[House Hearing, 119 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
EVALUATING FIRSTNET: PERFORMANCE,
ACCOUNTABILITY, AND REAUTHORIZATION
=======================================================================
HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
FEBRUARY 4, 2026
__________
Serial No. 119-59
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Published for the use of the Committee on Energy and Commerce
govinfo.gov/committee/house-energy
energycommerce.house.gov
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
63-895 PDF WASHINGTON : 2026
COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE
BRETT GUTHRIE, Kentucky
Chairman
ROBERT E. LATTA, Ohio FRANK PALLONE, Jr., New Jersey
H. MORGAN GRIFFITH, Virginia Ranking Member
GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida DIANA DeGETTE, Colorado
RICHARD HUDSON, North Carolina JAN SCHAKOWSKY, Illinois
EARL L. ``BUDDY'' CARTER, Georgia DORIS O. MATSUI, California
GARY J. PALMER, Alabama KATHY CASTOR, Florida
NEAL P. DUNN, Florida, Vice PAUL TONKO, New York
Chairman YVETTE D. CLARKE, New York
DAN CRENSHAW, Texas RAUL RUIZ, California
JOHN JOYCE, Pennsylvania SCOTT H. PETERS, California
RANDY K. WEBER, Sr., Texas DEBBIE DINGELL, Michigan
RICK W. ALLEN, Georgia MARC A. VEASEY, Texas
TROY BALDERSON, Ohio ROBIN L. KELLY, Illinois
RUSS FULCHER, Idaho NANETTE DIAZ BARRAGAN, California
AUGUST PFLUGER, Texas DARREN SOTO, Florida
DIANA HARSHBARGER, Tennessee KIM SCHRIER, Washington
MARIANNETTE MILLER-MEEKS, Iowa LORI TRAHAN, Massachusetts
KAT CAMMACK, Florida LIZZIE FLETCHER, Texas
JAY OBERNOLTE, California ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ, New York
JOHN JAMES, Michigan JAKE AUCHINCLOSS, Massachusetts
CLIFF BENTZ, Oregon TROY A. CARTER, Louisiana
ERIN HOUCHIN, Indiana ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey
RUSSELL FRY, South Carolina KEVIN MULLIN, California
LAUREL M. LEE, Florida GREG LANDSMAN, Ohio
NICHOLAS A. LANGWORTHY, New York JENNIFER L. McCLELLAN, Virginia
THOMAS H. KEAN, Jr., New Jersey
MICHAEL A. RULLI, Ohio
GABE EVANS, Colorado
CRAIG A. GOLDMAN, Texas
JULIE FEDORCHAK, North Dakota
------
Professional Staff
MEGAN JACKSON, Staff Director
SOPHIE KHANAHMADI, Deputy Staff Director
TIFFANY GUARASCIO, Minority Staff Director
Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
RICHARD HUDSON, North Carolina
Chairman
RICK W. ALLEN, Georgia, Vice DORIS O. MATSUI, California
Chairman Ranking Member
ROBERT E. LATTA, Ohio DARREN SOTO, Florida
H. MORGAN GRIFFITH, Virginia YVETTE D. CLARKE, New York
GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida RAUL RUIZ, California
EARL L. ``BUDDY'' CARTER, Georgia SCOTT H. PETERS, California
NEAL P. DUNN, Florida DEBBIE DINGELL, Michigan
RUSS FULCHER, Idaho ROBIN L. KELLY, Illinois
AUGUST PFLUGER, Texas NANETTE DIAZ BARRAGAN, California
KAT CAMMACK, Florida TROY A. CARTER, Louisiana
JAY OBERNOLTE, California ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey
ERIN HOUCHIN, Indiana GREG LANDSMAN, Ohio
RUSSELL FRY, South Carolina JENNIFER L. McCLELLAN, Virginia
THOMAS H. KEAN, Jr., New Jersey KATHY CASTOR, Florida
CRAIG A. GOLDMAN, Texas FRANK PALLONE, Jr., New Jersey (ex
JULIE FEDORCHAK, North Dakota officio)
BRETT GUTHRIE, Kentucky (ex
officio)
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
Hon. Richard Hudson, a Representative in Congress from the State
of North Carolina, opening statement........................... 2
Prepared statement........................................... 4
Hon. Doris O. Matsui, a Representative in Congress from the State
of California, opening statement............................... 9
Prepared statement........................................... 11
Hon. Brett Guthrie, a Representative in Congress from the
Commonwealth of Kentucky, opening statement.................... 13
Prepared statement........................................... 14
Hon. Frank Pallone, Jr., a Representative in Congress from the
State of New Jersey, opening statement......................... 17
Prepared statement........................................... 19
Hon. Jennifer L. McClellan, a Representative in Congress from the
Commonwealth of Virginia, opening statement.................... 22
Witnesses
Michael A. Adkinson, Jr., Acting Board Chair, First Responder
Network Authority, and Sheriff, Walton County, Florida......... 23
Prepared statement........................................... 26
Answers to submitted questions............................... 140
Michael E. Dame, Associate Administrator for Public Safety
Communications, National Telecommunications and Information
Administration................................................. 32
Prepared statement........................................... 34
Scott Agnew, President, FirstNet and Public Sector Mobility,
AT&T, Inc...................................................... 38
Prepared statement........................................... 40
Legislation
H.R. ___, the First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization
Act of 2026.................................................... 100
Submitted Material
Inclusion of the following was approved by unanimous consent.
List of documents submitted for the record....................... 114
Letter of January 21, 2026, from Jeff Norman, President, Major
Cities Chiefs Association, and Sheriff Chris West, President,
National Sheriffs' Association. to Mr. Guthrie and Mr. Pallone. 115
Letter of January 28, 2026, from Anthony J. Constantini, Policy
Analyst, Bull Moose Project, to Mr. Hudson..................... 117
Statement of Thomas A. Schatz, President, Council for Citizens
Against Government Waste, February 4, 2026..................... 119
Letter of February 2, 2026, from Andrew Knapp, Director, Hamilton
County Emergency Communications, to Subcommittee on
Communications And Technology.................................. 121
Letter of January 21, 2026, from Christine E. Hamp, President,
National Grange................................................ 122
Letter of February 2, 2026, from Fire Chief Steven Locke, First
Vice President, International Association of Fire Chiefs, to
Mr. Guthrie and Mr. Pallone.................................... 125
Letter of February 3, 2026, from Patrick Yoes, National
President, National Fraternal Order of Police, to Mr. Guthrie
and Mr. Pallone................................................ 126
Letter of January 16, 2026, from Frank J. Walters, President, New
Jersey State Fire Chiefs Association, to Mr. Guthrie and Mr.
Hudson......................................................... 129
Statement of APCO International, et al., ``Recommendations for
Preserving the Federal FirstNet Network''...................... 131
Letter of February 3, 2026, from David Williams, President,
Taxpayers Protection Alliance, to Mr. Hudson and Ms. Matsui.... 135
Letter of February 3, 2026, from John Paul Jones, Executive
Director,, Public Safety Broadband Technology Association, to
Mr. Guthrie and Mr. Hudson..................................... 137
Statement by Lee H. Davidson, Chief Deputy, Ripley County
Sheriff's Office............................................... 139
EVALUATING FIRSTNET: PERFORMANCE,
ACCOUNTABILITY, AND REAUTHORIZATION
----------
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2026
House of Representatives,
Subcommittee on Communications and Technology,
Committee on Energy and Commerce,
Washington, DC.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:16 a.m., in
the John D. Dingell Room 2123, Rayburn House Office Building,
Hon. Richard Hudson (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.
Members present: Hudson, Allen, Latta, Griffith, Bilirakis,
Carter of Georgia, Dunn, Pfluger, Cammack, Obernolte, Houchin,
Fry, Kean, Goldman, Fedorchak, Guthrie (ex officio), Matsui
(subcommittee ranking member), Soto, Clarke, Ruiz, Peters,
Dingell, Barragan, Carter of Louisiana, Menendez, Landsman,
McClellan, Castor, and Pallone (ex officio).
Also present: Representative Joyce.
Staff present: Jessica Donlon, General Counsel; Michael
Essington, Chief Counsel, Communications and Technology; Sydney
Greene, Director of Finance andLogistics; Megan Jackson, Staff
Director; Noah Jackson, Clerk, Communications and Technology;
Sophie Khanahmadi, Deputy Staff Director; John Lin, Senior
Counsel, Communications and Technology; Sarah Meier, Counsel
and Parliamentarian; Elaina Murphy, Professional Staff Member,
Communications and Technology; Brice Ogle, Special Assistant;
Seth Ricketts, Clerk, Energy and Environment; Dylan Rogers,
Professional Staff Member, Communications and Technology; Chris
Sarley, Member Services/Stakeholder Director; Matt VanHyfte,
Communications Director; Jane Vickers, Press Assistant; Hannah
Anton, Minority Policy Analyst; Keegan Cardman, Minority Staff
Assistant; Parul Desai, Minority Chief Counsel, Communications
and Technology; Ava Digre, Minority Intern; Waverly Gordon,
Minority Deputy Staff Director and General Counsel; Tiffany
Guarascio, Minority Staff Director; Jackson Hall, Minority
Intern; Dan Miller, Minority Professional Staff Member; Andrew
Souvall, Minority Director of Communications, Outreach, and
Member Services; Johanna Thomas, Minority Counsel; and Hannah
Treger, Minority Staff Assistant.
Mr. Hudson. The subcommittee will come to order.
The Chair recognizes himself for an opening statement.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. RICHARD HUDSON, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
Good morning. Welcome to today's legislative hearing on the
First Responder Network Authority, or FirstNet.
FirstNet's authorization expires at the beginning of next
year, and it is this committee's duty to reauthorize the
program before it expires. In the process, we should examine
FirstNet's activity since its creation 15 years ago and make
any changes necessary to improve its performance.
The future of public safety relies on safe resources like
FirstNet, so thank you all for joining us to ensure that our
country is taken care of in times of need.
During the horrific terrorist attacks on September 11,
2001, first responders from different agencies found they could
not communicate with each other because they used different
radio systems and overloaded networks prevented communications
from going through.
In the aftermath of these attacks, Congress stood up the 9/
11 Commission, which made recommendations to prepare for and
guard against future attacks. One of those recommendations led
to Congress establishing FirstNet, a nationwide broadband
network specifically built for public safety.
FirstNet was allocated 20 megahertz of spectrum and $7
billion to build out the network in all 50 States and the
Territories. In 2017, AT&T was selected to deploy the network.
Shortly after, FirstNet began providing priority and
preemption. During a crisis, when there is increased network
traffic, non-FirstNet AT&T subscribers will be removed from the
priority list to ensure first responders can always make the
call. On December 20, 2023, the FirstNet Authority verified the
initial nationwide build-out of the network.
However, the successful build-out of this network does not
mean it has not faced challenges. Since 2014, the Department of
Commerce Office of Inspector General has issued 21 reports
regarding significant concerns about FirstNet and the
deployment of the nationwide public safety broadband network,
its operational response, and other administrative matters.
Several of these reports highlight contract oversight
shortcomings, resulting in modified build-out objectives that
jeopardize first responders' ability to do their job. Other
reports indicate a failure of the network to adequately respond
to a natural disaster, and that a senior official at FirstNet
interfered with the OIG's investigation and even retaliated
against whistleblowers who cooperated with the OIG.
This committee's work over the last several months has also
identified a consistent and troubling finding: The ambiguous
language regarding FirstNet's independence while simultaneously
placing it directly within an executive branch agency has
created confusion and strife for all parties involved when
trying to manage this program. To ensure the long-term success
of FirstNet, it is imperative there is clear and consistent
leadership. This leadership must be able to work hand in hand
with the FirstNet Board, not against it.
I would like to emphasize that this draft legislation does
not in any way remove the statutory requirement to have a board
or their responsibilities to the First Responder Network
Authority. The board is an incredibly valuable component of
FirstNet and crucial for ensuring the experience and needs of
first responders as well as the general public, not government
bureaucrats, are reflected in the direction of the network.
Additionally, we must ensure this network can evolve along
with the technological landscape. Networks of 15 years ago are
different than those of today and could be even more different
15 years from now. For the benefit of first responders,
FirstNet should have the statutory flexibility to incorporate
new network technologies to provide the most advanced service
that public safety requires.
I want to be clear, FirstNet has succeeded despite the
challenges it has faced, and I would like to commend AT&T for
building a nationwide safety communications network, making it
a success and continuing to build it out and improve for the
safety of others, and for being the only one to take it on in
the first place.
Congress is here to evaluate this program to ensure its
long-term success for our first responders. Today is the first
step in the reauthorization of this program.
With FirstNet's statutory authority set to expire in 2027,
it is time for Congress to assess FirstNet's progress and
ensure that we provide a governing structure that sets up
FirstNet to succeed into the future.
Today, we will hear from our witnesses who are directly
involved with FirstNet about the current state of the network
and how the legislation before us will strengthen the First
Responder Network Authority.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Hudson follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Mr. Hudson. I now recognize the ranking member, the
gentlelady from California, for her opening statement.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. DORIS O. MATSUI, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Ms. Matsui. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Keeping the public safe is one of our most fundamental
responsibilities as lawmakers. In moments of crisis, people
expect help to arrive quickly, but our public safety
professionals can't do their jobs if they don't receive the
call for help or if the lines of communication fail. That is
why Congress created the FirstNet Authority, a nationwide
broadband network specifically for first responders.
Disasters don't wait for perfect conditions. Wildfires,
floods, severe storms, and large-scale emergencies can
overwhelm local systems in seconds. In those moments, our first
responders need priority service, strong coverage, and a
network that holds up under pressure.
Back home in California, we are hearing that FirstNet is
making a difference on the ground. Cal OES, our State emergency
management office, has highlighted the tremendous value they
have seen from FirstNet, but they also emphasize the job is not
finished.
Even with the progress so far, too many communities in
rural California still can't count on reliable coverage. That
matters because one of the core goals of FirstNet was to extend
reliable service to the places the market too often leaves
behind.
As we consider reauthorization, we should be asking how we
strengthen incentives and accountability so that build-out
reaches the hard places, not just the easy ones. At the same
time, it is important to recognize what this program has
accomplished.
FirstNet is a strong example of what can happen when
Congress identifies a real need and builds a durable framework
to meet it. At first, some questioned whether a nationwide
public safety network was feasible. Some questioned whether it
was good business. But Congress took on that challenge because
public safety is too important for us just to stand by.
Since then, FirstNet has spurred modern public safety
connectivity. It showed that serving first responders can be
both a public good and a sustainable business model.
Our job today is to take the lessons of nearly 15 years and
make FirstNet even better. That starts with fixing its
shortcomings, especially in transparency and accountability.
Congress and the public need clear visibility into FirstNet's
performance, spending, and whether commitments are being met.
We also have a responsibility to help the system evolve.
Public safety needs are not one size fits all. Some public
safety agencies in my district rely on FirstNet, some use other
providers, and some use a mix because they can't afford a
single point of failure. But no matter what network a responder
is on, they should be able to connect instantly with partners
on the ground, even when conditions are at their worst. We
should look for ways to enable innovation, spur competition,
and meet local needs while maintaining interoperability and
reliability nationwide.
At the end of the day, this reauthorization is about
listening to our first responders and making sure they have the
tools they need and do their job safely and effectively. If we
get this right, we can build on what is already working, fix
what isn't, and ensure FirstNet keeps delivering for
communities big and small, urban and rural for decades to come.
I look forward to hearing from our witnesses on how this
draft bill balances these priorities and what changes are
needed.
Thank you, and I yield back.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Matsui follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
I now recognize the chairman of the full committee, the
gentleman from Kentucky, for 5 minutes for his opening
statement.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. BRETT GUTHRIE, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
CONGRESS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
Mr. Guthrie. Thank you. Thank you, Chairman Hudson. Thanks
for bringing us all together on this important work, and thanks
for the Ranking Member Matsui for working on this as well. I
look forward to hearing more about FirstNet Responder Network
Authority and the impact the legislation before us will have.
It has been almost 15 years since Congress created the
First Responder Network Authority. Born in the wake of the 9/11
terrorist attacks, this network is critical for first
responders to have a communications network that works and when
they need it most.
It is important that this committee evaluates the progress
FirstNet has made since its inception and make necessary
changes to improve it. The committee's oversight work on this
issue has indicated ongoing challenges with the FirstNet
structure, and the Department of Commerce Office of Inspector
General has indicated problems with transparency and
accountability.
The legislation before us today makes those reforms to
improve transparency, accountability, and leadership but also
to ensure longevity and continued development and success of
this network as technology evolves. This bill keeps important
aspects of FirstNet, such as the board, which provides valuable
expertise of this network to ensure continued success of the
program.
Last year, I had the opportunity to meet with the Fern
Creek fire chief and other local first responders in my
district to talk about FirstNet operations and disaster
preparedness. We talked about reliable access to communications
for our first responders in our communities, especially during
emergencies like the devastating tornados and floods that
struck the Commonwealth in recent years.
The creation of the First Responder Network Authority led
the way in innovation for a dedicated communication service for
first responders where today there are now competing services
for first responder communications. This healthy competition
will drive further market innovation to provide the best
services dedicated to public safety.
However, we must ensure the different users of these
services can communicate and are interoperable with each other.
Regardless of which service provider our first responders use,
it is critical that their communication tools work reliably in
the moments of the greatest need.
Thank you again for having this, Chairman Hudson. Thanks
for all our witnesses for being here. We look forward to
hearing from you. Your participation is important.
And I will yield back.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Guthrie follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
I now recognize the gentleman from New Jersey, the ranking
member, for 5 minutes for his opening statement.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. FRANK PALLONE, Jr., A REPRESENTATIVE
IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY
Mr. Pallone. Thank you, Chairman Hudson.
The subcommittee has worked hard in recent months to
advance bipartisan efforts to improve public safety
communications, and I am glad to see that we are continuing
today as we discuss legislation to reauthorize the First
Responder Network Authority.
Since its creation following the 9/11 terrorist attacks,
FirstNet has delivered unprecedented connectivity to law
enforcement, fire services, emergency medical services, and
many other public safety personnel who serve our communities
every day. And prior to those attacks, the market for priority
and preemptive services for first responders did not really
exist.
The Government Emergency Telecommunication Service, or
GETS, has been around for some time, and more recently the
nationwide Wireless Priority Service, or WPS. Yet nothing comes
close to the mobile capabilities and exclusivity that are
available to first responders today and offered by three
different nationwide providers who compete fiercely for public
safety's business.
Now, some of my colleagues might not want to believe it,
but government intervention and investment by Congress in 2012
actually opened the door to more competition while raising the
bar for public safety communication services. And as we look to
reauthorize First Responder Network Authority, it is important
that we recognize that many of the conditions that existed when
it was created in 2012 have changed significantly in 14 years.
We also have the benefit of examination and analysis from
the Commerce Department's Office of Inspector General and the
Government Accountability Office. They both identified issues
that have led FirstNet to fall short of its mission at times to
serve first responders, and some of those problems are
structural while others have been addressed on an ongoing basis
by the FirstNet Authority as they have arisen.
In any case, the text in the discussion draft before us
today represents a good-faith effort to address concerns that
have been raised with the committee over the years.
