Communications and Technology

The Subcommittee on Communications and Technology is a specialized panel within the House Committee on Energy and Commerce that focuses on a narrower slice of the parent committee's broad jurisdiction. The subcommittee handles oversight and legislation related to electronic communications in all forms—including voice, video, audio, and data transmitted by wire or wirelessly through telecommunications, mobile services, broadcast, cable, satellite, and other modes. It also covers technology generally, spectrum management, emergency and public safety communications, cybersecurity, privacy, data security, and the regulatory agencies that oversee these areas, including the Federal Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

Chaired by Representative Richard Hudson of North Carolina, with Ranking Member Doris O. Matsui of California, the subcommittee has 29 members. The subcommittee exists to prepare the ground for full committee action by holding initial hearings and reviewing legislation within its specialized domain. Recent activity demonstrates the breadth of its work: the subcommittee has held hearings on public safety communications improvements, the Federal Communications Commission's regulatory approach, broadband deployment challenges, and the World Radiocommunication Conference. It has also conducted markups of multiple bills addressing broadband permitting streamlining and other communications infrastructure matters. This specialized focus allows the subcommittee to develop expertise in rapidly evolving technology and communications policy areas that require detailed legislative attention.