House Commerce Committee
Republican Leader Rodgers Welcomes Eight New Members to the House Commerce Committee
The House Republican Steering Committee selected eight new members to serve on the House Commerce Committee:
House Commerce Committee Leaders Demand Answers from Internet Companies Regarding Raising Prices and Imposing Data Caps During COVID-19 Pandemic
House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr.
Broadband and Connectivity Provisions in the House Passed Omnibus Package
The House of Representatives’ end of the year omnibus includes:
More than $7 billion in broadband funding as part of COVID-19 relief to:
Chairman Pallone Welcomes Five New Democratic Members to the House Commerce Committee
The House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee recommended the appointment of Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Kathleen Rice (D-NY), Kim Schrier (D-WA), and Lori Trahan (D-MA) to the Commerce Committee for the 117th Congress.
Rep Pallone Elected Chairman of the House Commerce Committee
The House Democratic Caucus unanimously elected Rep Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) Chairman of the House Commerce Committee for the 117th Congress.
House Chairs Seek Accounting of Political Appointees Burrowing into Career Positions at Dozens of Agencies
House Committee Chairs sent a letter to 61 federal agencies requesting information on conversions of political appointees to civil service positions during the Trump Administration. Federal law requires that personnel actions are carried out in a way that the “selection and advancement” of employees in the civil service are “determined solely on the basis of relative ability, knowledge, and skills, after fair and open competition,” rather than on the basis of “partisan political purposes.” In accordance with civil service protections, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) requires all ag
House Commerce GOP Leaders Request Audit on Rural Broadband Pilot Program
House Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Republican Leader Bob Latta (R-OH), and Republican subcommittee members wrote to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting an audit of and asking several questions about the Rural eConnectivity Pilot Program within the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA). The representatives say they have concerns about overbuilding, interagency coordination, and the mismanagement of appropriated funds.
Committee Leaders Urge FCC to Assist Companies Replacing Suspect Network Equipment
House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR) wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai today urging him to assist companies as they prepare and plan to replace suspect network equipment, including companies eligible for reimbursement under the Secure and Trusted Reimbursement Program. The program was established by Pallone and Walden’s H.R.
House Passes Three Communications and Technology Bills
The House of Representatives passed the following bills:
House Democrats Demand Trump FCC and FTC Stop Work on Controversial Items in Light of Election Results
House Commerce Committee leaders wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai and Federal Trade Commission Chairman Joseph Simons demanding that the two commissions stop work on all partisan or controversial items currently under consideration in light of the results of the presidential election. “We note that you have previously welcomed calls from congressional leaders for the FCC to ‘halt further action on controversial items during the transition period.’ We hope you will respect this time-honored tradition now.”