iPhone and Android devices. The letters were signed by full committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), Communications Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Gregg Harper (R-MS), and Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta (R-OH). 

Rep Doyle to Launch Discharge Petition to Force Net Neutrality Vote in House

House Communications Subcommittee Ranking Member Mike Doyle (D-PA) joined House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Sen Ed Markey (D-MA) in announcing that, with the passage of legislation to overrule the Federal Communications Commission’s order eliminating Network Neutrality in the Senate, the next step must be passage of this legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

House Communications Subcommittee Conducts Oversight of NTIA

The House Communications Subcommittee held a hearing continuing its oversight role of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) spoke to the need to maintain America’s status as a global leader in wireless technologies. In his opening remarks, full Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) stressed the importance of accurate broadband mapping in efforts to expand broadband internet access. David Redl, Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information, NTIA, U.S.

Chairmen Walden, Blackburn on FCC’s Proposed Spectrum Auctions

House Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Communications Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) released the following statement on the announcement from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai on proposed spectrum auctions: "The race to 5G is a sprint, not a marathon, and the proposed spectrum auctions will help ensure the United States remains at the forefront of this emerging technology.

Chairman Walden Announces Mike Bloomquist as House Commerce Committee Staff Director

House Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) announced Mike Bloomquist, currently the committee’s Deputy Staff Director, will be named Staff Director effective immediately.  The committee’s previous Staff Director Ray Baum passed away Feb 9 after a years-long battle with cancer.

Rural Call Completion Legislation Heads to President's Desk

Bipartisan legislation to improve rural call completion passed the US House of Representatives and now heads to President Donald Trump's desk for his signature. The Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act will direct the Federal Communications Commission to require providers that transmit voice calls to register with the agency and establish quality standards for transmitting voice calls.

Reps Lance, Doyle Introduce AIRWAVES Act

House Communications Subcommittee Vice Chair Leonard Lance (R-NJ) is joining subcommittee Ranking Member Mike Doyle (D-PA) in introducing bipartisan legislation that will help bring 5G wireless service closer to reality and help close the digital divide.  The "Advancing Innovation and Reinvigorating Widespread Access to Viable Electromagnetic Spectrum", or AIRWAVES Act, will encourage the federal government to free up more spectrum for commercial licensed and unlicensed use.  More spectrum will improve data service from all providers and help close geographic gaps in coverage.

House Commerce Committee Leaders Head Republican Letter to FCC on Restoring Internet Freedom

House Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Communications Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) led a letter signed by over 100 Republican Reps to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on the upcoming vote restoring Internet freedom.

Subcommittee to Explore Media Ownership in the 21st Century

The Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, chaired by Rep Greg Walden (R-OR), has scheduled a hearing for June 11, 2014. The hearing is entitled “Media Ownership in the 21st Century.”

Witnesses to be announced.

Members will examine the media ownership landscape as it continues to evolve in the digital age. The subcommittee is expected to discuss the Federal Communications Commission’s inaction on the statutorily required 2010 quadrennial review of the media ownership rules as well as the continued relevance of the media ownership regulatory framework in general. Further, members will explore the commission’s decision to forge ahead with new rules on joint sales agreements (JSAs) and other media ownership changes without the completed quadrennial review.

“As the communications and technology sectors continue to innovate, it is imperative that our laws that govern media ownership evolve,” said Rep Walden. “I look forward to a spirited discussion of the media ownership landscape and expect it to inform the work we do on our update of the Communications Act.”