▶ 0:18:06For an opening statement. Good afternoon, and welcome to today's subcommittee hearing on recent developments in the space industry. While a lot of focus on space in recent weeks has been on nasa and the artemis two mission around the moon, what people may not know is the federal communications commission also plays a key role in space. The spectrum that commercial satellites and other spacecraft use to communicate with each other and back to earth is regulated and licensed by the fcc.
▶ 0:18:34Fcc also coordinates with the international telecommunications union, which manages global orbital assignments. That means the house committee on energy and commerce, the best committee in congress, obviously has jurisdiction over the space economy. The satellite industry has been in a period of robust growth and innovation over the last decade, and us companies are leading the way.
▶ 0:18:58While we have long relied on satellite technology for gps and key services supporting functions of the us government, satellite technology is playing an increasingly important role in our communications infrastructure. Satellites are helping us close the digital divide by providing broadband and other critical services in remote locations.
▶ 0:19:18In fact, these next generation satellite networks provide broadband at speeds and latency that rivals other forms of broadband service, connecting americans who were previously unserved and underserved. Satellite based services have also been transformational for our first responders when they need reliable communications the most. In my home state of north carolina, when hurricane helene devastated terrestrial based infrastructure, satellite was able to bridge the gap and keep first responders connected.
▶ 0:19:50Satellite based services will also continue to impact other industries, including precision agriculture, maritime, aviation, logistics and supply chains, energy mining operations since our last subcommittee event dedicated to this topic a few years ago. New partnerships have been announced between satellite operators and mobile carriers to help bolster cellular coverage.
▶ 0:20:12We're also hearing more about space based enterprise communication services and orbital, orbital or orbital data centers. Um, who knows what other developments may be on the horizon? Demand for these services has resulted in the deployment of thousands of new satellites in recent years, and while work is ongoing at the fcc to update their rules for the 21st century, it is essential our committee continues to be part of that conversation.
▶ 0:20:41Today, we will hear from a variety of representatives of the industry about how the industry has evolved and lingering challenges that need to be addressed to ensure the us continues to lead, including today's hearing is the legislative text for chairman guthrie and ranking member pallone. Satellite and telecommunications streamlining act.
▶ 0:21:01This legislation is aimed at streamlining licensing of space based communication services, providing more certainty for operators of these systems and ultimately securing us leadership in satellite communications technology. For many years to come. Thank you to our witnesses for being here today. I'm very much looking forward to our discussion, and I now recognize the ranking member, the gentlelady from california, for her opening statement. >> thank you very much, Mr. chairman.
▶ 0:21:31I want to thank the witnesses for being here today. I'm glad we're holding this hearing on the satellite streamlining act. This is an important conversation because satellites are no longer some niche part of our telecommunications ecosystem. They're becoming a significant way of americans connecting and how businesses operate as innovation and satellite marketplace continues to accelerate. Our policies need to keep pace.
▶ 0:21:54That's especially true when it comes to the federal communications commission's licensing process, which reviews applications to operate satellite systems. If he wants the united states to remain a global leader in communications technology, we need a process that is modern, predictable and efficient. We cannot let outdated processes delay technologies that can help people in their daily lives, because the reality is the satellite landscape looks very different today than it did just a few years ago.
▶ 0:22:24In the beginning of 2020, the us had around 1000 satellites in orbit by 2023. When we passed an earlier version of this bill out of committee, the us had around 4500 satellites. Today, we have over 11,000 satellites. The sheer scale of this growth is staggering and shows why we need to help our agencies modernize to address this demand.
▶ 0:22:51To bring this back down to earth in the sacramento region, uc davis is experimenting with innovative satellite projects. They were able to launch their first satellite last year, and they did it all from design to launch in an unprecedented 13 months.
▶ 0:23:07When most satellite timelines are measured in a span of years for ambitious feats like uc davis to become commonplace, we need a timely and predictable federal process that allows more projects to move on this quickly. That's why bills like this matter. At its core, the satellite streamlining act is about making sure the federal process keeps pace with today's reality.
▶ 0:23:33It's about improving efficiency, reducing unnecessary delay, and giving innovators a clearer path to move from idea to deployment. That kind of streamlining can make a real difference, because now when we talk about satellite policy, we're talking about whether families can get online. We're talking about whether businesses in hard to reach areas can compete, and whether patients can access telehealth.
▶ 0:23:59For many communities, especially rural ones, connectivity still isn't guaranteed. But modernization must be more than just speed for speed's sake. My goal is a licensing process that is more efficient and predictable, while still preserving the fcc's ability to ask tough questions, rely on expert judgment, and give additional scrutiny when a proposal truly warrants it.
▶ 0:24:23We must also ensure that states can continue to enforce important affordability and consumer protections for satellite broadband services. If we get this right, we can support innovation, strengthen connectivity and make sure the process is delivering real results for the american people. That's the balance we should be aiming for, and I'm encouraged that this continues to be an area of bipartisan interest.
▶ 0:24:48I look forward to hearing from witnesses on how we can improve the process and to make sure our licensing framework is delivering for the communities that need it the most. And with that, I yield back. >> thank you. I now recognize the chairman of the full committee, the gentleman from kentucky, for five minutes for his opening statement. >> thank you, chairman hudson, and thank you, ranking ranking member matsui for holding this important hearing.
