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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, delivered the following opening statement at today's hearing titled Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission.

Subcommittee Chairman Hudson’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:

“Good morning, and welcome to today’s oversight hearing – the first this congress – of the Federal Communications Commission. Welcome back to Chairman Carr—congratulations on your appointment as Chairman—and Commissioner Gomez. I want to extend a special welcome, or should I say welcome back, to Commissioner Trusty. Congratulations on your confirmation and welcome to your first oversight hearing at your old stomping ground. It is always exciting to see a former Energy and Commerce Committee staffer become a commissioner. I know Mr. Latta is very proud.

“The FCC had an active 2025 that can be summed up in one word: deregulation. Under Chairman Carr, the FCC has taken significant steps to reduce barriers to broadband deployment, modernize outdated regulatory regimes, and delete obsolete rules. These efforts include preempting state and local barriers to wireless infrastructure deployment—which I appreciate, as some of y’all know already, I am too familiar with calls dropping as I drive around my own district—reforming the satellite licensing process, and ensuring that Next Generation 911 networks are reliable and interoperable, another issue I’ve made my top priority over the years. Together, these efforts will accelerate closing the digital divide, unleash the new space economy, and strengthen America’s wireless leadership. I applaud the FCC for this work.

“The FCC still has significant work ahead, including modernizing outdated media ownership rules. Last year, I led a bipartisan letter with more than 70 members of Congress urging the Commission to revisit its broadcast ownership caps. Local broadcasters remain the most trusted source of news for most Americans, yet they now compete in an uneven marketplace shaped by well-resourced new entrants, most notably Big Tech. Burdened by outdated regulations, local broadcasters are increasingly unable to compete, a reality reflected in newsroom closures and the growing concentration of influence among national networks and social media platforms. Current ownership caps prevent broadcasters from combining or expanding operations, constraining their ability to invest in local journalism. Updating these caps would help ensure broadcasters remain viable and competitive without creating monopolies. It would empower local stations to better compete against dominant platforms. I urge the Commission to keep these realities in mind as it continues its deregulatory agenda.

“A huge accomplishment this year was the Working Families Tax Cut’s direction of the FCC to auction 800 MHz of spectrum for commercial use. Making this spectrum available is essential to America’s leadership in 5G and 6G. I am pleased that the agency has already begun this work by identifying at least 100 MHz for auction in the upper C-Band. As the agency looks for the remaining spectrum, both on its own and in coordination with others, I know you have important decisions to make and I urge the FCC to be mindful of investment that has already taken place in existing commercial bands, such as the 6 GHz band and the CBRS band. The proposal your agenda laid out this month to expand unlicensed operations in the 6 GHz band is a great step.

“Finally, I am a member of the bipartisan, bicameral Universal Service Fund Working Group. The USF, overseen by the FCC, helps support broadband access to high-cost rural areas, schools and libraries, rural health centers, and low-income households. Last year, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the USF. But it is past time to reform this program to ensure its long-term sustainability and ensure the funds are reaching the right people. Congress needs to reexamine what the USF supports and how it is funded. A sustainable USF is essential to ensuring all Americans have access to affordable, reliable broadband. Given the FCC’s role in administering the Fund, I look forward to discussing ways to ensure the USF remains viable for future generations.

“Today’s hearing is an opportunity to discuss the many important issues before the FCC. I thank the Commissioners for being here today and I look forward to our conversation.”

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 a subcommittee markup of six bills to improve public safety communications in the United States.

WHAT: Subcommittee on Communications and Technology markup of six bills.

DATE: Thursday, January 15, 2026

TIME: 9:00 AM ET

LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

Items to be considered:

• H.R. 6505, Next Generation 9-1-1 Act (Reps. Hudson and Carter–LA)
• H.R. 2076, LuLu’s Law (Rep. Palmer)
• H.R. 5200, Emergency Reporting Act (Reps. Matsui and Bilirakis)
• H.R. 5201, Kari’s Law Reporting Act (Reps. Matsui and Bilirakis)
• H.R. 7022, Mystic Alerts Act (Reps. Pfluger and Fletcher)
• H.R. 1519, Public Safety Communications Act (Rep. Cammack)

This notice is at the direction of the Chairman. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be livestreamed online at energycommerce.house.gov. If you have any questions concerning this 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. – This week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is holding three Subcommittee Hearings and one Subcommittee Markup. Read more below.

SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing to discuss legislation focused on strengthening our nation’s energy infrastructure from cyber and physical threats.

• DATE: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
• TIME: 10:15 AM ET
• LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade held a hearing to examine ways to strengthen automotive safety, affordability, and leadership.

• DATE: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
• TIME: 2:00 PM ET
• LOCATION: 2175 Rayburn House Office Building

SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology is holding a hearing on oversight of the Federal Communications Commission.

