Hearing of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee - Progress Toward a Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network

Hearing

Thank you Chairman Walden and Ranking Member Eshoo for holding this hearing
today. And thanks to our witnesses for being here.

Many of us have been talking about the importance of public safety communications for a
while, so we tend to forget that FirstNet is barely three years old. It was just a few years ago
when a broad bipartisan coalition came together in this committee with a vision for a nationwide
wireless broadband network for first responders.

But we lose track of just how young FirstNet is because it has already accomplished so
much. It started with literally nothing but a bold mission--no board, no employees, no
money. Very few technology startups make it past this stage. That is not the case for FirstNet.
And now, FirstNet's board is comprised of seasoned communications veterans and public
safety officials. It's a group that would make any company proud. And while the ranks of its
employees are still growing, the staff more closely resembles a group from a technology power
house rather than one from a government office. This hard-charging staff has been crisscrossing
the country making sure everyone with an opinion has their voice heard.

Most encouraging, we are actually about to see the first deployments. FirstNet's five
Early Builder Projects--including one in New Jersey--are already providing important
lessons. They are the proofs of concept necessary to show first responders that this will indeed
work. I'm disappointed that Governor Christie refused to permit JerseyNet to testify today. The
project is a one of the Governor's few successes and this Committee would have benefitted from
hearing firsthand about their deployment.

Of course, as with any new venture, FirstNet has faced some hard times. But it has not
shied away from these challenges .For example, GAO recently issued a report concluding that
FirstNet could use more extensive internal controls and clearer metrics of success for early
deployments. FirstNet's Chair--Sue Swenson--agreed and quickly acted to implement these
recommendations.

Similarly, the Department of Commerce's Office of Inspector found that in its very early
days, FirstNet should have been more open. But now most observers describe FirstNet as a
model of transparency.

I am confident that FirstNet's board will continue in this tradition, maintain these
improvements and continue its good work moving forward. The importance of this task requires
no less.

So I look forward to hearing from our witnesses and hearing more about the progress
they are making.

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