It is also clear that the FirstNet service remains
overwhelmingly popular with the vast majority of public safety
organizations. Ultimately, the user experience and
functionality from the perspective of first responders and
public safety subscribers is the most important metric for us
to consider, and I am committed to ensuring that we do no harm
to this service in the course of this effort.
I am aware of the passion and interest this issue has
across a broad range of stakeholders. I have appreciated
hearing the perspectives of our friends in public safety,
representatives of Federal, State, and local governments, and
wireless industry stakeholders who offer these services, and I
look forward to continuing those conversations this year as we
work through the regular order process to achieve consensus
that can pass both the House and Senate and be signed into law
by the year's end.
So let me thank Representatives McClellan and Dunn for
their leadership in this effort that is absolutely critical to
keeping first responders connected when it matters most.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Pallone follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Mr. Pallone. And I yield back the remainder--well,
actually, I want to yield the remainder of my time to
Representative McClellan.
Ms. McClellan. Thank you, Ranking Member Pallone and
Chairman Hudson and Ranking Member Matsui, for holding this
critically important hearing.
This past week, most of the country was inundated by Winter
Storm Fern, which canceled nearly 2,000 flights, left hundreds
of thousands without power, and resulted in more than 50
deaths, three of them in Virginia.
I would like to thank the witnesses and our first
responders for their work and continued investments in FirstNet
that have been made throughout the Nation, the Commonwealth,
and the Fourth District.
Born out of the tragic events of September 11, FirstNet is
essential to ensuring our public safety community has the
reliable, interoperable tools and resources necessary to
respond to our most severe emergencies. This is critically
important as we see more and more severe natural disasters like
Winter Storm Fern and the mega hurricanes that we have seen.
However, as FirstNet approaches the end of its current
authorization, it is clear that the program is operating
without sufficient, up-to-date oversight and accountability
measures in place. Reauthorization is not simply about
extending the program, it is about strengthening governance,
reinforcing transparency, and ensuring that Congress retains
appropriate visibility into how the nationwide public safety
broadband network operates.
I am glad to work with my colleague from Florida, Mr. Dunn,
on this legislation, and I look forward to continuing our
bipartisan efforts to strengthen FirstNet so it can continue to
serve first responders and the communities that depend on them.
Thank you, and I yield back.
[The prepared statement of Ms. McClellan follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Mr. Pallone. And I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Hudson. The gentlelady yields back. The gentleman
yields back. Thank you.
We have now concluded with Member opening statements. The
Chair reminds Members that, pursuant to the committee rules,
all Members' opening statements will be made part of the
record.
I would like to thank our witnesses for being here today to
testify before this subcommittee. Our witnesses will have 5
minutes to provide an opening statement, which will be followed
by a round of questions from the Members.
The witnesses here before us today are Sheriff Michael
Adkinson, acting board chair of the First Responder Network
Authority and sheriff of Walton County, Florida; Michael Dame,
Associate Administrator, Office of Public Safety Communications
at NTIA; and Scott Agnew, president of FirstNet and Public
Safety Mobility at AT&T.
Thank you all for being here.
Sheriff Adkinson, you are recognized for 5 minutes for an
opening statement.
STATEMENTS OF MICHAEL A. ADKINSON, Jr., ACTING BOARD CHAIR,
FIRST RESPONDER NETWORK AUTHORITY, AND SHERIFF, WALTON COUNTY,
FLORIDA; MICHAEL E. DAME, ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS, NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND
INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION; AND SCOTT AGNEW, PRESIDENT,
FIRSTNET AND PUBLIC SAFETY MOBILITY, AT&T, INC.
STATEMENT OF SHERIFF MICHAEL A. ADKINSON, Jr.
Sheriff Adkinson. Thank you, Chair Hudson, Chair Guthrie,
Ranking Member Matsui, Ranking Member Pallone.
As previously stated, my name is Mike Adkinson. I am the
acting board chair of the FirstNet Authority. By way of my day
job, I am a sheriff in Walton County, Florida. Uniquely, I
represent professional fire rescue emergency services and air
medical as well as 9-1-1 communication center.
Twenty-five years ago--you have heard it--this Nation faced
challenges. I remember getting up that morning, putting on a
police officer uniform for the Tallahassee Police Department,
and saying, ``What is going on? What is happening?''
The reality of it is that this Congress, along with public
safety's input, made a decision that I think fundamentally
improved the well-being of the citizens of the United States
and the first responders they serve, which is you built a
purpose-built network to ensure that first responders could
communicate during times of emergency. I will tell you that I
think it is a generational infrastructure success.
I have been on the board about a year and a half along with
six new board members, and we have marveled at what has been
accomplished. And I will tell you that I am proud of the work
that the Congress has done and the First Responder Network has
done.
But my job is to be honest and to be a good steward of the
public's trust and the responsibility that you have given us. I
am well aware of the inspector general reports. We became aware
of them right after we came into office, the new board members.
It was our first thought and responsibility is to lean into
this. You are not going to hear me make excuses for that. I am
not in the business of excuses.
As I told the executive director, and as the board said to
the executive director and staff members, we are in the
business of getting things done. And so what that means is
there will be accountability. There will be transparency. You
will work with the Office of the Inspector General, and we will
resolve these issues. Period, full stop. Then, whoever should
be held accountable should be held accountable.
That is the reality of where we are at, and I am not going
to belabor that point because I think it speaks for itself.
I think that there is an opportunity now to do some things
that make a difference. If FirstNet has been successful, I
believe it will continue to be successful. There are some
things I think we can do to make it better. Let me give you an
example.
As I briefly mentioned, six of us came on board at one
time. That is an incredibly difficult way to maintain
continuity of government when you have six new people who have
no previous history on that board itself. We would ask that you
consider staggering these terms to 3 years.
By the way, that was in the original legislation. It just
did not contemplate reoccurring, that you grant the Secretary
of the Department of Commerce the ability to continue to
stagger these terms. That is just good governance.
We would also say this, that this should be a public safety
mindset on this board, and to that end we would ask that you
make a minimum five seats designated for public safety
disciplines. We think that is important. That is actually, I
believe, the intent. We are asking that you codify it into law,
and that is important.
And lastly, I will say this: There are too many captains on
the ship. The reality of this is, if you are going to--if you
are going to hold me accountable, please give me the authority
to make decisions, and I think that is crucial.
We have a good working relationship with NTIA. We are going
to continue to do that. But it is not about individuals. It is
about systems, and any time that you have a single solution
optimization, you have system fragility. You have to make sure
this thing is written down, that it is done correctly, that it
is clear to everyone involved about how we are going to do some
things. I think that is crucially important.
I am going to go back and say this again: Nothing about
what I just said takes away from what I think is a phenomenal
generational improvement.
I liken it to the Eisenhower interstate system. Everybody
can drive on it. It is the service of the people. Some people,
some local government, some private industry may build private
roads. That is fine, that is good. Our job is to make sure it
works, that we are good stewards of the public's money, and we
do what we do in the light of the sunshine, as we say in
Florida, Representative Castor, as you well know. This is the
way we should be doing business.
I will hold myself fully accountable. As I said to the
chair the other day, you can have my resignation if you do not
believe that I am doing this appropriately.
Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Sheriff Adkinson follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
Mr. Dame, you are recognized for 5 minutes for your opening
statement.
STATEMENT OF MICHAEL E. DAME
Mr. Dame. Good morning, Chairman Hudson, Ranking Member
Matsui, Chairman Guthrie, Ranking Member Pallone, and members
of the subcommittee. My name is Mike Dame, and I am the
Associate Administrator for Public Safety Communications with
the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
I have served at NTIA for 13 years, with a total of 29
years of Federal service. My portfolio includes NTIA's
statutory and delegated responsibilities related to the
FirstNet Authority and Next Generation 9-1-1 activities. I am
honored to appear today to provide testimony regarding the
reauthorization of FirstNet.
Fourteen years ago, this committee pioneered and Congress
passed landmark legislation with the Middle Class Tax Relief
and Job Creation Act of 2012, which established the First
Responder Network Authority and provided first responders with
a much-needed nationwide interoperable public safety broadband
network.
For decades prior to FirstNet, there were far too many
instances of major communications failures that cost lives or
impeded emergency response. Before Congress created FirstNet,
first responders lacked dedicated access to spectrum and the
ability to connect regardless of congestion. Public safety
users instead relied on commercial telecommunications networks
that treated them no differently than everyday consumer
traffic.
FirstNet has achieved incredible milestones in 14 short
years to serve the needs of public safety by awarding a
contract to a nationwide telecommunications carrier, completing
its initial build-out of the Band 14 network comprised of over
60,000 cell sites, and now serving tens of thousands of public
safety agencies as subscribers and millions of device
connections.
Despite these major accomplishments, rigorous oversight of
the FirstNet Authority and the multibillion-dollar contract is
critical to protect first responders and taxpayer dollars. The
Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General has
performed significant review and evaluation of the FirstNet
Authority. The overarching theme across all of these inspector
general audits is a need for stronger and more systemic
contract oversight.
As Congress looks to reauthorize FirstNet, NTIA stands
ready to support the committee with key reforms to the law
based on lessons learned from the past 14 years. For example, I
have witnessed how the FirstNet Authority's statutorily created
dotted line of independence has been a source of confusion and
misunderstanding since 2012.
Recent OIG reviews and my own experience illustrate how
FirstNet's unclear lines of authority blur responsibility and
create friction between FirstNet management, the board, and
NTIA. Legislation should reform the structure of the FirstNet
Authority by making an NTIA line office similar to NTIA's other
existing line offices.
To be clear, I know that some public safety groups and
stakeholders have expressed concerns with this proposed change,
but this reform would strengthen FirstNet's mission by enabling
clear oversight and more efficient stewardship of resources in
service to first responders. All of these savings will be
redirected into the network to benefit public safety.
That said, I recognize that during a time of crisis, public
safety must act quickly. Stakeholders have expressed fears
about bureaucrats second-guessing decisions or delaying action.
That, of course, would be unacceptable. And NTIA appreciates
the draft text call to clarify what activities would need prior
approval from NTIA.
However, other arguments against the removal of FirstNet
Authority independence appear to either misunderstand or
misstate the current lines of authority and blur the roles of
FirstNet Authority staff and the FirstNet Board. Importantly,
placing the authority clearly into NTIA would have no impact
whatsoever on the roles and responsibilities of the FirstNet
Board. In fact, NTIA believes that the forms being contemplated
by this committee would further strength the board by
staggering the board terms, driving continuity, and statutorily
adding additional public safety seats.
It is often said that FirstNet is a public safety network
built for and by public safety. That is because of the
expertise imbedded in both the FirstNet Board and the Public
Safety Advisory Committee. NTIA has no interest in supplanting
that expertise. Instead, we rely on it every day.
I strongly believe that we all share the same goal:
enhancing the public safety network for the benefit of public
safety. And I am confident that, working together in good
faith, we can get to a place where we can achieve that goal and
set public safety up for success for the next 10 years.
I appreciate the thoughtful draft the committee has shared
with the public. I look forward to discussing these ideas
today.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Dame follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
Mr. Agnew, you are recognized for 5 minutes for an opening
statement.
STATEMENT OF SCOTT AGNEW
Mr. Agnew. Chairman Hudson, Ranking Member Matsui, Chairman
Guthrie, Ranking Member Pallone, and members of the
subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before
you today.
My name is Scott Agnew, and I serve as president of
FirstNet and Public Sector Mobility at AT&T. I am responsible
for ensuring AT&T fulfills its Federal obligation to deploy,
operate, and continuously evolve the FirstNet network for
America's first responders. AT&T strongly supports
reauthorization of FirstNet, and we support doing so well in
advance of early 2027.
Thank you for your leadership and commitment to public
safety and for taking the crucial first steps of releasing
draft bipartisan legislation. We look forward to working with
you to ensure FirstNet continues to deliver for the vital first
responder community.
FirstNet represents one of the most successful public-
private partnerships in modern infrastructure policy. In 2017,
AT&T was the only major carrier to answer Congress' call and
enter the competitive bidding process. Ultimately, AT&T was
selected over other bidders to build and operate this
nationwide public safety network. The network was completed on
time and on budget in March of 2023, and it continues to expand
and provide new lifesaving services.
Since 2017, we have built out an interoperable network that
covers nearly 3 million square miles, making it hundreds of
thousands of square miles larger on average than commercial
networks. This is a critical advantage for rural, Tribal, and
remote communities. Today, despite other marketplace options,
more first responders choose FirstNet than any other network.
This historic build was initially funded by the enacting
statute's allocation of $6.5 billion from auction proceeds, an
auction in which AT&T spent more than $18 billion. Going
forward, the statute requires permanent self-funding for
operations and expansion, which is achieved solely by AT&T
sustainability payments and additional capital contributions
from AT&T.
Indeed, AT&T has demonstrated unparalleled commitment by
investing more than $14 billion of its own capital since the
beginning of the FirstNet partnership and expects to invest
approximately $40 billion of its own capital to build and
operate FirstNet over the life of the contract.
The hallmark features of FirstNet are its dedicated network
core and its always-on priority preemption across Band 14 and
all of AT&T's 5G and LT commercial spectrum. That means public
safety can communicate when other networks are congested, like
during planned events, such as the Super Bowl in Louisiana or
natural disasters like hurricanes in North Carolina, Georgia,
and Florida as well as floodings in Texas or wildland fires in
California.
As designed by Congress, the network will evolve based on
direct feedback from public safety. Because of self-sustaining
funding, the program has plans to invest more than $8 billion
over the next decade to evolve the network using public safety
feedback. This includes delivering a physically separated 5G
core, providing public safety grade direct-to-device satellite
connectivity, and FirstNet Fusion, the first mission critical
communications platform that will enable unprecedented
interoperability across agencies, carriers, and technologies.
The true measure of FirstNet is performance during crisis.
During hurricanes Helene and Milton, FirstNet supported more
than 260 emergency requests across multiple States, restoring
coverage and sustaining public safety communications when
commercial networks are strained or unavailable.
And during the assassination attempt of the President in
Butler, Pennsylvania, FirstNet performed exactly as designed.
While commercial networks experienced congestion, FirstNet
delivered uninterrupted service.
During these and other mutual aid events, FirstNet is the
trusted partner that ensures reliable and interoperable
communications. These are not isolated examples. They are a
result of a network built specifically for and by public
safety.
Congress made a bold and necessary decision when it created
FirstNet. The vision is now a reality, and it is working.
AT&T appreciates the committee's bipartisan attention to
reauthorizing FirstNet. Thank you for the opportunity to
testify. I look forward to your questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Agnew follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
We will now begin questioning, and I recognize myself for 5
minutes.
Sheriff Adkinson, in your opening statement, you mentioned
there is a lack of clarity about defined roles throughout this
program and that, quote, ``When everyone is responsible, no one
is accountable,'' end quote.
Can you speak a little more about what you mean by that,
and can you give an example of some of the problems you have
encountered?
Sheriff Adkinson. Yes, sir. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Let me
give you some very specific examples.
The legislation did not contemplate an executive director.
It left that open to interpretation. As such, we as the board
of special governmental employees, whereas the executive
director in this case is a senior manager--frankly, it could
have been a private employee, it could have contracted, it
could have been a political appointee. There are multiple
iterations of that, but the reality is those folks are hired--
vetted, hired, rated, disciplined by NTIA, right, and it should
be in consultation with the board.
But I have personally witnessed when the board has given a
directive that was not followed by the executive director. That
is beyond problematic. Again, I am sitting up here answering
for the accountability of someone else and I lack--so am I
telling you, or am I asking you? And those are two
fundamentally different--in my business, we say know your
authority. The first thing you do is you know your authority.
Those are two fundamentally different things.
It is my belief that that causes a situation where there
is--unsure whether or not I will go to NTIA or I don't report
to NTIA. No, no, I don't report to the board. We need to
eliminate that.
It needs to be--from my standpoint, it needs to be clear
that the board has the ability to hold someone accountable, at
least the executive director, from a standpoint that--again, if
the board says don't do this and it is a unanimous decision of
this board, I am not familiar with any other board in this kind
of situation that does not have that level of oversight.
Keep in mind--I will say again--you have three Cabinet-
level officials that are represented on the FirstNet Authority
Board. So there is direct oversight on the board, as well as we
serve at the will and pleasure of the Secretary of Commerce.
That is--and the inspector general is on top of that. So that
is pretty direct oversight of the board.
It is in the authority and the mechanism itself, but I
think we need to address that part of it.
Mr. Hudson. That is very helpful. Thank you.
Mr. Dame, this draft legislation moves FirstNet directly
under the leadership of NTIA. Some critics have claimed this
will increase bureaucratic delays and diminish effectiveness of
the network for public safety.
Are these claims accurate? And if not, can you explain how
clarifying leadership roles will benefit this program?
Mr. Dame. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. NTIA has no interest in
getting involved in the day-to-day operations of FirstNet
Authority or its contractor, AT&T. In fact, we will always rely
on the expertise and public safety input of the board and the
Public Safety Advisory Committee. Those strategic decisions
made by the board need to be implemented by the staff of the
FirstNet Authority.
Where NTIA and the Department of Commerce can excel is to
support the implementation of those strategic decisions and
provide performance accountability as it is being implemented
and after the fact.
Mr. Hudson. That makes sense.
Mr. Agnew, Hurricane Helene hit my home State of North
Carolina, destroying a significant amount of telecommunications
infrastructure, as you noted in your testimony.
Can you talk about the first 48 hours after an event like
this, and what first actions does FirstNet take to restore
service?
Mr. Agnew. Yeah. First, we were significantly prepared and
engaged with the State in the planning event because we knew
the hurricane was coming and staged all across the State and
the surrounding States to be prepared.
As I mentioned, we responded to 260 requests from public
safety--specific to your State, 125 requests--partnering,
imbedding with public safety, prioritizing where those
deployables or mobile sites need to go. And then post-event,
evaluating with public safety our response times and what
incremental investments we need to make. And we fundamentally,
post-Helene and Milton, made significant investments in our
network disaster recovery capabilities for public safety so we
can be prepared for the next event.
Mr. Hudson. I appreciate that.
As my time seems to be expiring, as I have said before, if
I don't hold myself accountable, Sheriff, I can't hold the rest
of the committee accountable. So I will ask unanimous consent
to insert in the record the documents, including the staff
hearing documents list.
[The information appears at the conclusion of the hearing.]
Mr. Hudson. And will now recognize the ranking member of
the committee, the gentlelady from California, Ms. Matsui, for
5 minutes to ask your questions.
Ms. Matsui. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
FirstNet now connects more than 1,800 agencies and
organizations across California, helping first responders
communicate when every second counts. But too many communities
still face cellular dead zones, especially in rural areas like
the California Delta. And the FirstNet coverage maps don't
always match what responders see on the ground. As we work to
reauthorize FirstNet, we must make sure rural communities are
fully covered and not left behind.
Mr. Agnew, what is AT&T committing to build next to help
first responders reach the hardest-to-serve areas, and how much
of that plan is new ground infrastructure like towers versus
satellite-enabled coverage? And how will you prove that
coverage exists where first responders actually work?
Mr. Agnew. Thank you, Congresswoman. We have an excellent
relationship with CAL FIRE, Cal OES, as you mentioned, and
California Highway Patrol, and other jurisdictions in the State
of California, and we continuously receive feedback. We build
our network based off of public safety feedback.
