The House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the FCC’s FY 2025 budget yesterday was calm, so much so that Rep. Jerry Carl (R-AL) joked that the committee should approve the agency’s budget request because of the way Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel answered a question. Carl asked if Rosenworcel knew that the 911 call center in Haleyville, AL was the first such call center in the nation. Rosenworcel says she did know and saw the phone in the exhibit there. “A reminder that big ideas start in small places,” she said.
“As a fee-funded agency, the Commission has worked hard to develop a reasonable budget that maximizes benefits to consumers, while remaining fair to industries responsible for our requested general salaries and expenses level” of just over $448 million, Rosenworcel testified in her first appearance before the subcommittee as FCC Chairwoman. “This amount will ensure that the Commission can meet its statutory mandates and uphold the core values of our laws—consumer protection, universal service, national security, and public safety—all while keeping pace with ever-changing and advancing technologies.”
The FCC needs Congress to reauthorize the agency’s ability to auction spectrum, the Chairwoman said. “We want to do more to support wireless communications in the future. We need Congress to do so because failure to do so will risk U.S. leadership in 5G, 6G and beyond,” she testified.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said he opposed the budget sought by the Commission, noting it represents a 14.8 percent increase. “It does not reflect Congress’ focus on reigning in government spending,” he explained.
The agency is also asking for 1,600 full time employees. Rosenworcel told lawmakers the current staffing level is “bare bones,” and at its lowest level in 20 years. The 1,600 figure represents 75 more jobs. The Commission needs more engineering expertise, especially for the new space bureau. It also needs engineers to figure out creative ways that wireless spectrum can be shared, she noted.
Carr said the 1,600 number is too large. It represents “the largest percentage increase in agency [full time employees] since Congress passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996,” when the FCC was tasked with a “significant increase” in implementing proceedings. [This reporter remembers the amount of work the FCC had to do after the Act passed was so large, then Chairman Reed Hundt broke it down into six-month increments.]
Discussions centering on funding the Affordable Connectivity Program and Rip & Replace garnered much of the time. Ranking Member Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said he’s heard from constituents, both Democrats and Republicans, in St. Mary’s County, MD, that it’s crucial to refund the ACP. He spoke of a family that told him “they struggled during the pandemic because they couldn’t afford internet. Their kids went to a neighbor’s house to study and they also drove to a church parking lot to use WiFi.”
Noting the ACP funding runs out this month, Hoyer said, “It’s crucial my colleagues take immediate action to refund” the program. “If it fails, 23 million American households will pay more or lose their internet altogether.”
Concerning Rip and Replace, Rep. David Joyce (R-OH) said he was surprised the FCC didn’t originally ask for more money for the reimbursement program. Rosenworcel said roughly 122 providers have signed up for reimbursements for the removal, disposal and replacement of Huawei and ZTE network gear that the U.S. deems untrustworthy. “Based on the money Congress gave us, we can only give them 40 cents on the dollar. The previous Administration gave us $1.9 billion. When I took over as Chair, we found we needed about $3 billion more, in part because Congress expanded the program.”
When Joyce asked for suggestions, Rosenworcel replied, “There are talks in the Senate about how to use revenue from upcoming spectrum auctions to help fund” Rip & Replace “and make sure it can actually proceed.” That’s presumably a reference to a measure introduced by Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA) that would also set aside $7 billion in spectrum auction proceeds to refund the ACP until the end of the year, Inside Towers reported.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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