Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, today made the following remarks at the Committee’s nomination hearing for Federal Communications Committee (FCC) nominees Ajit Pai and Jessica Rosenworcel:

“Thank you Mr. Chairman and I am thankful that we are finally going to be able to fill the two open seats on the FCC and I think that both of the nominees have the required experience. I will say sometimes nominees come before us and for a variety of reasons they have been nominated, but I have never seen two who have the requisite experience  that these two both have on the FCC and on the Senate staffs, understanding the processes of the Senate as well as the FCC processes, so that goes a long ways.

“There’s no question that we have some philosophical differences, certainly, with Ms. Rosenworcel, my differences with the Chairman, as well, ON the subject of net neutrality, but also we’ve had some common experiences on the spectrum issue, which I’m pleased to say Mr. Chairman, I think we are going to be able to have the wireless broadband bill that we have worked so hard for because it seems now that the House is going to value what public safety needs and I think that’s a great thing and in large measure due to you and the nominee today. And so, I am appreciative of that philosophy that we do share.

“I do want to say that I have had disagreements with the FCC on the amount of regulation that they are doing. I believe if the communication laws fall short in addressing policy issues, it’s the responsibility of Congress to update the laws and not the FCC’s job to contort outdated statutes to fit the Commission’s desire to impose new regulations.

“I think the overregulation that we are seeing is going to stifle innovation in the most dynamic sector of our economy today, which is the technology sector.

“So, I am going to watch closely, but I certainly appreciate the professionalism and the experience that we have in our nominees and I am certainly looking forward to working with them going forward in the future.

 “Thank you Mr. Chairman.”