But here is the advantage of this public-private
partnership: AT&T builds out its corporate network as we
determine, but because of all band priority and our investment,
public safety benefits from that. And then, of course, there is
the incremental FirstNet investment that has. And as I
mentioned, there is $8 billion happening, investing over the
next 10 years. That $8 billion is going to build approximately
3 to 4 thousand new towers, purpose-built towers based off the
feedback of public safety.
There's been two workshops in your State, and they will
continue to be in Sacramento and San Diego, where public safety
can tell the FirstNet Authority exactly where those sites get
built. And so we are building those sites for public safety,
not because of profit or return on investment, and this is what
is special and unique about the program.
Ms. Matsui. OK. Thank you very much.
Mr. Dame, as Congress looks at reauthorizing FirstNet, how
should we strengthen incentives and accountability for
expanding coverage into rural and hard-to-serve areas? What
specific metrics and reporting should Congress require to
verify progress year to year?
Mr. Dame. Thank you, Ranking Member. I think NTIA believes
strongly and the FirstNet Authority has been investing in only
those areas where it is not--for additional coverage where it
is not commercially profitable. That makes no sense. The market
is going to solve the problems where it is commercially
profitable. But public safety needs connectivity in those areas
where there is not currently coverage. So FirstNet has been
very good in its enhanced coverage to add in rural, Tribal
lands, remote areas. It has been very focused on that.
In terms of the metrics, I believe the availability of the
network and also the performance of the network will be the
metrics that Congress should be looking at. We have all been at
the edge of a cell site, and you have difficulty with
throughput. We need to make sure that first responders don't
encounter that same problem, because they do lifesaving work.
It is not the same as when you and I are on a call or pushing
data up or down.
Ms. Matsui. Sure. Thank you.
FirstNet reauthorization is our chance to do two things at
the same time: keep FirstNet nimble and build around public
safety input while also strengthening oversight and
accountability.
Sheriff Adkinson, you call for Congress to clarify the
chain of command amongst NTIA FirstNet Board and FirstNet
Authority.
Which decisions must remain fast and internal, and which
are appropriate for NTIA approval because of longstanding
challenges with contract oversight and performance?
Sheriff Adkinson. Thank you, Ranking Member. I think there
are a couple of things to consider. One, when it comes to the
indication of where sites, towers, or technology, I think that
is a public-safety-driven metric. That should be decided by
public safety, where towers should go, what advances in
technology.
And by way of example, I don't think any of us in here were
talking about the Internet of Things 10 years ago. I think one
of my firefighters would tell you now or one of my deputy
sheriffs would say there is a body camera, there is a Taser
Cam, there is an in-car, there is a rocket, you know, or there
are fire trucks. All of these are things we didn't even
contemplate, you know, a decade ago.
Ms. Matsui. Sure.
Sheriff Adkinson. Those are the kind of decisions that
should solely be indicated and driven forward by the board
because that is your public safety expertise. And I don't
think--I can say I don't think Mr. Dame would want to make a
decision on where--what body camera, you know, data throughput
we would be using.
So I think those are uniquely, with the advice of public
safety, the input from the PSAC committee, where the board
should stand out and make these decisions. What we say is there
has to be an accountability factor to make sure that what is
the actual will, again, of this board, is actually carried out.
Ms. Matsui. OK.
Sheriff Adkinson. I think that is critical.
Ms. Matsui. Well, thank you very much. And I need to follow
my chairman's lead and not overrun here.
I yield back.
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
I now recognize the chairman of the full committee, Mr.
Guthrie, for 5 minutes for your questions.
Mr. Guthrie. Thank you, Chair. Thanks for yielding, Mr.
Hudson.
So first with Sheriff Adkinson, to kind of follow along
what you were just saying. So the statute of limitations of the
FirstNet network consists of network core and radio access
network. So we are talking about how we didn't even discuss
Internet of Things a decade ago.
How would you appropriately--how would appropriately
expanding the definition of the network allow it to evolve with
technological advancements?
Sheriff Adkinson. Thank you for that question, Chair
Guthrie.
I should have added by way of just full disclosure, if I
could have been qualified as a network engineer, I wouldn't
have been a cop.
So the reality of it is that a lot of this stuff is
emerging. We know that Moore's Law gives us about 18 months
prior to obsolescence, and in that we need the flexibility to
engage what emerging technology is coming. Artificial
intelligence is going to change the way we mandate and the way
we deliver these services, and I think the board needs to be
able to drive that, you know, where we can leverage technology
to make these things better.
But crucially, if nothing else comes across, let me say
this: Coverage is king, because before--we need to do one thing
well before we try to do 10 other things. And so I think that
is also--nothing about what I say should take away from the
desire to continue expanding that. And we are not abandoning
LMR, land mobile radio. That is a redundancy that is absolutely
critical to what we do.
But specific to your question, we need the ability to
engage new technology and invest in things that support
coverage enhancement of the quality of the service we are
delivering.
Mr. Guthrie. Thank you.
And so getting the coverage is so important. So, Mr. Agnew,
I know in 2024 we had the AT&T outage. FirstNet customers were
notified of the outage 3 hours after it occurred, and the draft
discussion is mandating 30 minutes to confirm.
Is that a reasonable timeline that you believe your company
could comply with, and what other tools does AT&T provide
FirstNet users to better understand outages?
Mr. Agnew. Yeah. Thank you for that question, and thank you
for your support of this public safety priority, Congressman.
Yes, we do think it is reasonable. We provide our first
responders with what we call a network status tool that
provides updates so they can know exactly what is going on. It
was the world's first, where they can view on a map the
performance of their network and if there are any impacts so
that they can plan accordingly, as well as when it is going to
be repaired. It is truly unprecedented transparency in public
safety's network.
So, in short, Congressman, we do support a 30-minute
notification.
Mr. Guthrie. OK. That is good.
And so, Mr. Dame, I will give you kind of a blanket
question, but--so what will happen if this first responder
network is not reauthorized?
Mr. Dame. Thank you, Chairman Guthrie. So I think we would
run into a significant problem with, first, that there is--we
need the certainty that the network would be reauthorized to
make the network continue. But if it were not reauthorized by
February 22, 2027, I believe you will not have an entity called
the FirstNet Authority any longer, and the FCC would have to
pull back the Band 14 license, which is the foundation of the
contract with AT&T.
Mr. Guthrie. OK. So, Mr. Agnew, how would that affect you?
Mr. Agnew. Well, we have a 25-year contract with the
Government. We would continue to operate that contract and make
a commitment. But to Mr. Dame's point, the spectrum would be in
question, and so that is the importance of really reauthorizing
FirstNet, which is to protect public safety spectrum so it can
be on the network.
Mr. Guthrie. OK. Thanks.
And, Sheriff, would you just kind of, just for us, since
this is 15 years ago, can you have just like your highlight
incident of, wow, if we didn't have FirstNet in this instance--
I know you have had hurricanes, you have had other things. My
good friend from Florida tells me that.
Could you just kind of highlight a specific instance of, if
we hadn't had FirstNet, this would have been a bigger disaster
and we wouldn't have been able to communicate?
Sheriff Adkinson. I could give you several, but I am going
to stick with one, which was Hurricane Michael in 2019, as
Representative Dunn knows very well. The ability to put
deployable assets to bring cellular service back online was
critical. It was something I personally witnessed. Previous to
this, I was at Hurricane Katrina in 2005. I saw what happened
when there is a fundamental collapse of communication.
So, yes, the short version is this is critical to the way
we do business. My own agency went down and had to rely on
FirstNet to dispatch calls.
Mr. Guthrie. Well, thank you. I appreciate that.
And my time has expired. I have 5 seconds, but I will
yields those back. Thank you.
Mr. Hudson. I appreciate that, Chairman.
I now recognize the ranking member of the full committee,
Mr. Pallone, for 5 minutes to ask your questions.
Mr. Pallone. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Obviously, FirstNet is essential for first responders, and
we have to ensure that continues to be the case. Having said
that, there is no shortage of evidence indicating a pattern of
questionable decision making by the First Responder Network
Authority leadership.
For instance, decisions to weaken contract requirements to
allow milestone payments to be disbursed to the Authority's
contractor raised serious questions about the value of the
Authority's independence, especially if that independence does
not produce the best outcomes for public safety end users.
So let me ask a couple of questions of the sheriff.
Do you believe, as I do, that a more direct line of
authority between NTIA and the FirstNet Authority would help
increase accountability in some of the instances covered across
the inspector general reports?
Sheriff Adkinson. I think that there are a couple of things
here that I want to address, and I am going to bifurcate this.
First, when a decision by the board is not carried out by
the executive director, you need to fire the executive
director, right? And if the board is not carrying that out, you
need to fire the board members. And so that is where I come
down first.
Second part of that, it is in everyone's best interest for
us to work well and closely with NTIA. I believe that is
important for any level, any branch of government. But I start
with accountability on this issue, and I think that is where
there is a fundamental breakdown.
If you are going to have accountability, you have to have
authority to make decisions, and if they didn't do it, then
that is who should be held accountable. But I do believe in the
cooperation and relationship with NTIA.
Mr. Pallone. All right. Now, you know, I believe Congress
can maintain the important role to the FirstNet Board and still
preserve the FirstNet Authority's autonomy, if you will, which
is important to act with speed and precision, but then also
tighten up some loose ends to ensure investments are put to the
best possible use.
So, again, Sheriff, do you agree that we can achieve all
these goals in this legislation, and what should the committee
keep in mind as they think about these roles and
responsibilities working well together towards a shared goal?
And, again, that is, you know, the role of the FirstNet
Board, the operational autonomy, and tightening up some of
these loose ends that keep coming up.
Sheriff Adkinson. So I told him I would give him authorship
credit, but Mr. Dame said something the other day that I really
liked, which is this idea of an elegant solution. The reality
of it is that public safety has to drive where these
investments go. I don't see it functioning otherwise. I see it
being problematic.
I think there should be a close working relationship with
NTIA. I think there are opportunities for this Congress to
address lack of continuity in the way we have come on board, in
the way we are doing business. So for sure I think that is
something that matters.
I don't think any of these things should work in a vacuum,
but when it comes to making decisions on the financial--and I
don't think NTIA has ever suggested that they should determine
where a tower goes or anything of that nature. So I think that
is a good place for us to come down, is that the decisions on
the financial placement of towers and things like that resides
with the board and should maintain that in a public safety
mindset. And it is my belief that when it comes to at least
someone that the board can have some direct say and control
over should be the executive director.
Mr. Pallone. OK. Now, much of the conversation about
reauthorizing the FirstNet has rightly focused on the goal of
interoperability--interoperability for first responders coming
from different departments or agencies at various levels of
government.
So I was going to ask, Mr. Agnew, if you could talk about
the work being done on the Fusion application, how it could
address some cross-network barriers that exist from push to
talk and other mission critical capabilities. You have about a
minute.
Mr. Agnew. Thank you, Congressman Pallone, and thank you
for your support of the FirstNet program since inception.
The network is inherently interoperable today. That is the
foundation, as you laid out, in the initial act.
From integration and interoperability with legacy, land
mobile radio, or walkie-talkie solutions, FirstNet Fusion is
going to make that even easier. Cross-carrier, cross-
technology, cross-network. It puts it in the cloud. It makes it
more affordable. It makes it more scalable. It makes it easier
to implement. It just makes it easier for public safety to use
the technology. It is coming in the next few months, and we are
going to continue to advance Next Generation interoperability.
Mr. Pallone. And you are talking about the Fusion
application?
Mr. Agnew. The Fusion. That is right.
Mr. Pallone. All right. All right, thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Allen [presiding]. I thank the ranking member for
yielding.
And now that I have the chair, I am going to call on myself
for my line of questioning.
I want to thank the witnesses for being here today.
I learned 2 years ago just how important the ability to
communicate during an emergency or natural disaster can be when
Hurricane Helene tore through my district. I will never forget
the first press conference with the Governor and the State
director, and the first question the State director got was,
``Where can people find out where we have shelter, food, and
water?'' And he said, ``Go to our website.'' We had no
internet. I realized then Congress has got to do something.
Since its inception, FirstNet has been an important
resource for law enforcement and first responders in times like
this, and considering its reauthorization gives us an
opportunity to examine its effectiveness and transparency.
Mr. Agnew, I know FirstNet works as quickly as possible to
restore connectivity, but can you walk me through how we are
going to prevent these interruptions in the future and maybe
use satellites and other redundancies so emergency responders
can communicate effectively following a major disaster?
Mr. Agnew. Thank you, Congressman, for that question. So
first, you start with the foundationally strong, hardened,
network-dedicated core to have the highest reliability network
you can, but then you have to add layers on top of that.
FirstNet, as you mentioned, with the Response Operations
Group, have dedicated deployables or mobile cell sites that
public safety can call out at any moment's notice. So if there
is a challenge, it can be rectified quickly.
We also provide equipment, first of its kind, first in this
world, High Power User Equipment, also known as MegaRange. Six
times more powerful than a cell phone. So it can extend farther
coverage using that technology.
And you mentioned satellite. It is going to be important.
That is the next layer of being able to provide coverage either
in white space or particularly if coverage has been
compromised. We partner with many satellite companies:
Inmarsat, AST, and Starlink. We have partnered specifically on
direct-to-cellular capability with AST to deliver FirstNet
service, like they say in the sky, and so to provide that
hardened redundancy. So think of FirstNet network as a layered
network.
Mr. Allen. Good. Thank you.
Mr. Dame, can you describe the current government structure
of the FirstNet Authority and how NTIA ensures its board's
actions align with statutory requirements and public safety
promises and priorities?
Mr. Dame. Thank you, Vice Chairman. Under the current law,
unfortunately, it is confusing as to different reporting lines,
as it has been discussed in our various statements, but we
defer very closely to the board in making strategic decisions
about technology roadmaps, budget decisions, reinvestments. And
they receive that input themselves from the Public Safety
Advisory Committee and across all the public safety groups and
the stakeholders.
And we are going to continue, as the draft bill suggests,
to ensure that the strategic decisions continue to occur if
Congress decides to reauthorize FirstNet and include the draft
bill provisions.
Mr. Allen. Thank you.
Mr. Agnew, most of us are familiar with how government
contracts work. As I understand it, AT&T's contract with
FirstNet Authority is somewhat unique.
Can you walk us through and explain how you support the
provision in this bill to submit the contract to Congress upon
request?
Mr. Agnew. NTIA has made that available to the House E&C,
and we will make it available. So we fully support the
transparency. We fully support the oversight and will continue
to do so.
Mr. Allen. Good. Thank you.
Well, Sheriff, I don't want to leave you out.
Do you have everything you need to deal with disasters? And
what does Congress need to do to fix that?
Sheriff Adkinson. You know, I want to say this in a manner
that somewhat makes sense. It is not the perfection. We don't
have perfection there, right, but there is a beauty in the
effort of perfection. And what I mean by that is we are getting
there.
I think Congress has been incredibly supportive. I think
the fee-based system has worked well from that. We continue to
grow, but there is a lot of work that needs to be done for this
to be done correctly, and ongoing work. But I appreciate the
congressional support.
Mr. Allen. Yes, sir. Well, thank you. And I thank the
witnesses again.
And now I yield my time, and I call on Representative Soto
for his line of questioning.
Mr. Soto. Thank you so much, Chairman.
During hurricanes, flooding, fires, even recent freezes--if
you can believe it, in Central Florida--reliable communication
is critical for our brave first responders to save lives.
Congress stepped up, creating FirstNet with the spectrum
sale proceeds, and we had an audacious goal, which is ensuring
every community, no matter how rural, urban, or otherwise, has
access to dependable communications. Every American deserves
that protection.
I contacted some of our local Central Florida agencies and
see that both the Osceola Emergency Management Department, city
of Kissimmee, city of St. Cloud, Osceola Sheriff's Office,
several cities in Polk County, as well as Polk County Sheriff
utilize these services.
And hearing from my local emergency management director in
Osceola, Bill Litton, he said, yes, emergency management uses
FirstNet for our cell phone providers. We have had good
experience with the service and the resources from FirstNet,
that they can provide our county pre- and postdisaster. And he
noted that last year FirstNet has added two additional towers
in the area to improve reliability in service areas.
We also heard from Polk County that the overall feedback
has been positive. Biggest improvement noted has been in areas
where LT boosters have been installed, with better coverage and
performance reported in those locations.
We also got a great feedback from Hurricane Milton as well
with more than 30 FirstNet emergency support requests from
public safety in Florida.
Sheriff Adkinson, thanks for being here. I know you talked
a little bit about Hurricane Michael already. You know, a day
after Hurricane Michael, I had texted Dr. Dunn to see how he
was doing, and he got that text 4 months later and was like,
``Why are you texting me now?''
You said your own internal network had gone down. Why do
you think FirstNet held up during Hurricane Michael while a lot
of the civilian and local law enforcement networks went down?
Knowing that categ--Hurricane Michael went from a Cat 1 to
a Cat 5 in one day, why did FirstNet, you think, hold up?
Sheriff Adkinson. I think it was a question of volume of
resources, right, the ability to put resources onsite, so even
when they went down or any--listen, any system can fail. The
ability to respond immediately and to have the assets, I think,
was critical in being successful there. I think that is why.
You know, I think, as we were, as you said, looking for
members of our local government as well as every other citizen
at Hurricane Michael to try to assist, we were able to get
these deployables in to make a difference and to boost that
cell signal.
So at the end of the day, I think it is just an economy of
scale that makes the most system--it is the redundancy. It is
the resiliency of the system. The analogy for me, again, is
still the Eisenhower interstate system. There may be better
roads, but you can count on the interstate being there.
Mr. Soto. Mr. Agnew, you know, you mentioned some pretty
big investment goals: $14 billion invested so far, $40 billion
in total. Can you walk me through a little more on what that
entails?
New towers, I know, was a key part, satellite redundancy.
Can you give us a more clear picture of some of those
investments?
Mr. Agnew. I think you are exactly right; it is going to be
investment-significant in coverage--rural areas, underserved
areas, Tribal areas.
Just alone in your district, 35 sites have been invested
in. You had one site last year, you have more coming. You have
three more coming this year----
Mr. Soto. Keep them coming.
Mr. Agnew [continuing]. Based off of the feedback----
Mr. Soto. We have hurricanes in central Florida.
Mr. Agnew [continuing]. from your first responders.
Hardening of the network; generators; continuing to expand,
as the sheriff mentioned, deployables and mobile cell sites
that need to respond quickly.
We have to be prepared for every disaster. We have signed
up for this oversight. No provider has this oversight. We have
to answer the call, and we have to continuously improve.
So that investment is going to go--as well as the core. So
it is significant technical investment to make sure public
safety can communicate in the worst possible times.
Mr. Soto. And that is why that reauthorization before
expiration is so critical, right? So you all can continue these
investments----
Mr. Agnew. Right.
Mr. Soto [continuing]. Uninterrupted, in areas like ours,
where we get natural disasters on occasion.
Mr. Agnew. Absolutely.
Mr. Soto. Thanks.
I yield back.
Mr. Allen. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
And now I call on Mr. Bilirakis from Florida----
Mr. Bilirakis. Thank you very much.
Mr. Allen [continuing]. For his line of questioning.
Mr. Bilirakis. Appreciate it very much. Thank you.
As a former member of the Homeland Security Committee,
ensuring first responders have the necessary tools and
resources they need to respond to emergencies has been a high
priority of mine since coming to Congress.
