Mike Doyle

I think it's important for members on this subcommittee to realize that these are decisions that the Commission is making right now that could affect the future of broadband in rural communities.

I am also proud to have introduced the AIRWAVES Act with Mr. Lance.

That's why I am proud to support Ranking Member Pallone's Lift America Act which would dedicate $40 billion to building out broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved parts of the country.

We in Congress and on this committee need to take that to heart as we are addressing this pressing issue.

It was recently revealed that our nation's top wireless carrier shared real-time location data of hundreds of millions of Americans with third parties without consumers' consent.

Facebook demonstrated all too well that after-the-fact-enforcement authority can't help us when the damage has already been done.

Digital privacy in our modern era has never been more important.

That's why Ranking Member Doyle and I sent a letter to the Commissioners yesterday urging them not to limit the ability of FCC staff to help resolve consumers' complaints.

I would respectfully request that this committee hold a hearing on this incident to understand how it happened and to hold the responsible parties accountable.

The majority cannot claim that it values privacy when one of its signature achievements this Congress is the repeal of these meaningful rules.

We can and must do more to protect American's privacy and sensitive information.

We know that without Federal involvement, rural areas will continue to be left behind.

Make no mistake, the bill before us today is a rural broadband bill, and a very important one at that.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration plays the critical role of advising the President on telecommunications and information policy issues.

I support this agency and I support giving this agency more resources to accomplish its many missions.

The Airwaves Act...further this mission by freeing up additional federal spectrum for commercial use.

I'm deeply concerned that without participation from representatives of the agency itself we will not be fully able to understand the needs of the agency.

But with the level of consensus we have here on our vision of NTIA's leadership on rural broadband, that would be a real shame, and I don't intend for it to happen.

I notice you did finally put out a study that shows State by State. For instance, in my State of Pennsylvania the average tax cut to the bottom 80 percent of families--80 percent we are talking about--is around $645.

This is kind of an odd hearing for the Energy and Commerce Committee to be having.

This is little dog and pony show for a bill that most of the American public doesn't support.

I am not sure why we are here today to discuss a bill that passed 6 months ago.

Pittsburgh is home to three rivers--the Allegheny, the Monongahela, and the Ohio, and utilizing these water resources is incredibly important, and hydropower plays a critical role in our renewable energy portfolio.

I want to thank my colleague, Congressman Adam Kinzinger, for his leadership introducing H.R. 1320, the NUKE Act.

I am concerned, though, that the President's fiscal year 2019 budget has proposed to reduce funding for nuclear energy by cutting $259 million below the FY 2017 enacted level.