Washington, D.C. - Communications and Technology Subcommittee Ranking Member Mike Doyle (D-PA) delivered the following opening remarks at a subcommittee hearing on “Reauthorization of the NTIA:"
I want to thank you, Madame Chairman, for holding this hearing and congratulate you on your new role. I look forward to working with you and having a productive partnership. I also want to thank my colleagues on the Committee for giving me this opportunity; I plan to continue to work in partnership with all of you as I have in the past - and to work to enact policies that benefit all Americans.
I also want to thank this outstanding panel of witnesses for being here with us today, and look forward to your testimony.
We are here today to discuss reauthorizing the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, an agency charged with providing the President and the executive branch with fact-based expert policy recommendations on telecommunications, information, and internet issues.
NTIA is also responsible for managing the Federal Government’s use of spectrum, and it has been instrumental in clearing government-held spectrum and making it available for commercial use. In the process, tens of billions of dollars have been raised for the federal government. NTIA is also working with Federal agencies to find new and creative ways to share underutilized spectrum resources. That’s important, because maximizing our finite spectrum resources will be critical as we move to 5th generation wireless networks and beyond.
NTIA’s Institutes for Telecommunication Sciences, located in Colorado, are key to this mission. These scientist and engineers work with government spectrum users to find ways to clear spectrum. Last year the funding for this lab was 23 percent below the President’s request. Our lack of investment here could have serious implications for this agency’s ability to accomplish its mission. We want ensure that this agency has the authority, tools, and personnel it needs to do its job.
NTIA also plays a critical role in convening government agencies, industry experts, and academics to tackle complex problems through their multi-stakeholder process. This process has been used to address evolving issues such as cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, UAVs, and many others. This is a well-managed, orderly, and inclusive process that enables the federal government to thoroughly grasp - and effectively address - complex issues.
More than that, this agency has repeatedly proved its worth beyond just clearing spectrum. Under the leadership of our panel, NTIA ran the DTV converter coupon program and the B-Top program to deploy broadband infrastructure - and stood up First-Net the public safety broadband network authority. They have learned valuable lesson along the way. B-Top is now Broadband-USA, a program to help communities expand broadband and promote its adoption. My hope is that as we talk about infrastructure investment in this country, we look to agencies like NTIA - which have extensive experience in this area - to help manage and direct these investments in our future.
My hope in reauthorizing NTIA is that we empower this agency to continue doing its job - and that they continue to have a seat at the table, and continue to provide fact based-advice to the President and others.
Thank you, I yield the remainder of my time to Ms. Matsui.