In fact, I chaired a hearing on this very topic in 2012 on
the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and
Communications. I know well how fragmented and clumsy public
safety communications were 14 years ago. From that hearing,
FirstNet was ultimately born, and I think it has been very
successful.
Sheriff Adkinson, can you talk about the relationship that
the FirstNet Authority Board has with the FirstNet executive
director? And what is the process if there is a disagreement
between the two of them? I think that is very important.
Sheriff Adkinson. Just a point of clarification.
Relationship between what two entities? I missed that.
Mr. Bilirakis. Oh, OK. All right. So, again, the process--
can you talk about the relationship that the FirstNet Authority
Board has with the FirstNet executive director, and what is the
process if there is a disagreement between them?
Sheriff Adkinson. Sure.
Just as a point of clarification again, the executive
director is vetted, hired, rated by the NTIA. Now, that should
be in consultation with the Board, and so we always encourage
that to happen as well.
And no reflection on the current executive director, but I
think when you will go back and look at it, that has been at
the heart of what some of these issues are, if you look at
these OIG reports, is the relationship between or the inability
to hold accountable.
So I just think it is critical for us to have that
authority to do that. They are technically an NTIA employee, as
I understand it, under the law. They are a select senior
management employee. They are not an employee of the Board--or,
the executive director is not an employee of the FirstNet
Board.
Mr. Bilirakis. OK. So, if there is a disagreement, who
prevails?
Sheriff Adkinson. NTIA. I mean, they are ultimately who
would--I mean, we would have to reach out to NTIA and say that
we had an issue or a disagreement with them--which would put
them, by the way, in a very unique position, because they don't
supervise him, per se, every day.
So, if he decided, for instance--again, if he said, ``I
won't carry out this order, executive order, or vote of the
Board,'' you know, the situation would be I would have to call
and ask for NTIA's assistance to make him comply with the
request of the Board.
So I am asking, not telling, at that point.
Mr. Bilirakis. OK. Thank you.
Mr. Agnew, can you walk me through the AT&T decided--again,
why they decided to take the risk to create this network,
especially in light of the fact that previous State-run systems
didn't work out so well?
Mr. Agnew. Yeah. AT&T has a history of working with public
safety. We helped develop 9-1-1 in the late 1960s. We invest
and we are the market leader in public safety answering points.
It was natural. It was natural because when you invest in
public safety, they invest in you back.
Now, we had a tremendous amount of risk. We did not know if
States would all opt in. There is no mandate to adopt this
network, so we didn't know public safety would come. And we are
signing up for a huge contract with a tremendous amount of
oversight that is unprecedented, where we have to meet 36
requirements, thousands of reports that can continue to evolve.
So there was a tremendous amount of risk. But we thought,
if we invest and partner with public safety, that we can run a
good business. And while I was nervous when we launched the
network in September of 2017--we got our first subscriber from
Fairfax County, Virginia, second subscriber from Casper,
Wyoming--we realized it would work. And now we are here with a
very successful network that public safety relies on every day.
Mr. Bilirakis. We appreciate that.
OK. Again, a followup question for Mr. Agnew.
Can you briefly explain the current public safety
communications marketplace and how it has changed in the past
14 years?
And what problem has FirstNet solved, and what are areas
that still need to be addressed?
Mr. Agnew. Yeah. I will just----
Mr. Bilirakis. I know that is a lot, and we only have a few
seconds.
Mr. Agnew [continuing]. Be brief.
FirstNet was the catalyst. Public safety was an underserved
community that was ignored. It was just offered best-effort
service. FirstNet puts public safety at the top.
FirstNet is needed to continue on, because you need that
catalyst for the next decades to come to make sure public
safety is paid attention to.
Mr. Bilirakis. All right. Thank you.
I yield back, Mr. Chairman. Appreciate it.
Mr. Allen. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
And now I call on Representative Clarke for her line of
questioning.
Ms. Clarke. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Good morning. Let me thank Chairman Guthrie, Ranking Member
Pallone, Ranking Member Matsui for holding this hearing.
And thank you to our panel of witnesses for joining us
today.
Let me also extend my gratitude to Congresswoman McClellan
and Congressman Dunn for their work in putting together a good-
faith, bipartisan bill to reauthorize this critical public
safety program.
As a New Yorker and a former member of the New York City
Council who took office in January of 2002, mere months after
the devastating attacks of September 11th, this issue is truly
personal for me. I know all too well the importance of strong
public safety communications networks.
Our first responders are on the front lines in responding
to terrorist attacks, hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, and
other natural disasters. We owe it to them to provide a
reliable communications network free from interference in times
of crisis when they are putting their lives on the line to save
others.
The firefighters, police, and other first responders to the
9/11 attacks dealt with communications failures that undermined
their ability to coordinate rescue/recovery efforts in a way
that must never happen again.
From that great tragedy and the recommendations of the 9/11
Commission, the First Responder Network Authority was born.
Since its launch in 2017, FirstNet has been adopted in all 50
States, the District of Columbia, and 6 territories. Billions
have been spent building out the network to cover nearly 3
million square miles, and first responders across the country
now use the network to enhance communications and leverage data
capabilities.
The success of FirstNet has also sparked competition in the
market, inspiring other carriers, such as T-Mobile and Verizon,
to create their own products that are now successfully serving
public safety subscribers. This has been a win-win for the
industry and the public safety community at large.
While no government program is perfect, it is clear that
FirstNet has been wildly successful, and it is critical that we
move forward with legislation that preserves FirstNet's
authority to operate beyond the upcoming sunset date.
As with any program, proper oversight is critical to
ensuring accountability. And I am confident that this committee
can find a path forward that allows us in Congress to move with
haste towards the reauthorization necessary to provide
certainty to the public safety community while also ensuring
that any concerns raised by the Office of the Inspector General
and Government Accountability Office are also addressed
adequately.
My question is to you, Sheriff Adkinson. In your view, does
FirstNet Authority currently have sufficient personnel
resources to implement the corrective actions or improvements
identified in recent inspector general reports?
Sheriff Adkinson. I think we would be well-served to
increase our field operations in regard to outreach at the
local agencies, right? Because we ultimately have to rely on
our public safety professionals to say, ``Is this working?
Where are there shortcomings?''
So I think there is opportunity to increase there. I like
the idea of adding things like a strategic office to be looking
forward to the future to understand what we need to be doing.
So there are a couple of areas where I think it is
appropriate to expand, but there may be appropriate areas to
contract, as well, too. One does not necessarily mean adding
others.
But I do believe, from an area of accountability, we are
not served well if we are not out meeting with the men and
women of public safety all across the country.
And I would point out, when we make decisions on--let's
just say we were going to expand to a Tribal area. That is not
commercially viable for AT&T in some times. But I am not in the
business of worrying what is commercially viable for them. I am
in the business of making sure this gets done and serves the
citizen. That is what the Board is about. So I think----
Ms. Clarke. Very well.
Sheriff Adkinson [continuing]. We are working that way.
Ms. Clarke. Very well.
Can you explain why it is so important for the Board of
FirstNet to have a role free from outside interference? And
what does that mean specifically for reinvestment and public
safety representation? Do you believe the Board can continue to
do its work while also working collaboratively with the NTIA
for the benefit of first responders?
Sheriff Adkinson. First of all, I fundamentally believe
that there is no reason that anyone can't work collaboratively
inside. We all have the same bosses, right? At the end of the
day, that is the citizens we serve. And we are stewards of the
citizens' trust and money. And I realize these are fee-based,
but let me be clear: It is the public's money, in my opinion,
and we have that responsibility.
I think we can work collaboratively toward that. I think
what is crucial is that no interference be made in the way
funds are expended to enhance public safety. That would be
problematic. I haven't actually heard that suggested, so I want
to be clear. But that would be problematic for me. I think it
would be problematic for public safety at large and--but that
hasn't happened, and I don't believe that that will happen.
If it did, I think that would be something the Board would
have an absolute moral responsibility to stand up and say so.
Ms. Clarke. Thank you.
I have run out of time. I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Allen. I thank the gentlelady for yielding.
And now I call on Dr. Dunn for your questions, 5 minutes.
Mr. Dunn. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
And, Sheriff Adkinson, thank you for being here today. I
know it is hard to leave Florida, it is so beautiful.
I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill, the
First Responder Network Reauthorization Act. And I thank
Representative Jennifer McClellan for her colead on this.
Jennifer, thank you. This is a great bill.
When Congress created the First Responder Network
Authority, there was a clear mandate to have a public safety
preempted network that would be used exclusively for first
responders on the ground. Interestingly, this also includes
Members of Congress and even the Senate.
Our Nation's heroes and public servants who are the first
to respond and the first people to put their lives on the line
to protect Americans need robust communications. It was a very
clear mandate to give our local communities the resources they
need to respond to tragedies.
And what we have seen since 2017 when the contract was
awarded has been a tremendous success story. We have also
learned some lessons, that our job in Congress as enforcers and
oversight of the program is critical. And that includes
contract transparency and maintaining accountability at all
levels, so I thank Chairman Sheriff Adkinson for emphasizing
that.
FirstNet is imperative to the Florida Panhandle before,
during, and after disasters. Our district knows all too well
the effects of hurricanes and tropical storms in our
communities. We have been hit by 4 major hurricanes in the last
8 years. We are still rebuilding and recovering from Hurricane
Michael.
Mr. Agnew, first question: FirstNet was directed to provide
nationwide interoperability. Briefly, what steps have you taken
to solve the interoperability issue to ensure agencies using
other carriers can still communicate during emergencies?
Mr. Agnew. Thank you, Congressman, and thank you for your
support of this legislation.
FirstNet is interoperable, let me be clear. It was designed
to be interoperable from the ground up. Data, voice, text
message--you can work amongst commercial carriers.
The next phase of interoperability is ensuring that land
mobile radios or walkie-talkies--those legacy radio systems--
are interoperable. And so that is--when I had mentioned
earlier, FirstNet Fusion is going to allow for that to be more
seamless and easier to use.
Mr. Dunn. So I like to think that we have solved the
confusion of interoperability here. I mean, interoperability
means everybody can operate on it, right?
Mr. Agnew. That--interoperability means we can----
Mr. Dunn. I didn't think we needed a dictionary on that.
Mr. Agnew [continuing]. Talk amongst each other, right?
Mr. Dunn. Sheriff Adkinson--Chairman Adkinson, thank you
for your service.
You stated, as Board chair, the roles and responsibilities
of NTIA, the Board, and the Authority are not well-defined in
statute. When everybody is held responsible, nobody is
responsible, all right?
And, Mr. Dame, you had a similar statement as well.
Sheriff, in your opinion, how should Congress clarify this
statute?
And, Mr. Dame, I want you to answer afterwards.
Sheriff Adkinson. So, you know, that is tyranny of the
commons, right? It becomes everybody's responsibility when it
is no one's.
You know, when we first came on the Board, there was some
reticence to give the Board members access to information that
we believed was fundamentally necessary to do that. Now, we
were able to ultimately achieve that, but there should be no
hesitation. When it comes to an executive director, when a
Board asks for information--i.e., the contract, i.e.,
discussions about what agencies are on the--the only answer,
acceptable answer, is yes. And so, when it is not, we have got
a problem.
And so I believe fundamentally that, again, if I am going
to sit at this table and answer for the conduct of that, then I
should have the authority to make decisions on who that person
is and whether or not they are performing their job.
Mr. Dunn. Thank you for that.
Mr. Dame, briefly. We are running out of time.
Mr. Dame. Yep.
NTIA agrees with what Sheriff Adkinson is describing, in
that the Board is of paramount importance, along with the
Public Safety Advisory Committee. They should still be making
strategic decisions about reinvestments and strategic roadmaps,
and NTIA can help with the implementation and performance
accountability.
Mr. Dunn. Well, I would like to think this bill will help
you with that.
And in the last few seconds we have, are there local,
Federal, or permitting requirements that have inhibited
FirstNet's tower deployment in rural areas?
Mr. Dame?
Mr. Dame. I think you might want to get Mr. Agnew's input,
sir.
Mr. Dunn. Mr. Agnew?
Mr. Agnew. Allowing--changing permitting to make public
safety towers to be built more quickly would help the public
safety network.
Mr. Dunn. All right. Well, please keep us informed.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. My time has expired, and
I yield back.
Mr. Allen. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
And now I would call on Representative Ruiz for your line
of questioning.
Mr. Ruiz. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I represent California's 25th District, which includes
desert, rural communities, Tribal lands, agricultural regions,
and some of the country's most extreme weather, extreme heat
conditions, in the southeast corner of California. In the
Coachella and Imperial Valley, summer temperatures routinely
exceed 110 degrees Fahrenheit for days, even weeks, and at
times reaches up to 130, straining power and communication
systems. Frequent dust storms, sometimes multiple times a
month, reduce visibility and damage critical equipment with
little warning.
First responders operate far from major infrastructure
during wildfires, dust storms, power shutoffs, and prolonged
extreme heat that pushes both people and systems to their
limits. For these communities, reliable emergency
communications are not a convenience, they are lifesaving.
That is why reauthorizing the First Responder Network
Authority, or FirstNet, is so important. FirstNet ensures that,
when everything else fails, first responders can still
communicate.
This bill recognizes that FirstNet is no longer an
experiment but critical national infrastructure that must be
governed, monitored, and strengthened. I appreciate that it
reauthorizes FirstNet through 2037, providing long-term
stability while focusing on reliability, transparency, and
equity.
And reliability is my first concern. Extreme heat and
frequent dust storms place constant stress on communication
systems, power outages last longer, equipment fails more often,
and response times stretch.
So, Mr. Agnew, in areas like mine facing extreme heat, dust
storms, and wildfires, how does FirstNet keep service running
during extended power outages and equipment strain?
Mr. Agnew. Yeah. Thank you for that question.
We continue to harden the site generators using our
deployable program when there is a problem that comes out. We--
--
Mr. Ruiz. How long does it take to send--you said
``deployable.'' How long does it take to send generators, and
how close are those generators to the southeast corner of
California?
Mr. Agnew. We can get the specific locations to your
district of how far. But we stage our generators, stage our
deployables within access to get to first responders quickly.
We have requirements to execute that per the contract to meet
delivery of those.
Mr. Ruiz. OK.
This bill takes important steps by requiring regular
business continuity and disaster recovery plans subject to
Federal approval. This matters because failures during
wildfires, dust storms, or outages put lives at risk. And we
need to know how quickly FirstNet recovers and whether service
is available for rural and Tribal communities, not just big
cities.
So transparency is my next concern. Responders need real-
time, accurate information. This bill's outage notification and
status tool requirements are a meaningful improvement, but
transparency only works if the information is timely and
accessible during an active emergency.
Mr. Agnew, again, when an outage occurs, how quickly does
that information reach first responders in the field, not just
agency leadership?
Mr. Agnew. Right. So we are working, continuing to evolve
that communication step. As we mentioned, the network status
tool provides information in near-realtime so leadership and
individuals in public safety can make decisions quickly.
Ensuring that communication gets down to the working level,
we are continuing to work with public safety. There is an
opportunity for users to actually sign up on notifications via
text and via email. And so it is a continual educational
process that we have to do.
But we acknowledge, more communication. The tools are
there, though. It has already been built.
Mr. Ruiz. OK.
Sheriff Adkinson, are outage notifications reaching first
responders quickly enough?
Sheriff Adkinson. I don't think it is ever quick enough
unless it is instantaneous, right? We seek--again, we go back--
we seek for the perfection. But I think it is getting there
very, very quickly.
Is there room for improvement? I think there is always room
for improvement. Instantaneous would be the only acceptable
answer. Everything else requires improvement.
Mr. Ruiz. And so what accountability measures exist if
outage notifications are delayed or incomplete?
Sheriff Adkinson. So a couple of things.
One, we are typically able to notify fairly quickly. When I
say ``fairly quickly,'' I mean in a matter of 10 to 15 minutes
based on, you know, what the availability and what the area of
outage is.
But I would add to that that we as a board are starting to
develop key performance indexes that we wanted to put in place
as measurables so that AT&T can give us direct response into
things that we think are important past what has been done in
the past.
So this is part of this idea of we need more
accountability, more metrics to show. That is something the
Board is going to do. We are already looking at that. And I
think that is critically important to make sure we are getting
our money's worth out of it.
Mr. Ruiz. Thank you.
I yield back.
Mr. Allen. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
And now I call on Representative Pfluger from the great
State of Texas for your questions.
Mr. Pfluger. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Appreciate the witnesses for being here, and a very
important conversation that we are having. It is obviously
important to Texas after the flooding of last July, and that
is, you know, one of the many examples I think we can point to
of why FirstNet is so critically important.
And my perspective will come, kind of, from the--not just
the Energy and Commerce lane but also from the Homeland
Security perspective as well.
So I will start with Mr. Agnew.
And thank you for being here.
I want to talk about just assessing who is on the network,
assessing which local and State partners have access.
And, you know, if we wanted to know which folks in our area
were currently accessed, how does that work? And if we don't
have all the information, then what do we need to do, either
via statute or some other means, to know that information?
Mr. Agnew. We appreciate that question. And we continue to
work with first responders to allow us to communicate who is on
the network. We understand it is so important from a mutual-aid
perspective, defining ``mutual aid'' as when one county goes to
another county to support.
And we are working with the Authority for a process to more
seamlessly get the approvals from each of the public safety
agencies to say, ``Yes, you can use my name.'' Right now, there
are restrictions for our ability to do that through the FCC
proprietary network information, but we are working
collaboratively with the Authority to make sure that will
happen.
It is so important for public safety to know that they are
on the network, so we see the value in it.
Mr. Pfluger. Do you think that is something in the
reauthorization that we need to add to the statute provisions,
which is kind of a transparency piece of who is on?
Mr. Agnew. Because I think--because both AT&T and the
FirstNet Authority are in agreement that this needs to be done,
I don't think it is necessary to add it in, but it is something
that we are working on.
Mr. Pfluger. OK. Yeah, we will continue to look at that,
because I think that is key. And, you know, just knowing who is
on the net----
Mr. Agnew. Right.
Mr. Pfluger [continuing]. Who is, you know--as a fighter
pilot, it is like, who is on?
Mr. Agnew. That is right.
Mr. Pfluger. And who are we talking to?
Mr. Agnew. That is right.
Mr. Pfluger. And who is not on, more importantly.
Mr. Agnew. Right.
Mr. Pfluger. So thank you for that.
I represent AST in Midland, Texas, and proud of the work
that they are doing to deliver, you know, another domain of
connectivity. And I think that that layer helps in remote
areas, especially like we experienced during the flooding.
I think the Senate held a hearing, and the relationship
with AT&T and AST was raised last week. So I would love to
hear, you know, any details that you are willing to talk to us
about with that relationship and how it relates to FirstNet
and, you know, another layer of connectivity.
Mr. Agnew. Yeah. Thank you for that question, Congressman.
The beauty of this public-private partnership is, when AT&T
makes an investment, a FirstNet user takes advantage of it. And
so the investment that actually is being made in AST is AT&T.
Now, my group works back with AT&T, and we ensure that
anything that is deployed from AT&T meets the needs of first
responders. So when AST goes up, when it fully launches, it
will be for first responders, a version. It will have priority,
preemption. We talk about push-to-talk, mission critical. It
will go well beyond texting.
