Report on past event

Veterans living in rural America are being left behind by Federal healthcare systems due to shortages of robust broadband services and limited telehealth access, lawmakers and witnesses warned on July 25 during a field hearing of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization. During the hearing, which was held in Urbana (IL), Members of Congress heard firsthand how the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) telehealth programs remain out of reach for many veterans in rural areas who lack reliable internet access.

 It is time to unleash new growth and opportunity.  It is time to build.  And that is what I am here today—to outline my vision for doing just that through the Federal Communications Commission’s Build America Agenda. Our Build America Agenda will focus on delivering on a number of core objectives.  We will unleash high-speed infrastructure builds.  We will restore America’s leadership in wireless.  We will boost the U.S. space economy.  We will advance our national security.  And we will strengthen America’s tower and telecom workforce.

Ever since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become ever more clear that all U.S. residents need accessible healthcare. For those who may not have broadband access at home or who struggle to navigate the increasingly complex digital tools used by our healthcare system, that accessibility becomes even more challenging.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is here and cementing its place in our communications networks faster than any other developing technology.

It’s not just Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment delays we have to worry about.

Although Phileas Fogg famously traveled around the world in 80 days, at a Senate Appropriations hearing, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick outlined a more ambitious task: completing Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program funding by the end of 2025. Secretary Lutnick floated a new notice of funding opportunity (known as an NOFO) for the BEAD program with requirements for states to be “tech agnostic” or “tech neutral” and nevertheless claimed final awards could go out before the end of the year. The details remain scarce.

In testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested plans to issue a new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) asked, “Do you agree that it would be a huge waste of money and a disservice to Americans who need reliable internet service to restart a bidding and proposal process?” Sec Lutnick responded by saying, “The Biden administration had 30 months [for BEAD] and they did nothing.” He then suggested a new proposal process that would take 90 days.

Although much of the recent focus regarding the press being under siege has been on President Trump’s Federal Communications Commission, FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez cited “an administration-wide effort” involving multiple agencies intended “to chill speech” and stifle dissenting voices. With the FCC under Trump’s handpicked Chairman, Brendan Carr, Commissioner Gomez has few avenues to formally push back against the Republican majority.

President Trump announced by tweet (or whatever it is they do on Truth Social) that he was somehow “ending” the Digital Equity Act, calling it “UNCONSTITUTIONAL” and “ILLEGAL.” The next day, letters were sent to states and awardees across the country terminating their grants. And so, just like that, nearly $3 billion in funding and years of work came to a halt. So, what are we going to do about it? When President Trump illegally and unconstitutionally attempted to end the Digital Equity Act, I became angry. Really, really angry. Is anybody else in this room angry?

The House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government convened an oversight hearing of the Federal Communications Commission. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr was the sole witness. Subcommittee Chairman Dave Joyce (R-OH) noted that since Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, the FCC has received flat funding of $390.2 million.