WASHINGTON, DC - House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) today wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler regarding the commission’s work on the spectrum provisions included in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. Among those provisions is the requirement that the FCC work with stakeholders to streamline the approval process for upgrading existing wireless facilities. The committee leaders are writing seeking clarity on the rulemaking process and urging the chairman to act in a way that will accomplish the goals of the statute.
In the letter to Chairman Wheeler, Upton and Walden wrote, “We urge you to take swift action to clarify the terms of Section 6409(a) consistent with the intent of the statute to deliver the benefits of wireless broadband access to all Americans. To ensure that 6409(a) achieves its goal of streamlining the approval of eligible facilities requests the commission should adopt rules that provide consistency for applicants and reviewing authorities alike."
The leaders also expressed the urgency for the commission to identify ways to foster broadband infrastructure deployment. They continued, “Facilitating both the deployment of small cells for targeted capacity and the use of temporary towers for short, sharp spikes in usage are part and parcel to meeting national broadband goals. Both are important tools for providing the robust service upon which consumers, businesses, and public safety rely."