• DATE: Wednesday, January 14, 2026
• TIME: 10:15 AM ET
• LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

SUBCOMMITTEE MARKUP: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology will hold a ** markup ** of 6 bills.

• DATE: Thursday, January 15, 2026
• TIME: 9:00 AM ET
• LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

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 a hearing titled Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission.

“The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ensures that every American has access to next-generation communication technologies,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Hudson. “As the Committee with jurisdiction over the FCC, we conduct regular oversight to maintain the agency’s focus on the issues that matter most to our constituents. We look forward to hearing from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, along with Commissioners Anna Gomez and Olivia Trusty, about their efforts to close the digital divide, secure our communications networks, and advance American leadership in wireless innovation.”

Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing titled Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission.

WHAT: Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing on oversight of the Federal Communications Commission.

DATE: Wednesday, January 14, 2026

TIME: 10:15 AM ET

LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

This notice is at the direction of the Chairman. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online at energycommerce.house.gov. If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Noah Jackson with the Committee staff 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. – Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled Legislative Improvements to Public Safety Communications in the United States.

Subcommittee Chairman Hudson’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:

“Good morning, and welcome to today’s legislative hearing on public safety communications in the United States. I’m glad we were able to convene this hearing in a bipartisan manner, and we have several bipartisan bills in front of us today.

“I am looking forward to hearing from our witnesses about how these bills will improve communications for public safety and give first responders additional tools to do their jobs so they can best serve our communities.

“This hearing will be the next step in advancing the important legislation before us. In September we held a hearing examining the broad state of public safety communications. Now, we’re looking at legislative improvements to that space.

“Important things like upgrading our 911 call centers, improvements to our wireless emergency alerting, and improvements to our outage reporting are crucial improvements that we now can look at through a legislative lens.

“Alongside my friend Representative Carter from Louisiana, I recently introduced the Next Generation 911 Act. This legislation would establish a grant program at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, or NTIA, for Next Generation 911 technology. It would also establish a nationwide Next Generation 911 Cybersecurity Center and a Next Generation 911 Advisory Board.

“Upgrading our nation’s call centers to NG911 technology is crucial for public safety. This internet protocol-based system will open the door for advanced tools for both the public and our first responders to use.

“Further, this legislation will enable deployment nationwide. A patchwork of call centers that still have aging, outdated legacy systems risks a communications landscape that is uneven and non-interoperable. I have been a long-time supporter of NG911 deployment nationwide and I am proud to lead this legislation to do so.

“We have a few bills before us that look to improve our wireless emergency alerts, or WEAs. Wireless alerts to mobile phones can be powerful tools to quickly and directly disseminate warnings of dangerous weather, threats to public safety, national emergencies, and even missing children. However, these alerts can only be received if a phone is in range of traditional cell service. As we see mobile carriers moving toward innovative technologies like satellite direct-to-device connections, it is worth exploring how this technology can be used as another tool for public safety communications like WEAs when outside of a terrestrial cell service network.

“Our public safety and law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to help us in our times of need, and we must make sure they have the best tools to do their jobs.

“Today, we will hear from our witnesses about the legislative improvements to public safety communications before us and how these bills can make our country a safer place.

“I look forward to hearing from the witnesses today about these issues and how Congress can stand ready as a partner.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, led a hearing titled Legislative Improvements to Public Safety Communications in the United States.

“Important things like upgrading our 911 call centers, improvements to our wireless emergency alerting, and improvements to our outage reporting are crucial improvements that we now can look at through a legislative lens,” said Chairman Hudson.“Our public safety and law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to help us in our times of need, and we must make sure they have the best tools to do their jobs.”

Watch the full hearing here

Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing:

Subcommittee Vice Chairman Rick Allen (GA-12): “More than a year ago, Hurricane Helene—with over 100 mile per hour winds—ran through the entire stretch of my district and caused widespread damage and loss. We suffered multiple deaths and a loss of power for weeks in some areas. [...] We all learned the importance of resilient communication networks when commercial networks were severely disrupted. It was next to impossible for constituents to access information and resources.”

Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11): “During natural disasters, when communication infrastructure is damaged, or in rural areas where it doesn't exist at all, like in my district, mobile service can be inconsistent. Not having access to emergency alerts can also mean the difference between life and death. Every member of this committee has learned this all too well, whether it was during wildfires that we've talked about today, or the flooding in central Texas at Camp Mystic, for which the bill I'm going to talk about is named after.”

Congresswoman Erin Houchin (IN-09): “Public safety communications is one of those rare areas where the technology is moving fast. The stakes are high, and Congress has a real opportunity to make systems work better in the moments that matter most. When I've met with first responders in my district in southeast Indiana, I consistently hear that clear, coordinated systems allow them to share information quickly, direct resources effectively, and keep both first responders and the public safe.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Mike Johnson (LA-04), Speaker of the House of Representatives, Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, and Congressman Gabe Evans (CO-08), celebrated the passage of three bills advanced by the Committee on Energy and Commerce to make our grid more reliable, lower energy costs for hard-working families, and get America back to building infrastructure.

