Communications & Technology

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, and Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the forced divestiture of TikTok: “Today’s Supreme Court decision affirms what Congress has been saying all along to ByteDance and the Chinese Communist Party: divest or face a ban. This is a sober, but important, step toward safeguarding our national security. ByteDance still has the choice to fully divest, so TikTok could continue operating in the United States if they so choose. Regardless of their decision, the Committee will continue to vigorously fight attempts by the CCP to compromise our communications networks and surveil the American people.”  ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, announced the first hearing of the 119th Congress for the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology titled “Strengthening American Leadership in Wireless Technology.”   “Next generation wireless technology is a critical component of technological innovation and necessary to ensure all Americans can fully participate in the 21st century economy. The United States needs a strategic spectrum policy that empowers our innovators to fully compete on the global stage,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Hudson. “We look forward to hearing from stakeholders about how we can launch a new era of American leadership.”   Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Hearing titled “Strengthening American Leadership in Wireless Technology.” WHAT: Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Hearing Notice.  DATE: Thursday, January 23, 2025 TIME: 10:00 AM ET  LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building  This notice is at the direction of the Chair. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online at https://energycommerce.house.gov . If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Noah Jackson at Noah.Jackson@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Daniel Kelly at Daniel.Kelly@mail.house.gov .  ### 

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, announced subcommittee membership for the 119 th  Congress. “Today, I am proud to announce the House Committee on Energy and Commerce subcommittee assignments for the 119 th Congress,”   said Chairman Guthrie.   “Energy and Commerce Republicans are ready to hit the ground running, delivering for President Trump’s America First agenda to restore the American Dream.” The Subcommittee Rosters are as follows: Subcommittee on  Communications and Technology: Rep. Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman Rep. Rick Allen (GA-12), Vice Chairman Rep. Bob Latta (OH-05) Rep. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) Rep. Buddy Carter (GA-01) Rep. Neal Dunn (FL-02) Rep. John Joyce (PA-13) Rep. Russ Fulcher (ID-01) Rep. August Pfluger (TX-11) Rep. Kat Cammack (FL-03) Rep. Jay Obernolte (CA-23) Rep. Erin Houchin (IN-09) Rep. Russell Fry (SC-07) Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07)  Rep. Craig Goldman (TX-12) Rep. Julie Fedorchak (ND-AL) Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Ex-Officio Subcommittee on  Energy: Rep. Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14), Vice Chairman Rep. Gary Palmer (AL-06) Rep. Rick Allen (GA-12) Rep. Troy Balderson (OH-12) Rep. August Pfluger (TX-11) Rep. Diana Harshbarger (TN-01) Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) Rep. John James (MI-10) Rep. Cliff Bentz (OR-02) Rep. Russell Fry (SC-07) Rep. Laurel Lee (FL-15) Rep. Nick Langworthy (NY-23) Rep. Michael Rulli (OH-06) Rep. Gabe Evans (CO-08) Rep. Craig Goldman (TX-12) Rep. Julie Fedorchak (ND-AL) Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Ex-Officio Subcommittee on  Health: Rep. Buddy Carter (GA-01), Chairman Rep. Neal Dunn (FL-02), Vice Chairman Rep. Morgan Griffith (VA-09) Rep. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) Rep. Dan Crenshaw (TX-02) Rep. John Joyce (PA-13) Rep. Troy Balderson (OH-12) Rep. Diana Harshbarger (TN-01) Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) Rep. Kat Cammack (FL-03) Rep. Jay Obernolte (CA-23) Rep. John James (MI-10) Rep. Cliff Bentz (OR-02) Rep. Erin Houchin (IN-09) Rep. Nick Langworthy (NY-23) Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07)  Rep. Michael Rulli (OH-06) Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Ex-Officio Subcommittee on  Environment: Rep. Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman Rep. Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), Vice Chairman Rep. Bob Latta (OH-05) Rep. Buddy Carter (GA-01) Rep. Gary Palmer (AL-06) Rep. John Joyce (PA-13) Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14) Rep. August Pfluger (TX-11) Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) Rep. Laurel Lee (FL-15) Rep. Nick Langworthy (NY-23) Rep. Gabe Evans (CO-08) Rep. Julie Fedorchak (ND-AL) Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Ex-Officio Subcommittee on  Oversight & Investigations: Rep. Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman Rep. Troy Balderson (OH-12), Vice Chairman Rep. Morgan Griffith (VA-09) Rep. Neal Dunn (FL-02) Rep. Dan Crenshaw (TX-02) Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14) Rep. Rick Allen (GA-12) Rep. Russ Fulcher (ID-01) Rep. Michael Rulli (OH-06) Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Ex-Officio Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, & Trade: Rep. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman Rep. Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Vice Chairman Rep. Diana Harshbarger (TN-01) Rep. Kat Cammack (FL-03) Rep. Jay Obernolte (CA-23) Rep. John James (MI-10) Rep. Cliff Bentz (OR-02) Rep. Erin Houchin (IN-09) Rep. Russell Fry (SC-07) Rep. Laurel Lee (FL-15) Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07)  Rep. Gabe Evans (CO-08) Rep. Craig Goldman (TX-12)  Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Ex-Officio ###