And we are excited. We are going to open--at the end of
this month, we are going to open up customers signing up for
trials specific to public safety, and it is going to launch
first with public safety customers, specifically FirstNet
customers.
And we are more than happy to talk to any Member in detail
about specifically what the service will offer.
Mr. Pfluger. That is fantastic. It is another domain,
especially in rural America, that will help provide that
connectivity.
Sheriff, thank you for your service. I was stationed at
Tyndall Air Force Base, just to the east of you, for many
years, and want to talk about a couple of things.
The relationship between the FirstNet CEO, the Board, and
NTIA--my understanding is that the Board and the chair provide
recommendations and strategic guidance to the CEO, but those
are not necessarily binding. And, in practice, this could mean
that the CEO doesn't necessarily have to, you know, follow some
of the recommendations.
A, is that accurate? And, then, in your time as Board
chair, have there been instances where recommendations maybe
didn't necessarily get to the goal line?
Sheriff Adkinson. I think because the position of chief
executive--or, the position of executive director wasn't
originally contemplated and it left that ambiguity, that the
executive director can--and, quite frankly, in the past has--
again, directly went against what was the will of the Board.
I will be specific. There was a multimillion-dollar task
order, which we said--now, I want to be clear, not the current
executive director--but that we said--we, as the Board--based
on an executive order from the President of the United States
that we considered to be binding to FirstNet, should not have
been signed. That was against the will of the Board. Whatever
rationale, whatever reason that was, it just didn't--it didn't
work for us.
Mr. Pfluger. Thank you.
My time has expired.
AT&T, thank you for taking the initiative on this and
fielding something that is super-important.
I yield back.
Mr. Allen. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
And now I call on Representative Peters for your questions.
Mr. Peters. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
In Congress we have the responsibility to enable our first
responders to make the best decisions to keep our communities
safe through natural disasters and other emergency events. The
First Responder Network Authority was created in 2012 to
oversee Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network in support
of this goal.
First responders like San Diego Police Department and San
Diego Fire and Rescue in my district use the FirstNet network,
which provides them with coverage throughout the region as well
as a guarantee of priority and preemption services in the case
of heavy congestion and use.
In addition to using FirstNet services in case of
disasters, San Diego's first responders also use FirstNet
deployable assets for planned events that strain our local
network.
Last summer, first responders in San Diego had the
opportunity to meet with FirstNet representatives to discuss
ongoing concerns and opportunities for improvement, like dead
zones in areas with poor connections.
Sheriff Adkinson, I want to just say first to you and to
everyone, thank you for that engagement.
How do you engage with and respond to coverage concerns
from the first responder on the ground?
And, Sheriff, are there any particular themes you hear out
of those meetings?
Sheriff Adkinson. Thank you for that question. It is
actually a very relevant question because the Authority has
carried out coverage and enhancement workshops across the
country--we are just wrapping some of those up now--where we
meet with the members of that community and say, ``Where are
our shortcomings?''
And then we get a priority list from them that says, ``This
is where we believe we need assistance, where things need to be
improved.'' It is a big list. It is a big country--
Mr. Peters. Have you seen particular major themes come
across that, or----
Sheriff Adkinson. For sure. I think there are two things
that come almost immediately.
Obviously, your rural areas are underserved, and that is
part of our emphasis.
The other thing is, when we are talking about inside of
buildings and things of that nature where we have
infrastructure problems, that we need to straighten it----
Mr. Peters. OK.
Sheriff Adkinson [continuing]. That we need to strengthen
that.
So those two things are pretty unanimous, that, you know,
where we have these difficult terrains----
Mr. Peters. All right.
Sheriff Adkinson [continuing]. Or the buildings themselves
sometimes become problematic.
But that is how we identify. We have to meet with these
people to identify it.
Mr. Peters. Great. Thank you.
So my district is not rural. It is mostly urban and
suburban. We have fewer issues with coverage. We have more
struggles with capacity. There are communities that lack
coverage, leaving the public safety community without the tools
to coordinate and communicate with others in times of
emergency.
So it might be difficult to balance those needs, but I
wonder, what insight can you give me on how you make your
reinvestment decisions? How do you balance capacity, the
ability to serve--the quantity, versus coverage?
Sheriff Adkinson. We rely very heavily on our Public Safety
Advocacy Committee and what the locals there in those
communities say.
So, again, the issue is always going to be, we are looking
at what New Hampshire needs, we look at what California needs,
we look at what Michigan needs, and then try to make the best
educated decision to say, ``This is the priority list.''
But that almost is fundamentally based on where the most
immediate needs are at, and there are a lot of competing needs.
To your point, in a city--you know, I have spent a lot of time
in Florida's capital, in Tallahassee, and there were times that
we were struggling inside the Department of Law Enforcement's
building. Well, Department of Law Enforcement needs to be able
to speak on FirstNet, right? They are on it. So we got in there
and we got this resolved.
Mr. Peters. Right.
Sheriff Adkinson. But it is a modern building in a modern
city.
So it is very difficult. We just try to prioritize based on
what is the most pressing need.
Mr. Peters. Those decisions are made regionally?
Sheriff Adkinson. Pardon?
Mr. Peters. Region by region?
Sheriff Adkinson. They are made by State, and then the
Board, at the advice of the--with the PSAC, the Public Safety
Advocacy Committee----
Mr. Peters. OK.
Sheriff Adkinson [continuing]. Kind of forms the teams and
say, ``OK, this is the way we are going to do it.'' But it
doesn't necessarily--it could all be in one particular area if
that was the most pressing need.
Mr. Peters. I have a sense of how we would respond to the
coverage issues in the rural areas, but maybe I could follow up
with you on, what about buildings? What are the kinds of things
we should look forward to hearing about in terms of trying to
solve coverage and accessibility within buildings?
Sheriff Adkinson. Absolutely critical. As I said, we were
struggling with coverage inside the Department of Law
Enforcement building. We recently resolved the Louisiana State
Police's problem at their training ground. And we have to be
aware, we have to know that is going on and then try to
prioritize that.
But buildings, we just did one in Tarrant County, Texas--
the same thing. In a skyscraper we had this problem.
So these are things that's really of equal footing. We
think traditional towers and satellites and things like that.
Sometimes it is bidirectional antenna. Sometimes it is
strengthening. A lot of different avenues to get there.
Mr. Peters. Mr. Agnew, I will give you an opportunity to
respond to that as well.
Mr. Agnew. Yeah. Thank you for the question.
In urban areas, the sheriff is right, in-building. But we
have developed what we call Cell Booster Pros, FirstNet Band
14-capable devices. We have instituted it in thousands of
buildings. So, during the coverage workshop, that process
occurs.
So it is not just your macro----
Mr. Peters. Right.
Mr. Agnew [continuing]. It is your in-buildings. So we are
deploying technologies to help that in-building area.
Mr. Peters. OK. Thank you.
It is an important program. Thank you all for your work.
And I yield back.
Mr. Hudson [presiding]. Thank you.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia, Mr.
Griffith, for 5 minutes for your questions.
Mr. Griffith. Thank you very much.
I had similar questions to my colleague from California, on
the other side of that coin. I represent a large, mountainous,
rural district.
So, Sheriff Adkinson, I am coming to you. And you touched
on some of it in your opening and in your comments to
Representative Peters.
But, I mean, my district is larger than nine States by
landmass, even though I am in Virginia. Most people don't
realize that Virginia is as big as it is. And I represent a big
chunk of the mountains in Virginia, and we don't even have cell
coverage in all those areas. Depending on which way the
mountain leans or where you happen to be on the road, you can
have some significant holes in areas that people wouldn't
realize.
I mean, it hasn't happened lately, but even a few miles
outside of Blacksburg, in Virginia Tech, there were times not
that long ago where people were like,``Yeah, we don't have a
signal,'' even though it is one of the most wired communities
in Virginia.
So, when you are looking at all this--and you have gone
into it a little bit, but--what is the criteria that you all
use to select sites for FirstNet equipment?
I know there are a lot of problems and you have a lot of
different issues, whether it is buildings or mountains. In
Representative Peters' district it is the buildings, in mine it
is the mountains.
Sheriff Adkinson. Amen. Yes, sir.
You know, forgive me if I quote Rousseau on this, but don't
let perfect be the enemy of better.
Mr. Griffith. There you go.
Sheriff Adkinson. What we are trying to do is say, where
can we solve the most impact as quickly as possible until we
can get back and make it perfect, right, to continue to make it
better?
We just did some in the mountains recently, and I--you
might find this hard to believe, but Florida is a very flat
State. And I think we are at, you know--
Mr. Griffith. I have noticed that when visiting your
beaches, sir.
Sheriff Adkinson. I am actually at the tallest point, and
it is about 160 feet, just so you know.
But the reality--all joking aside, the reality of it is, we
try to prioritize on where can we have the most impact and what
modality is the best, right? So it may be the satellite, it may
be the tower, it may be the booster, whichever that is.
But there is an emphasis given on those places that do not
have coverage first. So the problem is, I give you coverage,
and you go, ``Well, maybe it is not as good as it needs to be
yet.''
But nobody from this Authority or certainly this board
should ever tell you to switch to FirstNet if it does not work
sustainably for you. You will never hear a board member say
that. That is not our job to do that. It is to support the
American people.
Mr. Griffith. Yeah.
And I know you mentioned earlier, in your county, one of
the hurricanes. When we got hit with Helene a year and a piece
ago, a big section of my district was--I mean, law enforcement
and everybody was out of touch with anybody else because we
lost--for various reasons, we lost cell coverage across a big
swath of my district.
So let's talk about these planned--you mentioned, and
several others have as well--you mentioned the planned Coverage
Enhancement Workshops, and I would like to know what that
entails.
And, as a part of that, I would like to know if you have
any planned for south side or southwest Virginia. Because, you
know, all politics is local. What are you doing in my district?
Sheriff Adkinson. I am actually intimately familiar with
that, Representative.
No, the short version is yes. We listen to the
representatives from your State to tell us where you think is
the priority, where do you believe that it should be first, and
what can most correct your problems fastest.
So you have had that Coverage--I know for a--you have had a
Coverage Enhancement Workshop in your State. And we took those
recommendations--I apologize, I will have to get back with you
on the specifics of that. That has been done.
Mr. Griffith. And I appreciate that. And here is the
concern that happens--
Mr. Agnew. Congressman?
Mr. Griffith. And I appreciate--I will get to you in just a
second.
I appreciate that you have had something in the State. Here
is the problem: I have counties in my district that are closer
to seven other State capitals than they are to Richmond. So, if
you are not actually on my end of the State, you might not be
getting the same picture, because they sometimes--and they try
their hardest, I am not fussing--but sometimes they don't
understand what is happening out in the mountainous areas,
because, I mean, from Richmond to the end of my district is
about 10, 10\1/2\ hours. So they are a lot closer to the
capital of, as I said, seven or nine other States.
Get back to me on that.
And then you wanted to say something, Mr. Agnew.
Mr. Agnew. Yes, Congressman. I just----
Mr. Griffith. You have about 45 seconds.
Mr. Agnew. Yeah. And I will be fast.
Your district has been a major focus. You have----
Mr. Griffith. Great.
Mr. Agnew [continuing]. Thirty sites that have been built.
Mr. Griffith. How many?
Mr. Agnew. Thirty have been built.
Mr. Griffith. That is fabulous. Thanks.
Mr. Agnew. And 7 of them--or, 14 of them were part of the
opt-in process, where public safety you have to build here or
Virginia is not opting in.
In the coverage workshops, there are seven identified areas
in your network. There is a partnership with your local telecom
and electric provider. That is how Lee County is getting
service. So this network is designed for your first responders.
Mr. Griffith. All right. I am going to go over a minute or
two, and I apologize, Mr. Chairman.
When you talk about Lee County, is that when we went down
there for the tower that they put up in Lee County? I think you
put a couple of them up there.
Mr. Agnew. That is correct.
Mr. Griffith. That was fabulous. It not only gave us the
first responders, but it gave us the first time in that part of
the county we had any cell coverage.
I yield back.
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
The Chair now recognizes Representative Dingell for 5
minutes to ask your questions.
Mrs. Dingell. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
And thank you to the witnesses for being here.
I want to take a moment to underscore just how essential
FirstNet is for public safety in Michigan. It is a lifeline for
first responders.
In my district, the Ann Arbor Fire and the University of
Michigan Health System rely on it every day. At the University
of Michigan, nurses use iPads connected to FirstNet to ensure
they remain prioritized above commercial networks during
emergencies so they can communicate when it matters most.
More than 950 public safety agencies and organizations in
Michigan use FirstNet, supported by over 1,850 Band 14 sites.
In my district alone, there are more than 10,000 FirstNet
subscribers. And, nationwide, the network now supports more
than 7 million connections and covers nearly 3 million square
miles.
Across Michigan, police, fire, EMS, and other first
responders turn to FirstNet not just for connectivity but for
operational reliability. They use it to restore communication
during severe weather, coordinate rescues using push-to-talk
and real-time data, and improve indoor coverage.
And, as our emergency response needs grow, we have to
ensure that FirstNet stays secure, resilient, and
interconnected with other emergency communications. And that is
why this reauthorization matters and why it is so important we
get it right.
So FirstNet's value is clearest when everything else fails.
In Michigan, we saw FirstNet play a critical role during severe
weather and search-and-rescue operations in the Upper
Peninsula, where a FirstNet satellite cell on a light truck
helped coordinate the response that led to the safe recovery of
a missing 8-year-old after nearly 50 hours.
Sheriff Adkinson, can you speak to why it is critical for
Congress to reauthorize FirstNet to ensure first responders
have reliable, resilient communications?
Sheriff Adkinson. Thank you for that question.
Absolutely fundamentally necessary.
I will use my own organization again. We are on what was
called the State Law Enforcement Radio System. That system
temporarily went down. It is not supposed to go down. It went
down. But because we made the decision when Florida opted in
under Governor Scott, I think in 2018--we made that decision
that any infrastructure we built was going to have a FirstNet
backup--we were able to go from the failure of our land mobile
radio to dispatching calls. And, again, I am medical--I am air
medical as well as law enforcement, and we were able to do that
over our FirstNet phones.
Seamless service and redundancy and resiliency--it is
critical because lives matter.
Mrs. Dingell. So I am going to--the draft bill would extend
FirstNet's authority through 2037, but it also makes governance
changes to the program by removing the FirstNet Authority
status as an independent entity and subjecting its actions to a
vote by the NTIA.
I understand that first responders and public safety
officials have concerns about this shift, particularly the
requirement that most FirstNet actions must receive prior NTIA
approval. On the other hand, the Office of Inspector General
has detailed several concerns, including network reliability
issues and deficiencies in contract administration.
Sheriff Adkinson, how do you assess the potential impacts
of making the FirstNet's actions subject to NTIA approval? And
what safeguards are necessary to ensure that first responders
continue to have an independent voice in how the network is
governed and operated?
Sheriff Adkinson. Thank you for that question.
I think there are a couple things.
Pragmatically, the way it functions now is NTIA hires
essentially every employee. Now, they can have consultation and
may choose to do that. They are not--to my knowledge not
required by law to consult before even hiring the executive
director. We certainly think that that is something the Board
needs direct oversight on, as I have said numerous times today.
The second part of that is, where there cannot be a
breakdown--where there absolutely cannot be a breakdown--is in
the building-out strategic planning and growth of this system.
That cannot in any way, shape, or form be impaired, because
otherwise you are going to deal with--let's just say this: It
should be done by the experts and that meet the needs of the
people we serve.
So that, to me, is a non sequitur--a nonnegotiable in that
regard.
Mrs. Dingell. I am going to be out of time, so I want to
thank you. I am going to have more--I had more questions for
the other two witnesses, so you are going to get them on the
record.
This is critical for my State and our getting it right.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I yield back.
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
The Chair now recognizes Mr. Latta for 5 minutes to ask
your questions.
Mr. Latta. Well, thanks, Mr. Chairman.
And thanks to our panel for being with us today. This is
really important.
I was on the committee when we had our first hearings for
FirstNet, and as I mentioned in a prior hearing, you could say
that things didn't go quite well. It was kind of a top-down
approach that was coming from pretty much Washington to the
local governments, and it just wasn't working.
And I can remember the hearing that we had, that there was
someone from Ohio who testified on behalf--and also from
Maryland. I can't believe I can still remember this. But what
we did see over time was a vast improvement.
And so, you know, Sheriff, if I could just start with you.
And I think it is important, because, again, when I am out with
all of my first responders across my district--and I have a
pretty big district that spans across northern Ohio--we have to
make sure, you know, that the coverage is there and that it is
working.
And I know that--I have been out for--one was more of a
demonstration for FirstNet, but a second one--the first time I
was out to see it was actually when the solar eclipse was
occurring, and it actually went across my district, all the
way. And so, I mean, they knew they were going to have some
serious issues out there. And it worked.
But, in your experience and when you are talking to people
from around the country, what is your experience in how not
only law enforcement but all first responders are finding
FirstNet?
Sheriff Adkinson. I think it is a very positive response.
And I have to tell you, one of the things that I hear is, to
your point, when this was originally done, I don't think people
thought it could get done, and I think that is what has
changed.
I think there are a lot of people that deserve credit.
Certainly not me. I wasn't here for this. But if you go across
the country, people are relying on FirstNet to make life-and-
death decisions, and they are impressed with the fact that this
thing is getting done.
Again, we are not saying perfection, but we are saying that
this has been an overwhelming success. And it is going to
continue to grow and build out. So I am extremely proud for the
men and women that actually built this system.
Mr. Latta. Good. Well, thank you.
Mr. Agnew, if I could ask you a question here. You know,
telehealth services are a crucial asset in our healthcare
system. And with the spectrum that has been allocated by
Congress, first responders using FirstNet connectivity can
provide emergency telehealth services, which can be lifesaving.
If there is an accident in a remote area that is far from a
hospital, first responders can connect a patient to a doctor
using FirstNet and provide critical care until the patient is
delivered to that hospital.
And before I ask the actual question, I will give you an
example. I was at one of my hospitals in our region, and they
had a stroke unit. And they were showing what the stroke unit
could do. It was amazing. It was absolutely amazing.
But I am always--having served on this committee for so
long, I didn't want to bust anybody's bubble, but I did ask a
question. I said, ``How far can you go out?'' And so they
showed where that circumference was. But then it was pretty
much like, if you were on the other side of it, they couldn't
get to you.
So that is that life-saving right there, is that we want to
make sure it is expanded all the way out there so it can serve
everyone and not, you know, in a particular area, what they
were doing.
So how important is it that FirstNet continues to expand
connectivity across the country so all these types of programs
can be utilized?
Mr. Agnew. It is very important, Congressman. I mean, the
mission is to ensure public safety receives the technology and
they never get left behind like they were. They get 5G and 6G
technology.
But then it is about the coverage, building out in the
rural, the underserved areas, the Tribal areas, even in some of
the areas, as we mentioned, the sheriff mentioned, in-building
and maybe some of the dense places. Public safety deserves the
coverage. This program is going to allow it to happen.
And to your point about extending e-health out--and so that
is what FirstNet is going to do, is just continue to grow,
based on public safety's feedback.
Mr. Latta. Well, thank you.
I will just close on this. Because, on 9/11, I was
driving--I was in the General Assembly in Ohio at the time.
