House Commerce Republicans Reject Efforts to Expand Broadband Affordability

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27, 2025 – House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans blocked efforts to expand Congressional oversight of broadband affordability and the Federal Communications Commission, during a contentious 12-hour markup session Tuesday.

The committee voted to approve its two-year oversight plan, outlining its legislative priorities in the months ahead. In doing so, it rejected multiple Democratic amendments that would have increased scrutiny of broadband costs and FCC actions under chairman Brendan Carr.

The proposal that broadband affordability be included in the committee’s oversight priorities was pushed forward by Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif.

“Unfortunately, this committee's oversight plan only prioritizes broadband availability. This is short sighted, and risks leaving many Americans behind,” Matsui said. “My amendment would ensure we also prioritize broadband affordability.”

Republicans, led by Rep. Rick Allen, R-Ga., opposed the measure, arguing that affordability programs already exist under the Universal Service Fund and that previous Democratic-led initiatives, such as the Affordable Connectivity Program, had been allowed to lapse under the previous administration. Matsui’s amendment ultimately failed on a 27-22 vote.

Amending to curb FCC broadcast investigations failed

Another Democratic amendment, introduced by Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-Va., called for increased Congressional scrutiny of FCC chairman Carr’s recent efforts to investigate broadcast networks, including reviving dismissed cases against ABC, CBS, and NBC.

The amendment specifically would have expanded the committee’s scrutiny to include investigating “any instances in which the [FCC] or its officers, employees, or agents engages in or facilitates censorship or otherwise interferes with” freedom of speech.

“Under chairman Carr's leadership, the FCC has exceeded this authority to undermine press freedom by reviving rightfully dismissed cases against ABC, CBS and NBC without new evidence,” McClellan said. 

Carr has “target[ed] public broadcasters with baseless allegations, threaten[ed] to revoke broadcast licenses based on the content of the newscast, and launch[ed] investigations into local radio stations for daring to report on ICE activity,” McClellan went on.

Carr’s “actions are not only an abuse of power,” McClellan said. “They are an affront to the First Amendment, and they also fall well outside of the FCC jurisdiction.” The actions “directly violate the Communications Act, which explicitly prohibits the FCC from censoring broadcast material or interfering with free expression,” she said. 

“I urge support of this amendment so that we know there will be no weaponization of a federal agency regulating broadcast entities to control or suppress,” she said.

Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, defended Carr’s investigations into media bias: “The First Amendment extends into this world of suppression,” Pfluger said. The amendment failed on a 29-19 vote.

Other Democratic amendments rejected

In addition to amendments to expand committee scrutiny over broadband affordability and FCC censorship, Republicans rejected other Democratic amendments, including:

• A proposal from Rep. Darren Soto, D-Fla., to prevent mass layoffs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, citing its role in semiconductor manufacturing under the CHIPS Act. The amendment failed 28-22.
• An amendment from Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., to expand oversight of social media and e-commerce companies' role in spreading misinformation, scams, fraud and extremism. The amendment failed 28-21.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over the FCC, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, spectrum management, availability of broadband internet, and public safety communications. 

Its jurisdiction also spans health care, environmental protection, energy policy, food and drug safety, and interstate and foreign commerce.