Washington, D.C. - Energy and Commerce Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Republican Leader Bob Latta (R-OH), and Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) were joined by Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee Republican Leader John Shimkus (R-IL) to release the following statements regarding ongoing debate around the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) decision on Ligado.
“In today’s interconnected world, making spectrum available for the private sector to deploy and advance new technologies will not only benefit American consumers, but will also allow our nation to continue to lead on the global stage in 5G and Internet of Things.
“After hearing from many stakeholders, the FCC made its decision to grant Ligado’s application. This application has been tested, reviewed, revised, and tested again. The FCC is required by law to determine if technology proposals are in the public interest, and we must trust that in making this decision, the FCC took every position into consideration to come to this conclusion.
“Both the private and public sectors have legitimate uses for spectrum. These decisions will only get more difficult as technologies develop, but we need to trust the expert agencies who make spectrum decisions. The Energy and Commerce Committee takes seriously its authority and responsibility to oversee spectrum management activities of all agencies," Walden, Latta, and McMorris Rodgers said.
Shimkus added the following statement.
“I’ve been engaged in this debate between the tech and defense communities for nearly a decade because of both my military background and the ability of 5G services to meet the needs of my constituents in rural areas," said Shimkus. “I certainly understand the importance of protecting the integrity of critical national security assets, but the reality is after extensive testing by engineers and unanimous approval by the FCC, the defense community’s claim that a land-based, low-power transmission with guard bands would render the GPS unusable strains credibility. Allocating finite spectrum while preventing interference is a delicate task, but it’s one that must continue to be carried out by the appropriately specialized agency with oversight by the committees of jurisdiction."
Today, the Communications and Technology Subcommittee is holding a teleconference forum with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai.
