Press Releases
Latta Chairs First Communications & Technology Subcommittee Hearing on U.S. Satellite IndustryHearing focused on ways to strengthen satellite communications marketplace, FCC’s role in licensing commercial satellite communications systems
Washington,
February 2, 2023
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Claire Hurley
(202-225-6405)
Today, Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH5) chaired the first Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing of the 118th Congress titled “Launching Into the State of the Satellite Marketplace.” The hearing focused on ways to strengthen the U.S. satellite communications marketplace and the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) role in licensing commercial satellite communications systems. Excerpts from Latta’s remarks at the hearing below: “It has been a decade since this subcommittee held a hearing dedicated to understanding the satellite communications marketplace and the FCC’s role in licensing commercial satellite communications systems. Since then, how satellite technology is used has changed drastically.” “As countries like China seek to dominate the technologies of the future, we must make the United States an attractive place to invest in cutting edge developments that align with American values and guarantee the availability of trusted satellite communications.” “Satellite technology offers a variety of services spanning high-speed broadband and video delivery, to data services that enable precision agriculture and global financial transactions. This hearing today is the first step this committee is taking as we look at these novel issues.” Click on the video below, or here, to view Latta’s opening remarks:
Latta and members of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee heard from the following witnesses: • Tom Stroup, President, Satellite Industry Association • Julie Zoller, Head of Global Regulatory Affairs, Project Kuiper at Amazon • Jennifer Manner, Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, EchoStar Corporation • Margo Deckard, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Lynk Global, Inc. • Kari Bingen, Director, Aerospace Security Project and Senior Fellow, International Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies CLICK HERE to view the subcommittee’s full hearing. Background on the U.S. satellite communications industry: Closing the digital divide and encouraging innovation in communications technologies in the United States has long been a priority for Energy and Commerce Committee. Communications services provided by satellite operators are an important component of the marketplace. Satellite operators provide broadband service to homes and businesses as well as mission critical services like highly reliable voice, video, data, and observation capabilities to critical infrastructure companies and the Federal government. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is responsible for authorizing the use of electromagnetic spectrum (“spectrum”) in the United States, and therefore plays an important role in advancing the availability of satellite-provided communications services. ### |