And, of course, everything just collapsed. You know, you were
trying to use your cell phone to find out what was going on,
and, literally, in front of the statehouse in Columbus--it took
almost an hour just to drive that one block, but--there was no
communication. Everything was down--everything.
And so, also, you know, for our first responders out there,
you know, you are worried about that.
But, finally, someone--you know, other members of the
General Assembly were coming out and saying--if they saw you in
your car, they yelled, ``You have to go home.''
But that is how things collapsed on 9/11. We all saw it.
But, you know, what we all really saw was what happened in--
especially in New York.
And that is why, with FirstNet, we want to make sure that
that never, ever occurs again. Because we want to make sure,
for the people that FirstNet--or the first responders out there
trying to protect, but also just protect those first
responders, that they can always be in connection with one
another.
And, Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
The Chair now recognizes Representative Barragan for 5
minutes to ask her questions.
Ms. Barragan. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to thank all the witnesses for being here today, for
your testimony, and for the work that you do day in and day
out.
I think I have heard a repeating theme, some questions
which I already had, about how to make sure that the network
works, that it is available when there is a disaster, when
there is an emergency; and many questions about what is being
done to make sure there is coverage in places where there is
not coverage now, and efforts being done by AT&T, of course, to
harden the system. So I am going to focus my questions on a
different area.
Sheriff Adkinson, under the current law, the FirstNet
Authority must reinvest any revenue generated into the FirstNet
network, which AT&T owns and operates.
The bill we are considering today would enable the FirstNet
Authority to invest in new and emerging broadband technologies
like satellite internet.
If this bill becomes law, will the funding flow only
through AT&T, or could the FirstNet Authority pay other
providers, subcontractors, or technology vendors directly?
Sheriff Adkinson. Thank you for that question,
Representative.
I think the Authority and the Board specifically says that
we should always look at what is the best service for the
American people and the delivery of that service, in whatever
capacity that is. So, if that--as long as everything we do
enhances the coverage and what we are doing, then it makes
sense. If it doesn't, it doesn't make sense.
In regard to using other folks, that is something
contractually that would have to be worked out. But, yes, I
think there should be the ability to take whatever is the best
application or service, that that is what we should be looking
at.
Ms. Barragan. So you think that payments could be made
directly to those others, not through AT&T?
Sheriff Adkinson. I am going to have to defer on that
question.
Ms. Barragan. OK. Do you think that needs to be spelled out
more in the legislation?
Sheriff Adkinson. I think so. I think so.
Ms. Barragan. You think so. OK.
I am also now going to follow up on this--I am looking at
``Oversight of First Responder Network Authority,'' an OIG
report. The inspector general has identified $1.13 billion that
the FirstNet Authority could have used more efficiently,
according to the report.
Mr. Dame, can you explain if section 3 of this new bill
will bring the FirstNet Authority more clearly under NTIA's
authority?
Rather, the bill, we know, under the section 3, more
clearly brings the FirstNet Authority under NTIA's authority.
Do you think that is going to help prevent further use of funds
so that they are efficiently used?
Mr. Dame. I do.
And, as we have seen across many inspector general reports,
there is this overarching theme of the need for greater
performance accountability and contract oversight, and I
believe that that is an area where NTIA can support.
We never want to get in the middle of strategic decisions
that first responders should be making on the Board and with
the Public Safety Advisory Committee, but I believe, in terms
of performance accountability, that is an area where NTIA and
the Department of Commerce can support the Authority to a
greater degree.
Ms. Barragan. Great.
And, Sheriff, I want to follow up on the same report. There
is another result in this report that says that the OIG made 50
recommendations. Twenty-four of the recommendations remain
unimplemented.
Who should be implementing those remaining 24, and what is
the status?
Sheriff Adkinson. Thank you for that question.
As I said in my initial statement, that is our
responsibility. The Board is entirely responsible for making
sure that gets done, through their executive director and
staff.
And I will tell you, all those are in the process of being
cleared or closed in close cooperation with the OIG. We have
met with them, the executive director has met with them, and we
are moving toward resolving them.
But, more importantly, we have now established a
relationship where there is a close line of communication,
because I need to ensure this doesn't happen again. And that is
really the short version of that.
Ms. Barragan. Yeah.
Well, I have to say and just reiterate what my colleagues
have all reiterated, that this is so critically important for
all our communities. And I think it sounds like, when we all
spoke to our local elected officials in counties and cities,
the pattern was: We want it to be reliable, we want there to be
transparency, we need it to work. And so I think whatever we
can do to make sure that that happens is something that
Congress and us, as lawmakers, are focused on.
So I will end with a very brief question. Does anybody on
the panel think there is anything that is missing from the
draft legislation that needs to be added?
We will start with you, Mr. Agnew, since you are the one we
haven't gotten to.
Mr. Agnew. I don't think there is anything that needs to be
added.
Ms. Barragan. OK.
Mr. Dame?
Mr. Dame. No. NTIA supports the bill. Thank you.
Ms. Barragan. Sheriff?
Sheriff Adkinson. Just in--consistent with my previous
statement, that there should be some direct oversight from the
Board of the executive director so that we have some say in who
that is and what their performance metrics would be.
Ms. Barragan. Great. Thank you.
Thank you all.
I yield back.
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
The Chair now recognizes Mr. Fry for 5 minutes to ask your
questions.
Mr. Fry. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
FirstNet was created to address a clear failure exposed on
September 11th: Our first responders could not reliably
communicate across systems when it mattered most. Congress
responded, obviously. And, today, FirstNet is widely used by
first responders across the country, including rural and
coastal communities like those I represent in South Carolina.
In fact, I think there has been a recent expansion of
FirstNet in Marion County. The sheriff is thrilled, because his
officers can now communicate when they need it the most.
As we approach the sunset, though, Congress, I think, has a
unique role and a responsibility to ensure continuity of
service while also examining governance, oversight, and
performance. Reauthorization should focus on reliability,
interoperability, and accountability--a lot of "-abilities, if
you will--so first responders can depend on that network
without disruption.
So I appreciate all of you being here today.
Sheriff Adkinson, when first responders--in fact, in Marion
County, South Carolina, Adkinsons are like Smiths, so you might
have some family in the district.
But when first responders identify coverage gaps or
performance issues in the field, how does that information flow
from local agencies to the Board and into investment decisions?
Sheriff Adkinson. It flows in a couple of different ways.
First and foremost, we have individuals who represent those
specific areas to maintain contact with them, ``How is this
going?'' Field reps, for putting it another way.
We also have the Public Safety Advocacy Committee, who are
from multiple disciplines and advise the Board where they see
shortcomings.
And, third--and I think this is critical--there is a direct
relationship out from those organizations to the FirstNet
Authority. In other words, they can pick up the phone and call
us, as well. They are not afraid to do that. You might find
that hard to believe, but the first responders are perfectly
willing to pick up the phone and call.
So I think the field reps are crucial to what we do. I
think the PSAC is crucial to what we do. And from that, we try
to make the best decisions on the most--again, where do you get
the most impact, what is the most critical need, and try to
stagger that.
Mr. Fry. I appreciate that.
And I think Congressman Griffith raised the issue about
rural Virginia and that you have meetings in Virginia--you have
had a meeting in Virginia, I think you testified to.
But I was curious, just to kind of follow up on that, how
often those meetings take place. Do they take place in
different parts of the State? Are they ongoing meetings, where
the situations evolve and maybe in a year or so you go back to
that State to see if the terrain has changed? What does that
look like?
Just curious on how you, you know, listen actively on the
ground to what the States are needing most.
Sheriff Adkinson. Yeah. We actually just finished up the
majority of our coverage workshop for the entire country,
right? The field reps or the representatives are out all the
time. They are assigned to specific States or areas.
And, depending on the State, we don't--in other words, say,
for instance, we have one in Florida and it is in one district.
We may hold two there. We may hold three ultimately. It depends
what is necessary.
So there is kind of an ongoing path of reaching back and
saying it is time to go back there, we have heard issues or
concern there, the PSAC has reported there is an issue there,
we have a fire chief who says there is an issue there. So we
are trying to do that on an ongoing basis.
But I will tell you, I think that is part of our ongoing
strategic plan, too, is to set a pattern. Listen, if you say
you are going to do something, you have to do it. And so, when
you start saying you are coming back, that--we don't want to
promise and underdeliver.
Mr. Fry. So you are coming back?
Sheriff Adkinson. Yeah. We will be back.
Mr. Fry. All right.
Sheriff Adkinson. I know the chair. He says it will happen.
Mr. Fry. There you go.
Mr. Agnew, outages, I think, are a big concern, just
generally, and whether or not first responders can access this,
use it.
What changes have been made since the 2024 outage to reduce
the risk of future disruptions and improve notifications for
first responder usage?
Mr. Agnew. Yeah. Thank you for that question.
And just as a recap, in 2024 the FirstNet Core experienced
a 2-hour outage, but AT&T prioritized, per the contract, the
FirstNet program, and we got that network up and running and
that core up and running within a couple hours.
We have subsequently done a root-cause analysis, an after-
action report, and identified specifically what went wrong and
what specific implementations need to occur. FirstNet put forth
a task force. We were held accountable and basically delivered
to ensure that situation wouldn't happen.
So this is oversight in action. It is accountability in
action happening. So we have now--and we funded the investments
necessary to enhance the network.
Mr. Fry. Thank you for that.
I have other questions, but I think the chairman runs a
tight ship. So with that, I will yield back.
Mr. Hudson. Appreciate that.
The Chair now recognizes Mr. Menendez for 5 minutes to ask
your questions.
Mr. Menendez. Thank you, Chairman. Thank you to the
witnesses for being here.
The horrific terrorist attacks on September 11 exposed
critical weaknesses in our public safety communications when
overloaded radio, landline, and mobile networks left police
officers, firefighters, and paramedics unable to communicate
effectively. First responders answered the call on 9/11 from
across the river in New Jersey, including many from my
district.
The First Responder Network Authority was created out of
the 9/11 Commission Report out of a recognition that we needed
nationwide network for public safety communications to keep
Americans safe during emergencies.
Today's hearing is also critical to the communities I
represent, because every year we experience a growing number of
natural disasters, such as Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Ida,
which knocked out power for many local 9-1-1 centers and
disrupted communications networks down the entire northeastern
seaboard.
Our district also includes a vast amount of critical
infrastructure that has led Homeland Security experts to call
the area between Newark Airport and the Port of Elizabeth the
most dangerous 2 miles in America. This makes strengthening
FirstNet security and resiliency essential for families in our
district so that first responders know their communication
tools will work when they need them most.
I would like to ask each witness--just yes or no--would you
agree that oversight of the resilience and security of the
FirstNet network is especially vital for communities with
increased exposure to natural disasters and substantial
critical infrastructure assets?
We will start with you, Sheriff.
Sheriff Adkinson. Absolutely. And I would say, remember
that the representative of Homeland Security as well as DOJ is
on there, and as the third member, which is a technical
expertise that is provided by several of the board members, one
in particular, and this is the issue of cybersecurity. The
ability to stay up against a cyber attack, that is absolutely
key in my mind.
Mr. Menendez. We will come back to cybersecurity, don't you
worry.
Mr. Dame. Yes.
Mr. Agnew. Yes, and we are currently held accountable to
3,600 requirements in the thousand reports to do exactly what
you are saying, Congressman.
Mr. Menendez. I appreciate that.
That is why I am pleased that we are moving forward with
the bipartisan discussion draft to reauthorize FirstNet with
increased oversight of the resiliency and security of the
network.
Mr. Agnew, in light of the numerous natural disasters that
have impacted public safety communications in New Jersey, how
is AT&T working to improve the resilience of FirstNet
statewide?
Mr. Agnew. Thank you for that question. And Superstorm
Sandy is what created the Response Operation Group program. It
started in New Jersey from that experience, and in fact New
Jersey was one of the broadband technology opportunity programs
that actually set one of the seven that basically built or
formulated FirstNet, and it was New Jersey Net. Actually, New
Jersey Net has been incorporated within the FirstNet program.
But that Response Operation Group is dedicated individuals,
former public safety officials. Over 190 assets, plus the 750
assets AT&T brings to the table, coordinates with public
safety, as what is going on with the FIFA event. ``Where are
you going to be? Where do you need the equipment? Where are we
staging?'' It is constant collaboration, training, and
practicing so an event like Superstorm Sandy, the team is
prepared. The team is prepared to stage and know exactly where
to go.
Mr. Menendez. I appreciate that. I appreciate New Jersey
leading the way with AT&T.
Sheriff Adkinson, in your opinion, does the FirstNet
reauthorization discussion draft provide for better
dissemination of outage information so that public safety
agencies have situational awareness of FirstNet's operational
status?
Sheriff Adkinson. Yes.
Mr. Menendez. OK. And it is critical that FirstNet remains
operational even in the toughest circumstances.
Sheriff Adkinson, in your testimony you touched on the
importance of cybersecurity enhancements to FirstNet network.
In what ways would this discussion draft strengthen oversight
over the cybersecurity of FirstNet?
Sheriff Adkinson. I can't speak specifically to how that
legislation will increase cybersecurity impact other than to
say this: The board is specifically addressing that and making
that part of key performance indexes to be rolled out. We
haven't finished that yet because I think it still needs more
work.
Mr. Menendez. But you would say it is one of the sort of
upmost important issues that you are working on on the board,
given sort of what we are seeing with increased cyberattacks,
especially from foreign adversaries?
Sheriff Adkinson. Absolutely a priority.
Mr. Menendez. I appreciate that.
I want to go back, Mr. Agnew. You mentioned this, but how
is AT&T investing in preparations for the upcoming FIFA World
Cup finals in and around MetLife Stadium in New Jersey through
collaboration with local law enforcement?
Mr. Agnew. We are meeting with all 12 of the cities. Of
course, MetLife Stadium, again, planning, coordinating, where
first responders are, where we need to be, making incremental
investments in in-building coverage. Public safety is--you
know, what is unique about FIFA is, unlike a Jets or Giants
game where you can park around----
Mr. Menendez. People are actually going to be there.
Mr. Agnew. That is a good point.
Mr. Menendez. I am a Giants fan, so----
Mr. Agnew. FIFA has different rules than NFL. And you can't
park around the stadium, so we have to move all our assets,
coordinate with public safety. That is going on. I feel very
good about the performance of what you are about to see.
Mr. Menendez. I appreciate it. I look forward to continuing
to work with you as well as the entire committee on moving this
forward.
Thank you. I yield back.
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
The Chair now recognizes Mr. Carter for 5 minutes to ask
your questions.
Mr. Carter of Georgia. Thank you, gentlemen, for being
here. And thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this meeting.
And we all have established the fact that FirstNet was
created so that our first responders would never again have to
face the communications failures that we saw on 9/11, and I
remain strongly supportive of reauthorizing this critical
public safety network.
I had the pleasure of visiting the AT&T facility, the
disaster recovery facility in Covington, Georgia, and very
impressed with the equipment there, very impressed with the
infrastructure. It supports the infrastructure and operations
that keep first responders connected across the State.
Congress, as I understand it, entered into a 25-year
partnership with AT&T to build and operate and maintain this
nationwide network for public safety. And as AT&T continues to
operate FirstNet and expand its infrastructure, I want to
better understand the implications of having a single
commercial provider owning and running the underlying network.
Mr. Agnew, does AT&T own the network that is being built
for FirstNet?
Mr. Agnew. That is correct. Basically, the contract, just
to understand it, it is a services-based contract that AT&T
implements at the direction of the Authority, all the FirstNet-
specific elements that are required to deliver the service. And
it is the FirstNet Authority, actually, holds license to this
spectrum.
Mr. Carter of Georgia. So if the contract is not renewed
when it ends, what will happen to the infrastructure that has
been built?
Mr. Agnew. The infrastructure remains with AT&T, but just
to level set expectations, wireless networks upgrade--you are
upgrading your entire network every 5 years. So it has a very
limited lifespan on network equipment. AT&T spends about $145
billion every 5 years upgrading a network.
Mr. Carter of Georgia. OK. Thank you for that.
As I understand it, Sheriff Adkinson, FirstNet is governed
by a 15-person board that includes permanent Federal members
and 12 Commerce-appointed experts, and they have the
responsibility of ensuring that the network stays focused on
public safety needs.
First of all, thank you for your service, Sheriff, and for
your leadership on the FirstNet Board.
What enforcement tools does the board actually have to
ensure compliance with build-out and performance requirements
under this agreement?
Sheriff Adkinson. They can withhold payment. I mean,
ultimately that is where this is at. If appropriate, you can
set up indices, again, for measures for them to meet, but
withholding of funds is the major----
Mr. Carter of Georgia. Have you had to do that?
Sheriff Adkinson. Yeah, there have been delays.
Mr. Carter of Georgia. There have been delays?
Sheriff Adkinson. There have been times that we have had to
double-check and go back and do things, but all of those were
rectified and met in a manner that was sufficient.
Mr. Carter of Georgia. So you are pretty satisfied?
Sheriff Adkinson. I am satisfied.
Mr. Carter of Georgia. OK.
Do you believe that Congress should enhance the board's
oversight authority or transparency requirements as part of the
reauthorization to better protect first responders?
Sheriff Adkinson. Yes.
Mr. Carter of Georgia. You do?
Sheriff Adkinson. I do. I think the board should take more
ownership and more responsibility in making sure this is done
appropriately.
Mr. Carter of Georgia. But should Congress be the one to do
that, to give you that enhanced oversight?
Sheriff Adkinson. I believe so.
Mr. Carter of Georgia. OK. Fair enough.
That is really all I have. Thank all of you all for being
here. This is very important.
And as I said, I had the opportunity to visit Covington,
very impressed with the infrastructure. And, Ms. Ferguson,
thank you for setting that up and helping us with that, because
it is--when you see it, you are impressed. It is a big
investment. There is no question about that. So thank you all.
And I yield back.
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
The Chair recognizes Representative McClellan for 5 minutes
for your questions.
Ms. McClellan. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
And I want to reiterate how excited I am to be working with
Mr. Dunn of Florida on this very important legislation.
Let me first ask--so in the bill, we turn what is the
executive director into an Associate Administrator position who
is a senior-service-level official appointed by the Assistant
Secretary. Now, they are subject to performance reviews in
consultation with the chair of the board and any committee
members that deal with governance and risk.
But, Sheriff Adkinson, several times you have raised
reasonable concerns about the relationship between the board
and what will now be this Associate Administrator.
And, Mr. Dame, I would like to hear your thoughts on how
the legislation can work to address that relationship to
further improve FirstNet Authority's accountability.
Mr. Dame. Thank you, and thank you for your leadership on
this bill, Congresswoman.
NTIA believes that moving the FirstNet Authority over to be
a line office within NTIA will be important to improve
performance accountability, but I want to be clear that the
strategic decisions for public safety on their network is to
come from the board, the Public Safety Advisory Committee.
I think where NTIA and the Department can support to a much
greater degree is to provide performance accountability as the
Authority is implementing the decisions the board has provided
and for performance accountability after the fact, after
implementation.
I understand Sheriff Adkinson's point, and I think
ultimately a solution can be found as Congress considers this
bill.
Ms. McClellan. Thank you.
And, Sheriff Adkinson, I mean, your concerns are heard loud
and clear. That is why I didn't ask you, but I wanted to make
sure that we gave Mr. Dame a chance to respond, and I think
this is an area where we will definitely look.
