This regulatory backstop was and is important, because there have been allegations that these negotiations have at times not been carried out in good faith.

Thank you, Mr. Chair and ranking member, for having this hearing today and all the witnesses here.

Good morning, I'd like to welcome everyone to this subcommittee's first hearing of the new Congress on STELAR and the evolving media marketplace.

The gentlelady's time is expired.

This bill extended the authorization for satellite television companies to provide broadcast content to unserved households.

My hometown of Pittsburgh, like many cities, has aging infrastructure than can threaten the health and safety of residents if it is not properly updated and maintained.

I would like to welcome everyone to this subcommittee's first oversight hearing of the Federal Communications Commission.

This ought to be mail fraud, frankly, because some communities and States are telling their consumers on their phone bill you are paying for 9 091 091 when in fact they take the money and spend it elsewhere.

Consumers ought to have a right to know that they are getting defrauded by their own governments.

Simply put, it seems irresponsible and unconscionable to give money to four foreign satellite companies when the broadband infrastructure needs of our Nation are so great.

I believe that these measures would have a major impact in our fight against robocalls.

We are past the point of band aids. We need real solutions to address the problem and we need real protections for the American people.

At this juncture neither Congress nor the American people understand the scope of what happened, and no one has been held accountable for this reckless and illegal practice.

we can't meet our climate change goals and obligations without it.

Investment in research and advanced technologies, it is critical if we are going to reduce harmful emissions from fossil energy sources like coal and gas.

I want to ask you one final question. Worker safety is a priority of mine, especially for workers employed in environmental remediation and decontamination, because they have an uncreased risk of exposure to harmful substances.

I'd like to thank our panel of witnesses for appearing before us today to testify about this important issue...

While I have some concerns about the bill, Ranking Member Latta and I have agreed to work together to resolve these issues...

I believe that Congress and the FCC have an obligation to work with phone providers and their customers...

Well, I want to welcome everyone to today's legislative hearing on solutions to a problem that we all have firsthand experience with: illegal robocalls.

I would note that the Wall Street Journal reported that the FCC levied $208 million of fines against telemarketers.

This bill offers a comprehensive set of solutions that I believe can help seriously reduce the number of robocalls consumers receive.

I applaud this action, and I look forward to the FCC getting this database operational as quickly as possible.

Frankly, Title II could provide the Federal Government near unlimited and unchecked authority to regulate and tax.

I would just say to my friend--and he is my friend--that I must have missed the phone call when you said, let us get together and sit down and see if we can work together on net neutrality.