H.R. 3638, the Electric Supply Chain Act, introduced by Chairman Latta (OH-05), H.R. 3668, the Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act, introduced by Chairman Hudson (NC-09), and H.R.3628, the State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act, introduced by Rep. Evans (CO-08), would help to provide essential information about our bulk power system, modernize the federal permitting process to expand our natural gas pipeline capacity, and ensure states are prioritizing the baseload power needed to keep the lights on.

Attributable to Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce:

“Since the beginning of this Congress, our Committee has fought to unleash the reliable and affordable energy that American families need,” said Chairman Guthrie. “These bills will help safeguard our energy security by bringing more baseload power online, strengthening our grid, and modernizing the federal permitting process. Thank you to Subcommittee Chairmen Latta and Hudson, and Congressman Evans, for your work on these vital pieces of legislation.”

Attributable to Congressman Mike Johnson (LA-04), Speaker of the House of Representatives:

“House Republicans continue to implement a pro-growth agenda that puts hard hats back on American workers, gets shovels in the ground, and unleashes the economic potential our nation has been denied for years by Democrats’ waste, fraud, and abuse,” said Speaker Johnson. “Republicans are ending the era where unelected regulators and radical activist lawyers weaponize bureaucracy and misuse laws like the Clean Water Act to block economic development and restrict opportunity in America.

“For too long, Washington’s paralysis and partisan climate red tape has driven up costs, drawn-out reviews, and delayed construction of roads, pipelines, factories, and critical infrastructure. This week, House Republicans delivered commonsense deregulation and long-overdue reforms to repair a broken permitting system and remove barriers that have held America back. These bills codify more of President Trump’s executive orders and help unlock the full benefits and historic investments within our Working Families Tax Cuts. Republicans continue to advance pro-growth policies that expedite development, empower American industry, and create conditions for long-term competitiveness and prosperity.”

Attributable to Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy:

“Energy security is national security, and this bill brings us one step closer to unleashing American energy dominance,” said Chairman Latta. “The Electric Supply Chain Act will strengthen the reliability of our electric grid, secure our electric grid supply chains, and ensure we can power the artificial intelligence data centers of the future. Together, these efforts reinforce American-led energy production and security across the board. I’m grateful to my House colleagues for supporting this bill, and I urge the Senate to act on this critical legislation.”

Attributable to Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology:

“Delays in the construction of new natural gas pipelines drive up energy prices,” said Chairman Hudson. “My bill makes long-overdue modernizations to the permitting process by streamlining the regulatory authority of FERC. This makes sure the environment is protected, but no single state can arbitrarily block the construction of new pipelines.”

Attributable to Congressman Gabe Evans (CO-08):

“For years Colorado’s ruling Democrats have pushed out-of-touch policies and burdensome regulations that have led to skyrocketing energy bills and increased financial strain, resulting in further mental and physical stress on hard-working families across the state,” said Congressman Evans. “This legislation puts Coloradans first by holding state regulatory entities like Colorado Public Utilities Commission accountable by new federal standards, to ensure they are focused on considering energy reliability and affordability. I’m proud to lead the charge on legislation that lowers costs, uplifts working-class Americans, and strengthens our nation's energy dominance.”

BACKGROUND:

H.R. 3638, the Electric Supply Chain Act – Rep. Latta (OH-05)

• The bill would direct the Department of Energy to conduct periodic assessments of supply chain constraints or vulnerabilities that could impact the bulk power system.
• The Biden-Harris Administration’s misguided energy agenda furthered our reliance on adversarial nations like China for critical materials and manufacturing for wind turbines, solar panels, and grid components that are needed for intermittent generation resources.
• As our nation’s electric system is under strain from premature retirements of baseload power and historic demand increases from manufacturing and technology, we must ensure our federal government and policy makers are equipped with the necessary tools to protect the affordability and reliability of the bulk power system.

H.R. 3668, the Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act – Rep. Hudson (NC-09)

• Under current law, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is designated as the lead agency for coordinating necessary environmental reviews and associated federal authorizations for interstate natural gas pipelines.
• Unfortunately, pipeline infrastructure approvals are often delayed due to a lack of coordination—or inaction—among states and other federal agencies involved in the process. In 2026, the U.S. Energy Information Administration expects natural gas demand to reach an all-time. Now more than ever, it is critical we expand our natural gas pipeline capacity to meet that demand.
• This legislation modernizes the federal permitting process for interstate natural gas pipelines by bolstering FERC’s role as the lead agency for environmental reviews as the coordinator of Clean Water Act Section 401 water quality reviews. This legislation will help lower energy costs, provide natural gas to power our economy, and strengthen our nation’s energy security.