So, Mr. Agnew and Sheriff Adkinson, can you describe how
AT&T has met its reinvestment obligations in the nationwide
public safety broadband network and how the FirstNet Authority
ensures those reinvestments align with public safety priorities
rather than broader commercial objectives?
Mr. Agnew. I think it is pretty straightforward from a
reinvestment standpoint. The framework was established in
February of 2024 of what FirstNet would invest in, a new core,
new coverage, new technologies inclusive of satellite. It is
now incumbent on the voice of public safety and the FirstNet
Authority to determine what those investments are.
AT&T is the contractor. We can share our expertise and the
technology, but we don't dictate where coverage goes or the
technology to implement it. We are just responsible for meeting
the requirements of implementation.
Ms. McClellan. OK. And, Sheriff Adkinson, did you want to
add anything to that?
Sheriff Adkinson. Yes, ma'am. I mean, that is the short
version of it. We are going to tell them where we believe these
towers need to be, based on the input from public safety, and
that is where the funds should be spent.
Ms. McClellan. OK. Also for Sheriff and Mr. Dame, the IG
reports have found that FirstNet's Authority has not followed
standard Federal contracting and procurement procedures.
Is there any reason why the Authority should not be subject
to the same Federal acquisition standards as other Federal
entities? And if so, what is that?
Sheriff Adkinson. [Inaudible] structured in regard to the
public-private partnership of it. The reality is any
procurement we make should ultimately be transparent,
accountable, and have something that can be reviewed. There is
no way around that. Now, whether that meets that standard or
there are a separate set of rules for a P3, I don't think
anybody here should argue against that.
Ms. McClellan. OK. Mr. Dame?
Mr. Dame. And I would just add that the FirstNet Authority
decided to use the Federal acquisition regulations, which I
think was the right decision, and that the Department has
provided delegations of authority to FirstNet officials to
perform those procurement activities.
Ms. McClellan. OK. I probably don't have enough time for
the remaining, but thank you. This has been very helpful. As we
said earlier, this is a discussion draft, not the final. And so
I, for one, have found your testimony very helpful as we move
forward.
And I yield back.
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
The Chair recognizes Representative Cammack for 5 minutes
to ask your questions.
Mrs. Cammack. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to our
witnesses for being here today.
I am very proud to have one of our own from the great free
State of Florida here testifying before our committee. So thank
you, Sheriff. I would be remiss if I didn't say ``Go Gators.''
I know those are fighting words.
But as everyone in this room knows, FirstNet was created
after 9/11 to fix a deadly failure. First responders can't do
their jobs if they can't communicate. Congress has responded by
helping build a nationwide public safety network with priority
and preemption when lives are on the line.
By many measures, FirstNet has delivered. It serves tens of
thousands of agencies, spans millions of square miles, and has
proven its value during disasters, and that success is exactly
why Congress must reauthorize it before its authority expires
in 2027.
But reauthorization shouldn't be on autopilot. Outages,
coverage gaps, especially in rural areas, and inspector general
findings show that performance must come with accountability
and action. So this bill, this discussion draft, it strengthens
oversight, improves outage reporting, clarifies responsibility,
and ensures that FirstNet keeps evolving. When accountability
is clear, public safety is stronger.
So I am going to start with you, Sheriff. You have
emphasized that FirstNet works best when investments are driven
by real operational needs. You and I have discussed, for
example, in my district that the overwhelming majority of my
sheriffs are not on FirstNet. My husband, who is a first
responder and a user of FirstNet, was unable to utilize his
service during the last three major hurricanes.
Now,I know that there have been challenges in deployment,
but can you briefly detail how, through our conversations and
conversations you have had with others, that we can make
FirstNet work for all of our rural sheriffs in disaster-prone
areas? Specifically, what reinvestment needs to happen?
Sheriff Adkinson. Thank you for that question,
Representative, and thank you for your work on this, because I
know your personal interest and that it matters.
And I will use your district specifically. You know, we
went back and held a coverage workshop there in, I think,
August of this last year, and said, you know, listening to our
firefighters, our first responders, where can we increase the
coverage? What needs to be done? I think something like 15
sites have been added in the last year and a half in that
district, but that doesn't mean it is going to be perfect. And
it certainly doesn't mean the districts farther down south--so
if I am in Lafayette County or Gilchrist County, which are
extremely rural counties, they may need more than that one site
or two sites. We are going to have to continue to do that.
So I think it is incumbent upon us at the Authority to
ensure that we keep these workshops going, we keep the field
reps going, and we prioritize based on the immediacy of need
and where we identify these problems.
Mrs. Cammack. Well, and that is a great way to dovetail
into the next question about interoperability. So there is some
discussion within this language today that there needs to be a
concerted effort towards interoperability for different
services, particularly in disaster situations. Can you speak to
that?
Sheriff Adkinson. Yeah. I think, clearly, you know,
obviously, right now I could call you on--you know, I could use
my FirstNet phone and call you on a Verizon or T-Mobile. So you
have that level of interoperability. Also, they have developed
the ability to talk over land mobile radio as well too, the
push to talk if you do that.
I think some of the new product that is coming forth, the
technology is clearly working toward that. That is the final
singularity of goal, is that we have one ring to rule them all.
And from a standpoint of a unified command--you knew I would
work in ``Lord of the Rings'' here at some point--there has to
be a unified command. There shouldn't be any question about
this work and the ability to work during that.
Mrs. Cammack. Excellent. Thank you.
I am going to shift to you. Is it ``Dom`'' or ``Dame''?
Mr. Dame. ``Dame.''
Mrs. Cammack. ``Dame.''
Mr. Dame. Yeah.
Mrs. Cammack. Like hot dame. OK. Just kidding. It is a
joke.
Mr. Dame. Notre Dame.
Mrs. Cammack. OK. All right. We are going to talk about
that later.
So you have talked about today quite a bit about the
blurred lines of authority. Under the current structure, who is
currently responsible for enforcing contract performance, and
why hasn't that always worked in practice--that is the first
part--but then, how would making--this is the critical part--
how would making FirstNet a clear line office within NTIA
improve the day-to-day oversight and accountability?
Mr. Dame. And thank you, Congresswoman, for your leadership
on public safety communications.
It is the murkiness and the ambiguity of the independent
authority within NTIA that has caused the issue, and there are
dedicated, mission-driven staff at the FirstNet Authority who
are working on these issues, who care very much about making
sure the first responders have the network they need.
But we think that with the proposed changes and the draft
discussion text, that having the FirstNet Authority move over
as a line office of NTIA, there would be greater enhancements.
Mrs. Cammack. Well, and because my time is running short, I
just want to highlight H.R. 1519, the Public Safety
Communications Act, which would formally establish the Office
of Public Safety within NTIA. It would cut the red tape, create
a single point of oversight for FirstNet.
Do you agree that that would be helpful in establishing
greater ability to be flexible for FirstNet but oversight at
the same time?
Mr. Dame. I do. I think there need to be some
reconciliations between the two bills, but, yes, ma'am.
Mrs. Cammack. And, Sheriff, would you agree?
Sheriff Adkinson. I believe there would be delineated lines
of authority so there is no question about the ambiguity of who
is doing what.
Mrs. Cammack. Excellent. I appreciate you all's feedback
today.
And with that, I yield back.
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
And keeping it in Florida, I will recognize Representative
Castor for 5 minutes to ask her questions.
Ms. Castor. Thank you, Chairman Hudson and Ranking Member
Matsui. Yes, we are rich in Floridians on the committee.
And thank you to our witnesses. You have had some very
constructive recommendations for us.
I think there is a lot of interest from Floridians because
we are so susceptible to disasters. You talked about Hurricane
Michael up in your neck of the woods, but really in the Tampa
Bay area, we are still reeling from hurricanes Helene and
Milton in the fall of 2024, the devastating one-two punch where
folks lost powers for weeks. Three million Floridians lost
power after that, and it was long and sustained. I know Rep.
Cammack knows this all too well.
Damage to critical infrastructure. There is no--people
don't anticipate that they are going to lose internet and cell
service, but they do, and it is just the worst-case scenario to
think that our first responders, when towers go down,
communication networks go down, that that won't hamper rescue
and recovery.
So I, after the storms, checked in on the operation of
FirstNet with Pinellas County Emergency Management. They said
AT&T has done well building out towers and infrastructure in
Florida with hurricanes in mind, but the portable sites,
especially the compact rapid deployables, were particularly
helpful to provide reliable service.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said that FirstNet
has been very successful for the county, connecting up all
phones, cameras, patrol cars, laptops. They said that the
service has disaster-grade reliability and that there have been
little to no issues with the product or provider.
But both emphasized to me that if the Congress is going to
act, that they were concerned that there would be more
bureaucratic red tape. They both highlighted that if we are
going to make changes, to ensure that there are no obstacles
created to action.
Is there anything you see in the draft legislation or in
responding to the OIG's report that would create unnecessary
barriers or obstacles?
Sheriff Adkinson. Thank you for that question. I am
assuming you are pointing at me, so I want to make sure that I
am answering appropriately.
Ms. Castor. Yes, sir.
Sheriff Adkinson. I think when you look at that
specifically, those OIGs largely deal with individuals not
following directions or doing what they are told or being held
accountable. And I sound like a broken record on this issue,
but I think it is fundamentally the crux of the issue.
You can switch responsibility to multiple different people,
but if you are not going to hold them accountable, I am not
sure what we are going to accomplish. So we have got to do
that.
Again, that individuals--those individual positions, they
currently are hired, selected, supervised by NTIA today, full
stop. And so I just think we just need to be clear so that we
can say this is how it needs to be handled and to do it as
effectively as possible.
Ms. Castor. And you are going to keep an eye to make sure
that our local emergency managers and first responders, and as
we develop this modernization for FirstNet reauthorization,
that there are no barriers to them being able--
Sheriff Adkinson. Yes, ma'am. And, quite frankly, I worry
all the time about these kind of things, whether or not the
system is going down, is it working like it needs to. This is
what keeps me up at night.
Ms. Castor. OK. Mr. Agnew, Florida now is expanding the
number of deployables--the compact rapid deployables and more
towers, but I hear Rep. Cammack say there are parts of our
State that are still struggling.
What is the latest?
Mr. Agnew. There is still more to be done. As you
mentioned, the State of Florida invested in 60 of those compact
rapid deployables. So we have actually developed technology
where first responders can own their own mobile towers, and so
that is how it is happening, so they can self-sustain. There is
more coverage coming.
There were 15 sites built. There are three more sites being
built in your district in the Tampa area. I believe there are
four more coming, Representative Cammack, in your area. There
is a lot more work to be done. That is why we need this network
to continue, because that investment is going to deliver
exactly what you are asking for: more coverage and more
deployables for resiliency in hurricanes and other disasters.
Ms. Castor. So one of the challenges--and I don't know if
this impacts directly on the compact rapid deployables--is just
the widespread loss of power afterwards.
Is AT&T developing the battery backups to go with systems?
I mean, there were so many--they kind of go hand in hand.
Many hospitals and wastewater infrastructure for local
communities, when they lost power for the long term, they
couldn't operate.
Is there the same challenge for communications networks?
Mr. Agnew. Absolutely. Power in hurricanes and in high
winds--power becomes an issue, continuing to harden the network
and invest in----
Ms. Castor. But do you have partnerships on battery----
Mr. Agnew. Yes.
Ms. Castor [continuing]. Kind of the new wave of batteries?
Mr. Agnew. Yes, we do.
Ms. Castor. OK. Could you provide a little more information
on that?
Mr. Agnew. Sure.
Ms. Castor. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
The Chair now recognizes Mr. Goldman for 5 minutes for your
questions.
Mr. Goldman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you very much
for this hearing, and thank you to the panelists for being here
today.
Sheriff, thank you very much for your service. Thank you
for your frankness and directness and your testimony today.
Can you just take us through anecdotally what it was like
before FirstNet was created, any stories you may have, and then
the improvements of FirstNet and where we are today?
Sheriff Adkinson. You know, we talk about--I mean,
obviously, 9/11 is the impetus of this, correct, but I can tell
you I have been through--it was Hurricane Katrina when there
was no ability to talk or where there was so much volume. The
Marjory Stoneman Douglas murders that took place in South
Florida. You have everybody trying to call at one time,
everybody trying to use that.
What happens now with priority and preemption is that those
first responders now have access to this network. The Super
Bowl, you know, is a great example of that where you have a lot
of folks there. You had the shooting in New Orleans around that
same timeframe.
If you look at the number of times that that system was
bounced off--and AT&T can provide that. We have seen those
numbers--we can see who is actually hitting this system and
when they are doing it. But the fact it is not an overlay that
is built for them, assuring that we are going to be able to get
out is critical, absolutely critical.
Because while we talk about natural disaster, which is a
huge thing we worry about, don't forget when you are talking
about the inauguration of the President of the United States,
when you are talking about a Super Bowl and some incident
happens. There might not be a natural disaster, but there is
certainly such a surge in usage right then. This ensures that
our first responders can get out when nobody else can.
Mr. Goldman. Thank you.
Mr. Agnew, I know you spoke about this a little bit earlier
with Mr. Pfluger, my colleague from Texas, but I want to go
back to the central Texas flooding. Can you talk about--and
again, I apologize if you already did that. I was out of the
room for a bit.
But can you talk about--some hurricanes you can plan for.
You know they are coming, and you can be prepared. No one knew
the flooding was going to happen to the level it did in central
Texas.
Can you talk about how you all responded to that and how
you prepare for something like that or then plan for the
future?
Mr. Agnew. Thank you for that question, Congressman. It is
a great question, because you have unplanned events--you have
planned events, like a hurricane, where you can plan a couple
days, and then unplanned events, which just becomes emergent,
and that is exactly what happened with the Texas Hill Country
flooding.
You and your staffer have been to our network disaster
recovery warehouse. You see the arsenal, but there is
intelligence around that where we stage them across the
country. We have an AT&T weather operation center that
nationally monitors so we know when impacts are occurring so we
can respond.
And that is exactly what we did. We responded in force. We
sent the cavalry to the whole country. I had folks on my team
on the ground with first responders directing search and rescue
efforts, ensuring that public safety got the communication they
needed.
There was also a cell tower, a full-blown cell tower built
in 48 hours. It is magic when public safety and
telecommunications gets together what can happen, because there
is no more red tape. It is just execution, and that is what the
Response Operation Group does with public safety.
We recently recognized at an event with our CEO the
employees that actually went down and supported, and they were
tired. They were with public safety multiple days. We had to
swap some out because of just the emotional demand, of course,
of what was going on and what individuals were seeing.
But we learned from those events. We get feedback from
those events. One of the things that we learned from the Texas
Hill Country is the smaller mobile deployables are so important
because it is hard to get in some of those areas. You can't
have a huge truck. So we are actually increasing the amount of
assets we have of smaller deployables.
Mr. Goldman. That was going to be my followup question,
what you learned, so you already answered it.
So with that, Mr. Chairman, thank you. I yield back the
balance of my time.
Thank you all very much for being here.
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
I now recognize Representative Carter for 5 minutes for
your questions.
Mr. Carter of Louisiana. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank
you, Ranking Member, for holding this important hearing. Thank
you all for being here.
As you know, I represent Louisiana's Second Congressional
District, New Orleans. Being the hub of entertainment,
festivals, sporting events, and concerts, the walkability of
our city, the nature of millions of people literally coming in
every year for conventions and sporting events and Mardi Gras,
which we are celebrating as we speak, the importance of
recognizing Mother Nature, who always plays a big role in our
community, of hurricane, floods, considering security of mass
gathering events, that is why public safety technologies and
communications systems like FirstNet are so critical to
protecting the lives and ensuring effective emergency responses
to districts like mine. And I strongly, strongly support
reauthorizing of this program.
Just a few questions.
Mr. Agnew, for those who may not know, can you share with
us why the priority and preemption are critical to protecting
public safety during network congestions at large crowd events
like Mardi Gras, festivals, sporting events, and concerts?
Mr. Agnew. Public safety has to get through. They have to
communicate. If they can't do that, there could be lives at
risk. They could not be responding to the incident that they
need, and that is why we built a dedicated core. It is no
users--consumer users are on that core.
That is why public safety on Band 14 and all of AT&T's
other couple hundred megahertz of spectrum, they get priority
so they can communicate. And that is why we have the largest
network for public safety built by public safety.
Mr. Carter of Louisiana. What are some of the things that
AT&T has learned since you have been doing this, and what can
we do to make it better? What have you learned that made it
good? What are the things that you think it hasn't done?
Mr. Agnew. I think that is a great question. As far as what
we have learned, I mentioned to Congressman Goldman, building
smaller deployables, building form factors for in-building
solutions, building the location capabilities to show where
somebody is in the building. We learned that feedback from
public safety is so important, because when we take that
feedback and deploy a product, it makes it better.
Mr. Carter of Louisiana. Great.
Sheriff, first of all, thank you. I have appreciated your
commentary and the ease with which you have demonstrated your
adroitness in this subject matter.
As a first responder, can you talk about how FirstNet works
in a city like New Orleans in response to emergencies, natural
disasters strike our communities, and equally as important,
share with me, are we big enough?
We know that natural disasters come faster. They stay
longer. They come in places that historically have not--
mudslides and tornados and all of the natural disasters that we
see coming.
Are we big enough? And what do we have to do to maintain
the level of clear channel, as Mr. Agnew mentioned, going
forward?
Sheriff Adkinson. I will speak to New Orleans specifically.
You know, the shooting, the incident with the vehicle about a
year and a half ago, that is a great example where, as first
responders, the usage there was really significant for a burst.
The short period of time as everybody is trying to coordinate
what is going on, the ability for that not to be bogged down in
commercial traffic is absolutely crucial.
And then the reality of what you just said about natural
disasters. There are some things--and I am not going to lie to
you, there are some things that we just sometimes miss or are
unprepared for. Maui, the Maui fires, you know, a volcano. That
was unprecedented. Should we have had more accesses ready to
the outlining island? Yes, full stop. And we are going to have
to continue to try and work and do these--
Mr. Carter of Louisiana. But the very nature of natural
disasters is they don't give you warning, right? So as hard as
you guys work and as much as we appreciate it, natural
disasters don't give a warning, but we can contemplate that
this is going to be around for a long time.
What can we do now in advance of the storm to strengthen
our systems?
Sheriff Adkinson. I think what we are doing, what we can
do, and what we should do is we should continue expanding that.
This is fundamentally the heart of what I think government is
about. I mean, this is providing for the public safety, both of
the citizens and the people--you know, the people that are
providing the service. This is literally a central function of
government, in my eyes.
Mr. Carter of Georgia. And with 31 seconds left, each of
you, real quickly, rapid fire: Sitting before us, tell us what
can we do as Members of Congress to assist you with the
incredible work that you have to do with this reauthorization
and beyond.
Sheriff Adkinson. Reauthorization, first and foremost.
Mr. Dame. Reauthorization.
Mr. Agnew. Reauthorization.
Mr. Carter of Georgia. You made it too easy.
Mr. Chairman, I yield.
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
The Chair recognizes Representative Fedorchak for 5 minutes
for her questions.
Mrs. Fedorchak. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Representative Goldman and I were just talking about how
much we appreciate the effort you all put in to being here. We
were noticing the sheriff's really sharp uniform. Maybe it is
brand new. But we know you have taken a lot of your precious
time and resources to get here and share your expertise, so I
want to share my appreciation for that.
