New Senate Telecom Leaders Set Sights on Broadband Funding

Commerce Chairwoman Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., told us Lujan got the Communications gavel because he selected the role as his “first choice” of leadership under a new system where “all committee members based on seniority got to choose” a preference. Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts was considered the favorite (see 2101190001) but under new Democratic caucus rules had to forgo the role because he wanted to lead an Environment and Public Works Committee subpanel.

“There’s a lot of [Commerce] members who have great ideas and expertise” on telecom policy issues, but Lujan “has been involved in the regulatory side before,” along with his role as a member of the House Communications Subcommittee before his November election to the Senate, Cantwell said. Lujan was a New Mexico public regulation commissioner before joining the House in 2009. Senate Commerce subcommittee chairs typically have been increasingly influential in shaping policy, but the committee head generally has the deciding role on the agenda, lobbyists said.

Lujan endorses acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to be permanent chair, a spokesperson confirmed to us Friday. He has "worked closely with" Rosenworcel, including hosting a virtual event with her in June on the need for broadband investment during the pandemic, the spokesperson said. Lujan's new leadership role will make him an important advocate on her behalf, lobbyists said. Other lawmakers have also endorsed Rosenworcel (see 2102220057).

Lujan told us he plans to draw on his experience on the New Mexico PRC and House Communications as he takes up the Senate subpanel gavel. “I enjoyed” both roles, and is “very excited about this opportunity,” he said. Lujan believes Senate Communications “is very important” to his constituents. He cited the need for “improving connectivity” in his state, improving “the homework gap” and “looking at how many pueblos and tribes across America are now applying for” spectrum on the 2.5 GHz band.

Communications Priorities

“Getting us to 100% connectivity across the country” will be a top priority during this Congress, Lujan said. He’s especially interested in “looking at the gaps that exist in rural and tribal communities, but also in urban settings.” If “we can look at all the tools available to the FCC, and there can be work in a bipartisan fashion to make sure that we’re able to close those gaps, I think that should be where the focal point should be at the beginning of the work we do in this Congress” on broadband, Lujan said.

Lujan isn’t committing yet to backing an expected bid by House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., to include $100 billion for broadband in an anticipated infrastructure legislative package (see 2102100061). Lujan was among the lead co-sponsors last year when Clyburn filed the proposal as the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act (see 2006240073). It was included in the House-passed Moving Forward Act infrastructure package (see 2007010071).

“We have to go big when it comes to closing” the digital divide, “and it’s going to take a significant investment,” Lujan said. “It would not surprise me if” Clyburn’s call for $100 billion “is spot on, because Jim Clyburn is usually right about the work that he does.” Lujan noted his earlier backing for a version of Democratic infrastructure legislation that proposed $86 billion for broadband (see 2004020030), “so $100 billion is not that far off.”

Senate Communications ranking member John Thune, R-S.D., told us he’s “impressed with” Lujan and thinks “he can be a really good partner” on rural broadband issues. Thune is in the early stages of talking with Lujan about which legislation they can collaborate on.

The promotion of Lujan and Van Hollen to leadership roles is “really good news for the efforts to solve the digital divide,” said Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition Executive Director John Windhausen. "Both senators have a track record and history of supporting innovative broadband solutions.” Lujan “has been a big advocate of tribal broadband,” so his becoming Senate Communications chair will likely mean “we’ll see an increased focus on tribal broadband issues,” Windhausen told us. He cited Lujan’s past sponsorship of the Tribal Connect Act (see 1804120061), among other legislation.

The senators could make an “immediate impact on telecommunications policy,” said Competitive Carriers Association Senior Vice President-Legislative Affairs Tim Donovan. Lujan “has been a longtime champion" on broadband access, which got increased public focus during the pandemic. “I’ve heard [Lujan] multiple times talk about how if he can have broadband service at 30,000 feet in the air in an airplane, there’s absolutely no reason why his constituents on the ground shouldn’t also have service,” Donovan said. Lujan’s going to “benefit from” his experience on House Communications, since he’s been “working directly with” Clyburn and House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., on broadband funding titles and mapping.

Appropriations

Van Hollen told us his “immediate focus” as Appropriations Financial Services chair is ensuring House Democrats’ proposal for $7.6 billion for E-rate remote learning (see 2102100061) makes it into a final version of the American Rescue Plan Act pandemic aid budget reconciliation package. “I’m confident” it will, despite earlier opposition from some Republicans (see 2102120066), Van Hollen said. The House was to have voted as soon as Friday night on its version (HR-1319).

Donovan and Windhausen both cited Van Hollen’s commitment to addressing E-rate and other broadband matters. Van Hollen led filing last year of the Homework Gap Trust Fund Act, which would have directed some proceeds from the now-completed C-band auction to pay for remote learning access, including purchases of hot spot devices (see 2002280044).

Appropriations Financial Services will “lay out a game plan” soon for potentially tackling “a full range” of telecom policy issues under the FCC’s jurisdiction via hearings or other oversight means, Van Hollen said. As subcommittee chairman during the last Congress, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., frequently held hearings on telecom policy matters. He was heavily involved in congressional scrutiny of the FCC’s now-completed auction of spectrum in the 3.7-4.2 GHz C band (see 2005270034).

Kennedy intends to remain a “very active” Appropriations Financial Services member, even though he handed the lead Republican role to Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi. Van Hollen should “absolutely” carry on with active oversight of telecom policy, Kennedy said. “The FCC was that close to giving away the C band” via a private auction before the subcommittee began oversight there in 2019 (see 1907190051), he said. Bidding closed in February at more than $81 billion, which could have “built out a lot of rural broadband” if policymakers had been able to reach a deal (see 2007130054), Kennedy said.