It is appropriate that we hear from all five members of the Federal Communications Commission today on the eve of Superbowl Sunday, since it was the 2004 Super Bowl and its now infamous halftime show that last brought us together. A lot has happened since that hearing, and the Committee appreciates the willingness of the Commission to speak with us today about the state of the communications industry and what we must do as a nation to ensure that the benefits of new communications technologies are shared by all Americans, regardless of income or geography.

            The Commission is charged with acting in the “public interest.”  It is an important mandate, and we look forward to participating in discussions with the Commission as to how we can advance this goal.

            In three years we have seen the mergers of the two largest Bell companies with the two largest long-distance companies.  This was immediately followed by AT&T’s acquisition of BellSouth.  Meanwhile, technology has fueled change, and single-purpose networks have given way to new multi-purpose platforms that can support all measures of applications and services, including voice, video, and email services.

            But the communications revolution does not come without risk.  As public servants, both here in Congress and on the Commission, we must be vigilant in our oversight to ensure that the communications industry evolves in a manner that does not harm consumers.

            Consumers must have confidence that dialing 911 means getting emergency help whether that call is made over a traditional phone line, a wireless phone, or a Voice-over-Internet-Protocol service.  They must be confident that their private, personal information will be protected from abuse.  Further, consumers should be assured of evenhandedness from network operators so that consumers reap the full benefits of competition.

            We must encourage continued innovation in this industry.  I am troubled that other countries are leapfrogging the United States in the deployment of broadband access.  As policymakers, we must ask ourselves whether companies have the right incentives to invest in this technology, and what we can do to keep the United States competitive with the rest of the world.

            While private industry has brought to the marketplace many wonderful innovations that improve our lives at work and home, I want to be certain that the FCC has the tools it needs to carry out its mission of protecting the public interest and consumers.