John Thune

OK, well, let me just--you mentioned in your testimony, the aviation industry experiencing several recent disruptions stemming from the pandemic and geopolitical concerns and aircraft groundings.

We need to find ways to accelerate innovation in the use of 5G, and dare I say it 6G.

And I am glad you reintroduced it. Thank you.

I am committed to working with the Biden-Harris administration to craft a trade policy that strengthens our economic relationships in the Asia-Pacific region.

I think it is critical that we get that position filled as soon as possible.

I will work with Ambassador Tai to deepen trade engagement in the Asia-Pacific region.

I support strong enforcement with respect to trade secret theft that disadvantages U.S. innovators and workers.

I think we have lost ground there, which we need to recover.

I am concerned that there is still not a nominee for Chief Ag Negotiator at USTR.

The Biden-Harris administration is already demonstrating that the United States is back on the global stage.

I would suggest that we have to figure out, as part of our deliberations, and whether that is in the form of legislation or working with the Department of Justice, to address this issue of lack of competition.

We have cattle producers who produce the highest quality beef in the world, and they deserve to be able to participate in a marketplace that operates fairly, transparently, and with integrity.

I think very clearly, the Federal Communications Commission is the preferred agency for the distribution of these types of funds.

What can Congress do to ease the regulatory permitting burdens that slow down the deployment of redundant and resilient networks?

It is for that reason that I introduced the Rural Connectivity Advancement Program Act, which would help strengthen connectivity in rural areas by providing funding for both the build out of networks, and to support the sustainability of…

You cannot have those discussions without having a similar discussion of, how do we keep Universal Service funding on firm support.

Multiple agencies are dispersing broadband funds, which could ultimately lead to duplication of broadband services.

I applaud your efforts, as it relates to putting the Universal Service Funding on a sound financial footing.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Law, as you know, ensuring there are reliable and resilient broadband networks in rural America means not just having Federal resources to deploy these networks, but also having the Federal support available to…

Do not tether rural residents to the Internet through a wire to the home or to the farmhouse.

Make affordability a priority.

I thank Chairman Ben Ray Lujan and Ranking Member John Thune, as well as the other esteemed members of the subcommittee.

Having a sufficient workforce and resilient supply chain in place will be critical to keep networks up and running.

Finding common sense ways to efficiently deliver reliable broadband services in a technology neutral manner should be part of any infrastructure conversation.

Having new, accurate maps is critically important to ensure that this funding goes to truly unserved areas.