Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s Communications and Technology Subcommittee markup to reauthorize the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and ensure the agency is advancing American leadership.

Excerpts and highlights below:

REAUTHORIZING NTIA

“Today, we are marking up legislation to reauthorize the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, or NTIA.

“I want to thank Subcommittee Chair Latta for leading on this bill.

“One of my top priorities as Chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee is reauthorizing agencies within our jurisdiction.

“This is an important part of our congressional oversight process and ensures we’re carrying out our responsibility, as representatives of the people, of holding agencies accountable, directing their actions, and providing the tools agencies need to carry out and stay true to their mission.

“In NTIA’s case, Congress has not reauthorized the Administration since 1992.

“A lot has changed in the last 31 years, both in the technology sector and at NTIA.

“Today’s NTIA plays a critical role in everything from broadband deployment and federal spectrum management, to Internet governance and cybersecurity, issues not prevalent or even in existence when the agency was last reauthorized.

“NTIA’s budget reflects this change. In 1992, Congress authorized appropriation of $17.9 million. This year, Congress appropriated NTIA with $62 million.”

ENSURING AMERICAN COMMUNICATIONS LEADERSHIP

“There is no better time than now to reauthorize NTIA.

“NTIA now plays a significant role in closing the digital divide, overseeing a number of programs related to broadband access.

“This reauthorization would help ensure that NTIA has the right structure to manage these programs and coordinate with other agencies that maintain broadband programs.

“Reauthorization also presents an opportunity to strengthen NTIA’s role as federal spectrum manager.

“Spectrum disputes between agencies have become prevalent in recent years, highlighting the need to strengthen and clearly define NTIA’s role.

“The bill before us does this by clarifying that NTIA is responsible for coordinating the views of the Executive Branch and presenting that to the FCC and by building more safeguards into the federal coordination procedures so that other agencies’ needs are appropriately accounted for.

“NTIA also leads in addressing some of our top telecommunications challenges, including in cybersecurity and public safety.

“This legislation establishes new offices related to both and provides clarity and transparency for the TEAM TELECOM process for national security reviews of foreign participation in the telecommunications sector.”

NTIA’S LEADERSHIP

“Finally, our legislation elevates the responsibility of NTIA within the executive branch by promoting the NTIA Administrator from an Assistant Secretary of Commerce to an Under Secretary of Commerce.

“NTIA plays a much larger role today within the federal government as coordinator of federal broadband programs, federal spectrum manager, and representative of the United States in international telecommunications forums.

“These are significant, government-wide responsibilities, and this elevation reflects that.

“I would like to thank the members of the subcommittee for their work on these measures.

“I look forward to discussing them and advancing them to the Full Committee.”