WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, chaired by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), today announced a hearing for Thursday, December 6, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled, “RAY BAUM’S Act: A Bipartisan Foundation for Bridging the Digital Divide."
In March 2018, the historic, committee-led RAY BAUM’S Act was signed into law. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation reauthorized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the first time in 28 years. The Act, which included the Senate’s MOBILE NOW legislation, improves public safety, spurs the deployment of 5G networks, reduces the regulatory barriers to broadband investment, and authorizes reimbursement for broadcasters who were displaced in the successful broadcast incentive auction. The law is named for former Energy and Commerce Committee Staff Director Ray Baum, longtime friend and telecommunication advisor to Chairman Walden, who lost his battle with cancer in February 2018.
“Earlier this year, we delivered a huge win for the American people with the passage of the RAY BAUM’S Act - one of the most comprehensive and significant telecommunications accomplishments in the last two decades," said #SubCommTech Chairman Blackburn. “This bipartisan law was a significant step forward in our efforts to close the digital divide. RAY BAUM’S Act, with the addition of the Senate’s MOBILE NOW legislation, puts consumers first and improves our nation’s critical telecommunications infrastructure, giving the U.S. a global edge in the race to 5G and improving communications services for millions of Americans, especially in rural areas and those impacted by natural disasters. I look forward to hearing directly from industry stakeholders about the positive impact the RAY BAUM’S Act is making across the country."
The Majority Memorandum, witness list, and witness testimony for the hearing will be available here as they are posted.