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) today sent letters to five independent federal agencies urging the Biden-Harris administration appointees to abandon partisan efforts and instead focus remaining efforts on bipartisan, consensus items.   The letters state, “The results of the 2024 presidential election are now apparent and leadership of the [agency] will soon change. As a traditional part of the peaceful transfer of power, the [agency] should immediately stop work on any partisan or controversial item under consideration, consistent with applicable law and regulation.”    Click below to read each agency’s letter:   Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Federal Communications Commission (FCC)   Federal Trade Commission (FTC)   Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)   Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Note: In the letter, Chair Rodgers urges NRC to continue timely implementation of the ADVANCE Act. 

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), as well as Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chair Bob Latta (R-OH) and Ranking Member Doris Matsui (D-CA),  sent letter s to AT&T , Verizon , and Lumen demanding answers and requesting a briefing following breaches of their communications networks by hackers tied to the Chinese government. Reporting from the  Wall Street Journal  revealed the cyberattack was focused on intelligence collection and may have accessed U.S. wiretapping requests.  KEY LETTER QUOTE :   “We are concerned by the recent reports of a massive breach of AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen’s communications networks by Chinese hackers. These types of breaches are increasing in frequency and severity, and there is a growing concern regarding the cybersecurity vulnerabilities embedded in U.S. telecommunications networks. The Committee needs to understand better how this incident occurred and what steps your company is taking to prevent future service disruptions and secure your customers’ data.” BACKGROUND :   On October 5th,  The Wall Street Journal  reported U.S. broadband providers were breached by a Chinese government-tied hacker organization. The attack appears to be geared towards intelligence collection, and Chinese hackers potentially accessed vulnerable information, including court-authorized network wiretapping requests and internet traffic. AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen are among the U.S. broadband providers breached. According to the  Wall Street Journal , “The widespread compromise is considered a potentially catastrophic security breach and was carried out by a sophisticated Chinese hacking group dubbed Salt Typhoon.” CLICK HERE to read the letter to AT&T. CLICK HERE to read the letter to Verizon. CLICK HERE to read the letter to Lumen.

Soros-linked fund to acquire more than 200 local radio stations weeks before election Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) led 40 of her Republican colleagues in demanding answers from the Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding her recent decision to fast-track a media deal allowing the Fund for Policy Reform, a group aligned with Democratic mega-donor George Soros, to buy over 200 radio stations just weeks before the 2024 election. With a party line vote of 3-2, the decision at the Commission level by the Democratic members of the FCC to temporarily waive the required national security review and allow excessive foreign ownership of American radio stations is deeply disturbing. KEY LETTER EXCERPT: “It is highly concerning that the FCC did not follow regular order for a transaction of this magnitude. Licensees and investors need certainty that the FCC will follow its rules and procedures when approving transactions so that the broadcast industry can have the resources it needs to continue serving the public.”  BACKGROUND: Audacy, Inc., a radio broadcasting group, which owns more than 200 radio-station licenses, filed for bankruptcy earlier this year.  Audacy’s filings revealed that a George Soros-backed group known as the Fund for Policy Reform had acquired at least 40 percent of Audacy’s debt.   Audacy estimated that, upon emerging from bankruptcy, 25 percent or more of its stock would be indirectly foreign owned, which triggers FCC review.   This review process requires national security agencies to review the transaction and offer any policy or national security concerns.   On September 30, 2024, the FCC released an Order granting a temporary waiver of this review process, delaying a national security review until after the bankruptcy process is complete and allowing foreign control of a significant number of radio stations across the entire United States, weeks before a national election. CLICK HERE to read Breitbart's exclusive coverage. CLICK HERE to read the full letter.