H.R. 3628, the State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act – Rep. Evans (CO-08)

• This legislation would require state Public Utility Commissions to consider requirements for utilities to have sufficient generation from reliable and dispatchable energy sources, such as natural gas, nuclear, coal, and hydropower, over a 10-year period.
• The ongoing reliability crisis facing our nation stems from Democrat policies designed to drive out baseload generation in favor of intermittent wind and solar, harming our ability to onshore manufacturing and burdening households with higher costs.
• Running a grid on wind and solar is akin to paying for two parallel grids, in part, because these energy sources require backup resources when the wind does not blow or the sun does not shine. Residential ratepayers bear the financial burden of these choices.

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 a hearing titled Legislative Improvements to Public Safety Communications in the United States . “Emergency communications are the backbone of police, fire, and emergency medical services,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Hudson. “Modernizing and strengthening these operations are critical to improving public safety in both urban and rural American communities. We look forward to evaluating the ways we can better equip first responders to safely and effectively do their jobs.” Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing titled Legislative Improvements to Public Safety Communications in the United States . WHAT: Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing to discuss public safety communications in the United States. DATE: Tuesday, December 16, 2025 TIME: 10:15 AM ET LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building This hearing will focus on the following bills: H.R. 6505 , Next Generation 9-1-1 Act (Reps. Hudson and Carter (LA)) H.R. 5200 , Emergency Reporting Act (Reps. Matsui and Bilirakis) H.R. 5201 , Kari’s Law Reporting Act (Reps. Matsui and Bilirakis) H.R. 2076 , LuLu’s Law (Rep. Palmer) H.R. 1094 , Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act (Rep. Pfluger) H.R. ____ , Mystic Alert Act (Rep. Pfluger) H.R. 1519 , Public Safety Communications Act (Rep. Cammack) This notice is at the direction of the Chairman. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online at energycommerce.house.gov . If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Noah Jackson with the Committee staff 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.  – Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, delivered the following opening statement at today’s markup of 28 bills to streamline broadband permitting. Subcommittee Chairman Hudson’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:  “Good morning, and welcome to today’s subcommittee markup of legislation to streamline broadband permitting. We are considering 28 bills that reduce or eliminate barriers to broadband deployment so we can finally close the digital divide.  “For years, this subcommittee has discussed the importance of ensuring that every American has access to reliable, high-speed broadband. Work, education—even healthcare and checking in on loved ones—requires a broadband connection. Yet too many Americans still lack access to this essential service. “Reaching the final unserved and underserved Americans requires funding, but it also requires permitting reform. Too often, broadband deployment is prevented or delayed because of burdensome, opaque and expensive permitting processes that exist at every level of government—federal, state, and local. These unnecessary obstacles not only increase costs for deployment, but they also delay progress for communities that have already waited far too long. “We need to address these challenges if we hope to close the digital divide once and for all. The legislation we are marking up today does just that. First, we streamline the state and local permitting process by implementing clear timelines, or ‘shot clocks,’ on application reviews and capping excessive fees. Next, we exempt certain projects—mostly those on previously disturbed lands—from having to perform cumbersome and duplicative environmental and historic preservation reviews. Finally, we reduce barriers to deployment on federal lands and increase coordination among different federal agencies. Together, these reforms will add much-needed certainty, predictability, and accountability to the broadband permitting process and help expedite deployment. “Many of these ideas are not new. In fact, some have already been enacted by the Federal Communications Commission. Under then-Chairman Ajit Pai, the FCC reformed state and local permitting by implementing shot clocks on reviews, capping fees, and removing other barriers to deployment. These reforms accelerated the rollout of 5G infrastructure and showed how streamlining this process can make a real difference. Congress needs to codify and build on these reforms so they last. “There is no better time than now to enact these bills. We are on the verge of closing the digital divide. After four years of delays caused by the Biden-Harris Administration, deployment will soon begin through the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (or BEAD) program. But for this program to succeed, permitting reform is essential. Otherwise, all this money will be tied up in unnecessary reviews and bureaucratic delays. We cannot let the millions of unserved and underserved Americans continue waiting for the connectivity they need simply because we failed to modernize outdated rules. “Five of the bills we are marking up today are bipartisan. I am pleased that we have found common ground on these reforms. I hope we can continue working together to make the remaining bills bipartisan as well. Closing the digital divide has always been a shared goal of this subcommittee, regardless of which party holds the gavel. We should not allow red tape and outdated bureaucracy stand between Americans and the connectivity they need to work, learn, innovate, and thrive. “I want to thank my colleagues for their continued commitment to this issue and for their work developing these proposals. I look forward to moving these bills through committee and onto the floor so we can deliver results for the American people.”