Senator Deb Fischer, who chairs the Senate Commerce Telecommunications and Media Subcommittee, highlighted the significance of FirstNet, the nationwide public safety broadband network, during a subcommittee hearing in Washington, D.C. She emphasized the need for Congress to reauthorize FirstNet before its scheduled sunset next February.
Fischer began her remarks by acknowledging the delay caused by Winter Storm Fern and expressed appreciation for those attending the hearing. She described FirstNet as a critical part of national infrastructure established by the First Responder Network Authority. According to Fischer, “In communities large and small, first responders save lives every single day – often in situations where each second counts, and communication means the difference between life and death.”
She explained that FirstNet was designed to provide first responders with a dedicated broadband network separate from commercial systems. The network now operates millions of connections across all 50 states and U.S. territories, serving police officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, and other emergency workers.
Fischer noted that features such as priority access during emergencies have become essential tools for first responders. She stated that “Reauthorizing the network before it sunsets next February means that Congress needs to get to work now,” warning that failure to act could create uncertainty for this public safety resource.
The senator also referenced recent findings from the Commerce Department’s Inspector General regarding weaknesses in FirstNet’s oversight structure. She said, “FirstNet was created as an independent authority within the Commerce Department to balance operational flexibility with accountability.” However, she added that “the current governing structure has not provided consistent performance oversight,” calling for improvements rather than criticism of FirstNet’s mission.
Fischer recounted how AT&T became the sole mobile carrier willing to meet FirstNet’s requirements after its creation following the 9/11 attacks. She acknowledged AT&T’s investment but stressed that increased oversight is necessary due to the scale of public safety assets involved.
She clarified that reauthorization is about maintaining transparency and resilience in this public-private partnership: “It is about ensuring that a network built through public-private partnership continues to serve its core mission with transparency, resilience, and adaptability.”
Finally, Fischer pointed out strong support among first responders for renewing FirstNet’s authorization: “Independent surveys show overwhelming support from first responders for reauthorizing FirstNet — not because it is perfect, but because the consequences of losing priority network access would be unthinkable.” She concluded by describing FirstNet as integral to national public safety efforts and said reauthorization offers an opportunity not only for continuity but also improvement.