I am from the State of North Dakota. I am the only
Representative there, so I represent the whole State. It is a
big, rural State, and I would say--let's say we have a lot of
weather challenges. We have blizzards. We have fires, grassland
fires. We have tornados, floods, you name it. It is tough for
our first responders because they have to cover a big, huge
area with few resources.
So the communications technology is really, really vital.
So thank you for the work you are putting in to ensure that
those communication networks are as vibrant as possible.
I have a few questions for both the sheriff and Mr. Agnew.
We will start with you, Sheriff. You emphasized that FirstNet
is built by and for public safety and point to the Public
Safety Advisory Committee as a key safeguard.
Can you help me understand, in practice, how does the board
independently validate the public safety needs, and how is
information from the network contractor a part of that, or how
do you find information separate from what they are providing
to you?
Sheriff Adkinson. Sure. It is a little bit of a bifurcated
system in that regard. So you have the Public Safety Advocacy
Committee, right, which is made up of experts all across the
public safety field that meet and represent their individual
disciplines. The Authority board and the Authority members meet
with that Public Safety Advocacy Committee. In fact, it was
supposed to be in Dallas this last week, but weather
notwithstanding caused some problems there. This is something
we do routinely, to meet with them to get this insight and
input.
Additionally, there are field reps from the FirstNet
Authority who reach out based on discipline--maybe it is fire,
maybe it is EMS, maybe it is law enforcement--to meet with
local agencies and entities to understand are we meeting your
objectives.
That is separate from the other part, which is the indices
that we get from AT&T. Are you performing? How much outage do
you have, where it is at? And as I said earlier, we are
developing what we consider, the board, key index performance
measures that are additional that we are trying to say, ``We
need some more information here. We want some more
information.''
Nobody has pushed back on that, but we are working through
a very thoughtful process of things that we think is important
for the public to know. So it is kind of bifurcated.
Mrs. Fedorchak. Got it. And as the advisory, do you have
authority to make your advice--to have them act on it?
Sheriff Adkinson. The board has the authority to act on the
recommendations of the Public Safety Advocacy Committee, yes,
ma'am.
Mrs. Fedorchak. OK. Very good.
Then second, you stressed that reinvestment must remain
disciplined and aligned with mission needs.
How do you ensure that the reinvestment dollars are serving
the first responders' operational needs and not subsidize the
improvements to the underlying commercial network?
Sheriff Adkinson. Well, I think that is at the fundamental
heart of it, right? We are asking where these dollars should be
spent and whether or not they are a good return on investment.
Now, that is fundamentally the responsibility of the board,
quite frankly, and if we find out that it is not doing that,
then we should take appropriate actions. And if you find out
the board isn't doing that, you should remove board members.
Mrs. Fedorchak. Got it.
Mr. Agnew, do you want to speak to that a little bit?
Mr. Agnew. Yes. We provide--and thank you for the question.
We provide the Authority full transparency on our build plans,
where the commercial network is going. So the Authority does
not have to build there. Where the Authority builds is based
off of those feedback from the workshops, based off of the
feedback from public safety in those areas that weren't
identified.
So it brings this powerful public-private partnership
together. We have got this area covered; AT&T is going to do
these areas; FirstNet, you cover these incremental areas. And
that is how we have 200,000 more square miles covered, because
of that partnership.
Mrs. Fedorchak. Got it. All right. And one more followup
question. I have a few seconds. You highlight, Mr. Agnew, that
public safety agencies may choose among FirstNet, Verizon
Frontline, or T-Mobile's T-Priority offerings.
Given that reality, what is the rationale for reinvestment
funding being tied to an infrastructure that only works for
users on one network?
Mr. Agnew. Right. It is important that single network, that
it is secure, that it is interoperable, and it is held
accountable for first responders. And that reinvestment dollars
is going to go into the rural coverage. So we don't recommend
diverting any of those funds that would take away from rural
sites.
For example, 60 new sites were built in your area. You have
got more coming based off of the response. We don't want to see
that impacted. North Dakota needs the coverage.
Mrs. Fedorchak. Very good.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
The Chair recognizes Mr. Landsman for 5 minutes for your
questions.
Mr. Landsman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, all
of you for being here, everything that you have done.
And I want to start with you, Mr. Agnew. The work that you
all have done to expand coverage, particularly as it relates to
these dead zones, the investments that you have made, that
won't result in any additional cost to first responders,
correct?
Mr. Agnew. That is correct.
Mr. Landsman. OK. Thank you.
And this is a question for all of you. Part of, obviously,
what happens here is that when there is an emergency, civilians
get kicked off of Band 14. There is a 20 megahertz threshold on
Band 14 for you all and first responders.
Is that enough? Is there any concern that as we go to
reauthorize, that that number needs to be reevaluated?
I will start with you, Sheriff.
Sheriff Adkinson. I think the main thing is that we
contemplate what is the actual spectrum used as we increase.
Again, through this Internet of Things, data was not
something--video data, for instance, was not something that we
considered a number of years ago. We haven't tapped this
spectrum out, but the reality is whatever is necessary to
maintain the mission critical, that is what it needs to be.
I just don't know that I have a projection on what that is
going to look like 5 to 10 years----
Mr. Landsman. I just think as you guys--as we work through
the reauthorization, to make sure that the language is such
that allows you to do that testing, because as I understand it
the language would limit you to 20 megahertz. And you are
right, things have changed in 20 years and you may use more.
Have you ever come close to using 20 megahertz?
Sheriff Adkinson. I would have to defer. I have not seen
that since I have been onboard.
Mr. Agnew. As far as that question is concerned, so AT&T,
as part of the contract and the commitment to the FirstNet
Authority, Band 14 is utilized, but also all band priority is
provided on the hundreds of megahertz of spectrum for first
responders. So to say it has come close, there is more than
enough spectrum as it stands.
However, needs evolve, right? Sheriff mentioned video and
other technologies that are going to require looking to the
future from a spectrum standpoint, and we can see that
occurring now.
Mr. Landsman. Do we need to adjust the language in the
statute?
Mr. Agnew. I will have to take that back.
Mr. Landsman. Yeah, great. It wasn't a leading question. I
just was curious.
Mr. Dame. If I could add, Congressman. I think under
section 6 of the draft bill, it does address that particular
problem by expanding the definition of the network beyond just
the core and the RAM and includes spectrum bands, and it
reflects reality. As Mr. Agnew mentioned----
Mr. Landsman. Oh, I didn't put two and two--yeah, I do
remember that, but I didn't put that together.
Mr. Dame. Right. And I think that particularly as 5G is
predominant and we move into 6G, FirstNet Authority is going to
need access to other bands that AT&T has available.
Mr. Landsman. So you feel like that covers you?
Mr. Dame. I think having the authority to get access to
those AT&T bands is important----
Mr. Landsman. Yeah, that makes sense.
Mr. Dame [continuing]. And I think this definition does
that, sir.
Mr. Landsman. Last question. Sheriff, 2042, contract is up.
We have made a $15 billion investment as taxpayers. What do we
own?
Sheriff Adkinson. The infrastructure itself, as previously
stated, belongs with AT&T. What we own is essentially a
currency of trust, which says we have built a network that is
what law enforcement officers trust or public safety, first
responders trust. We don't own an infrastructure past that. We
own a concept. We own, again, a situation where this has become
the name, if you will.
I actually am afraid of a day that we look at not having
one provider, because I think there is a risk. I am going to be
honest with you. From my standpoint, I know that we--our job is
to hold AT&T responsible, right? What I never want to happen--
what I never, never want to happen is multiple companies going,
``No, no, it is their fault that this didn't work. They didn't
meet the standard.''
Mr. Landsman. Yeah. No, I agree with that piece. I think,
on behalf of taxpayers, owning more than just the concept and
trust is something that should be discussed, and I suspect AT&T
would be, you know, eager to have that conversation just
because--well, I ran out of time. Sorry. I didn't mean to put
you on the spot, but I think it is important as we work to
reauthorize.
Thank you. I yield back.
Mr. Hudson. Thanks.
I will allow Mr. Agnew to respond if you want to.
Mr. Agnew. No, we can get back. We can get back.
Mr. Hudson. OK. Thank you.
The Chair now recognizes Representative Houchin for 5
minutes for her questions.
Mrs. Houchin. Thank you, Chairman Hudson, Ranking Member
Matsui, and the witnesses for your testimony.
FirstNet exists because on September 11, first responders
ran toward danger with communications that were fragmented,
incompatible, and overwhelmed. Congress created FirstNet to
make sure that never happens again. And since then, FirstNet
has come a long way with the nationwide build-out adoptions
broad, including in my State in Indiana, and the network is
evolving and working on more modernization efforts.
But today's hearing isn't about just patting ourselves on
the back for the good work that we have done to get this far.
It is about ensuring that public safety communications are not
just proven on their best days but their worst days and that
governance and accountability behind the system have to be
equally reliable.
Over the summer, I met with first responders in Ripley
County, Indiana, who spoke directly about why FirstNet matters.
When communications are reliable and interoperable, they can
share information faster, coordinate resources more
effectively, and keep both first responders and the public
safer.
The Ripley County Sheriff's Department has since sent a
letter of support, supporting FirstNet reauthorizations and
emphasizing that FirstNet has been a vital and reliable partner
that improves officer safety and operational effectiveness
during emergencies.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to request unanimous consent to
submit that letter for the record.
Mr. Hudson. Without objection, so ruled.
[The information appears at the conclusion of the hearing.]
Mrs. Houchin. I want to applaud Representatives Dunn and
McClellan for this reauthorization effort as we work to
strengthen the governance, increase public safety, and maybe
hope to futureproof our emergency communications technology.
There have been, I think, some concerns over the future of
FirstNet that I just wanted to particularly ask Mr. Agnew. As
we are working toward this interoperability, FirstNet has done
a great job of this rollout, making sure it is deployed and it
is also widely accepted.
Do you feel--where do you feel we are going in terms of the
next reauthorization? What would put that interoperability at
most risk?
Mr. Agnew. So today, to clarify, the network is
interoperable between other commercial providers. So that has
been established. Where the network is and where it needs to go
is to solve that land mobile radio/walkie-talkie integration,
the legacy public safety networks that were so challenged
during 9/11, which are still in use.
So we have technology. We have certified, validated,
affordable technology in place today. That has got to be taken
to the future. It is time for the next generation, highly
affordable, highly scalable. It should not be hours, it should
not be days for public safety to interoperate when Bloomington
is supporting Indianapolis. It should just happen within
seconds.
So that is the technology that we are deploying. We are
held accountable for that. We signed a commitment to do it. So
you have got this powerful public-private partnership of this
willing technology company that has the skill set and the
authority and oversight of the Government to ensure this
happens, and that is what we signed up for.
We can't fail. We have to do it, and we are going to keep
working until we get it right.
Mrs. Houchin. Thank you.
Sheriff Adkinson, the same kind of question to you: What do
you see are the challenges that we should be paying attention
to in terms of interoperability, making sure that everybody can
communicate with one another moving forward in the next
generation of FirstNet?
Sheriff Adkinson. I think the rate at which things are
changing, the advancements in--what the expectations of the
public is in regard to things like video, in regards to all the
different devices that are required, we need to make sure that
we set standards of what is acceptable and what is the
performance measures that we are trying to get.
You know, we are talking about G. A G is about every 10
years, I think, before they replace them. So we are talking 5,
but really we are starting to think 6, right? And what I don't
want to do is for public safety to fall to the lowest common
denominator. And so I want us to be constantly striving toward
what is the best level of service that we can get provided.
Mrs. Houchin. Thank you.
As I conclude here, I just want to note that FirstNet has
made real progress. The trust in the network does depend on how
things perform under stress, how it is governed when problems
arise. So with the sunset approaching, I look forward to
continuing to work together for ensuring that this network is
resilient and ready for the next generation.
Thank you.
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
The Chair now recognizes Mr. Joyce for 5 minutes for your
questions.
Mr. Joyce. Thank you, Chairman Hudson and Ranking Member
Matsui, for allowing me to enjoin this important hearing.
From the Gettysburg battlefields in Adams County to close
to the Flight 93 Memorial in Somerset County, I am honored to
represent a district that includes expansive rural territories.
Unfortunately, geographic barriers create challenges for law
enforcement and first responders. We saw that during 9/11.
FirstNet's important work to improve public safety across
the entire United States gives law enforcement and first
responders a necessary tool to operate seamlessly during these
times of crisis, and it is essential that the FirstNet network
is built out in a way that prioritizes rural areas that are
underserved and so often overlooked.
More than 2,100 agencies in Pennsylvania representing
thousands of FirstNet connections--this is a district that I
represent, and a new cell tower was unveiled by FirstNet and
AT&T in Huntington County in 2022. I was proud to be there for
that event. This marked an important development in expanding
access to rural broadband infrastructure.
However, over the years it has become difficult and
increasingly clear that FirstNet's ability to share the
tracking of FirstNet's build-out and the progress has been not
very transparent to many of those of us who are concerned about
that. And as we know, the contract between AT&T and the Federal
Government that determines the milestones for rural build-out
is a private one. The build-out date itself is also private.
Congress must exercise oversight of FirstNet to ensure that
complete and timely build-out is taking place, especially in
rural areas that need coverage desperately.
Mr. Agnew, can you describe the rural build-out milestones
that FirstNet adheres to?
Mr. Agnew. We are required to build out a 15 percent
increase in rural build-out. We built out--we partnered with
dozens of rural providers and built over 2,000 sites. We
continue to partner with those rural providers to continue to
expand.
Just to kind of take you through a journey. When the
network was launched in 2017, the network coverage was 2.5
million square miles. As in my testimony, I said it is nearly 3
million square miles. That is a half million square miles, two
sizes of Texas. Majority of that deployment has been in the
rural areas.
Now, there is still more to go, and with the investment----
Mr. Joyce. How can we track where that build-out in rural
areas has----
Mr. Agnew. Great question. That is a great question. So
during the coverage workshops, it exposes where the network has
gone and where the network is going. We also worked
individually with each agency to expose that and see exactly
where the build plan is, as well as they have their network
status tool that they can look realtime at any moment to see
where their network is going.
Mr. Joyce. Mr. Dame, earlier in this hearing it was stated
that NTIA has made the FirstNet contract available to this
subcommittee. The contract has, unfortunately, been difficult
to retrieve.
Can you commit to sending the FirstNet contract to this
subcommittee by the end of next week, Friday, February 13?
Mr. Dame. Yes.
Mr. Joyce. Thank you.
It is essential that Congress reauthorizes FirstNet's
authority prior to its expiration. The future of public safety
depends on it. The rural communities that I represent depend on
it.
As we evaluate how to move forward, we must do so with
transparency. We must do so with accountability and oversight
at the forefront. We must be able to see the data to make sure
that our rural communities are being prioritized in FirstNet's
build-out and that the real milestones in the contract are both
adequate and being adhered to.
Again, I thank you, Chairman Hudson, for allowing me to
participate in this hearing, and I yield the remainder of my
time.
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
And the Chair now recognizes Mr. Kean for 5 minutes for
your questions.
Mr. Kean. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to our
witnesses for being here today. And thanks as well to those who
are here in uniform for your extraordinary public service.
This hearing is an important opportunity to examine the
FirstNet framework and build on a successful industry standard
model to ensure dynamic, reliable, and forward-looking public
safety communications over the course of the next decade.
I agree with many of the statements that have already been
made about the importance of clarity, precision, and robust
oversight in FirstNet. Nothing less will suffice for our first
responders and the challenges that they face daily.
I am committed to continue to work to ensure that first
responders have a seat at the table by ensuring access to
cutting-edge preempted communication, by reauthorizing
FirstNet, or by ensuring that their existing systems remain
accessible, interoperable, and reliable for as long as they are
needed.
Reauthorizing FirstNet is an important step in continuing
to fully implement lessons learned from the past so the
tragedies of 9/11 that impacted so many families in New Jersey,
impacted so many families across this country, will never, ever
happen again.
Sheriff Adkinson, what do you think is the right metric for
determining whether FirstNet is fulfilling its statutory
mandate, and, if needed, how can Congress improve
accountability to fulfilling this mandate in a reauthorization?
Sheriff Adkinson. I think my take on this is there needs to
be these indices that show a continued level of build-out and
coverage enhancement each year. I think that should be provided
in a manner that is readily available to Congress in a manner
that you can see what has been built, where they are at, and I
think it should be provided by the Authority on that basis.
Those are things that we have. Those are things that we can
do. I think we need to set what are realistic expectations
about when and how rural build-out should happen so that you
know in advance. I think that is part of the problem, from my
standpoint, is you have heard various Members today say, ``Hey,
my constituents, my district, where are we at?''
I don't always know 2 and 3 years in the future, but we
certainly have some idea what is coming next. Let's be open
about that. Let's be realistic about that and set expectations
that the public can understand. Let's be transparent about it.
Mr. Kean. Mr. Agnew, how well would you say that FirstNet
has done in making sure decisions are driven by first
responders themselves, and is there room for improvement?
Mr. Agnew. There is always room for improvement. It is
public safety's network. It has to continue to improve over the
next 18, 17 years. It has to improve in coverage. It has to
improve the amount of deployables. It has to improve the
response times. It has to improve the technology.
That is not to say it hasn't been successful. It just has
to keep getting better for public safety. It has to operate
like public safety. Every event they go to, they get better.
This network will get better.
Mr. Kean. Thank you.
Mr. Dame, I will pose a similar question to you as I did to
the sheriff: What lessons have we learned since FirstNet's
inception, and what can we best use to improve organization,
accountability so that FirstNet is providing the best service
possible?
Mr. Dame. Thank you, Congressman. I think, at a minimum,
Congress needs to seriously reauthorize FirstNet. As we have
all learned, the market did not serve public safety responders
before FirstNet. There is now a very competitive market.
Reauthorization would resolve that.
I think in terms of the metrics that you asked the sheriff
for the network, I think the availability of the network and
the performance of the network are two areas that really should
be monitored closely.
Mr. Kean. And as a followup, how can we best integrate the
newest communications technology into the FirstNet program, and
what are some examples of technologies that can be integrated
in the future?
Mr. Dame. I mean, I think with future generations of
technology, artificial intelligence, we are going to see
unbelievable capabilities for first responders.
Mr. Kean. Thank you.
And then the final question with Mr. Agnew: When we talk
about interoperability, what options are available to first
responders for interoperability with their existing hardware,
including land mobile radios?
Mr. Agnew. So, currently, commercial networks are
interoperable with FirstNet. We have technology that allows for
land mobile radio. We can provide you a much more in-depth
discussion of exactly what the hardware is, but with Fusion and
Fusion Link, it is going to take that hardware-based
technology, put it in the cloud, make it so much easier to
implement.
Mr. Kean. OK. Thank you all for being here and as well for
your public service and dedication to all of our fellow
Americans.
I yield back.
Mr. Hudson. Thank you.
Seeing there are no further Members wishing to be
recognized, I would like to thank our witnesses for your
excellent testimony today. I think it will be extremely helpful
to the committee moving forward.
I remind Members they have 10 business days to submit
questions for the record, and I ask the witnesses to respond to
those questions promptly. Members should submit their questions
by the close of business on February 18, 2026.
Without objection, the subcommittee stands adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 1:14 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]
[Material submitted for inclusion in the record follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
[all]