▶ 0:25:13And the us satellite industry has undergone a period of robust growth over the last decade, and companies continue to innovate. While the satellite industry has long provided essential services, we are increasingly relying on satellite based services to help those who help those who need to close the digital divide and offer support in moments of crisis.
▶ 0:25:33We're also seeing new partnerships between satellite operators and mobile carriers, as emerged to provide direct to device services to help improve coverage in communities that were previously unserved. Today, we are considering the streamline act, which would update the federal communications commission's licensing rules for space. I want to thank ranking member pallone for agreeing to work with me on this legislation.
▶ 0:25:58Since the sat streamlining act was originally introduced by this committee a few short years ago. A lot has changed. This is just the beginning of the conversation, and I want to thank ranking member for his commitment to work on this bill in a bipartisan fashion. We want to engage with industry and government stakeholders alike to make sure we get those reforms right, and that our efforts to modernize, reflect and modernize reflect the current and future technological landscape and the challenges impacting space.
▶ 0:26:30This is an imperative national security issue that will help us maintain our competitive edge against adversaries like the people's republic of china. Mr. chairman, I yield back. >> thank you, chairman. I now recognize the gentleman from florida who will be providing an opening statement on behalf of the ranking member, Mr. pallone. Uh, representative soto, you're recognized for five minutes. >> thank you. Chairman.
▶ 0:26:53This committee has a long tradition of working in a bipartisan fashion to enhance technological innovation in this country. In today's hearing marks the start of another important endeavor as we begin exploring the next frontier of commercial space industry. We know that for a fact. In central florida, with over 104 launches last year by nasa, space x, ula, blue origin and more.
▶ 0:27:19Most of those were telecommunications satellite missions, and so the stakes could not be higher for american space innovation. I saw firsthand with the recent artemis two mission, where several space companies partnered with nasa to ensure the crew had a successful mission around the moon. Uh, the first moon mission for most of us in our lifetimes.
▶ 0:27:42Um, and to make sure we have significant advancements in the ability of satellites to provide broadband and other critical services to american consumers. And of course, spacex is top of mind. While these developments are beneficial for many reasons, advancements in satellite communications are especially helpful for those living in areas where other types of technologies haven't been built yet due to geographic considerations and other factors, like in our rural areas.
▶ 0:28:11I expect consumers to rely on satellite technology even more in the years to come, as wireless carriers and phone manufacturers continue to add this capability to their networks and devices. Fortunately, with this technology, mobile consumers can rest assured that if they find themselves in an area without service, whether it is because of a lack of coverage, the result of a natural disaster, or some other reason, they will continue to have the ability to reach first responders and loved ones during their times of need.
▶ 0:28:42This is especially important for consumers as they have come to depend upon, upon mobile connectivity, to receive emergency alerts with life saving information. This additional layer of protection is a welcome sign, given that the climate crisis is causing more frequent and severe disasters, especially in my home state of florida. Resilient communications networks can be the difference between life and death.
▶ 0:29:08When the unexpected strikes and satellite systems will be crucial in helping consumers navigate through these challenging moments. There is no doubt that satellites have an important role to play in keeping america safe and secure. So I am glad that we are considering hr 8255. The satellite and telecommunications streamlining act today, a bipartisan bill by chair guthrie and ranking member pallone introduced last week.
▶ 0:29:37This legislation would streamline the satellite licensing process at the federal communications commission for certain satellite applications. It responds to the increase in applications for innovative space systems that are being filed with the fcc to ensure that these systems are built and licensed in the united states. We must have a reasonable and balanced approach to evaluate them, and this legislation provides an important framework for achieving this.
▶ 0:30:04By simplifying the satellite licensing process, the sat act will accelerate innovation and strengthen the competitiveness of the united states satellite industry on the global stage. And this is imperative because other countries, including our foreign adversaries, are making aggressive moves to dominate the industry. In fact, over the last several years, china's presence in space has grown over 600%.
▶ 0:30:27Quite simply, failing to ensure that the united states remains a market leader in this sector risks our nation falling behind. Our counterparts across the globe, including china, and producing cutting edge consumer innovations and fortifying our public safety and national security capabilities.
▶ 0:30:48Therefore, I am glad that we have agreed on a bipartisan basis to legislation that will make sure that the american public safely benefits from the space and satellite advancements of today and tomorrow, and I look forward to hearing feedback from today's witnesses and other stakeholders.
▶ 0:31:04And we are determined to continue to work with chairman guthrie and other members of this committee to make any necessary edits to the sat act so that we can ensure the united states leads the rest of the world in satellite communications industry, because time is certainly of the essence. It's clear we have a lot to discuss this afternoon. I welcome our witnesses and yield back the remainder of our time. >> thank you gentlemen. We have now concluded with member opening statements.
▶ 0:31:28The chair reminds members that pursuant to the committee rules, all members opening statements will be made part of the record. We'd like to thank our witnesses for being here today to testify before the subcommittee. Our witnesses will have five minutes each to provide an opening statement, which will be followed by a round of questions from members of the committee. The witnesses here before us today are Mr. tom straub, president, satellite industry association.
▶ 0:31:55Miss kara levin, azocar, vice president of regulatory and public policy, iridium communications. And Mr. shiva goyal, partner, wally ryan. And we appreciate all of you for being here making the time. Um, Mr. straub, you are recognized for five minutes. >> chairman hudson, ranking member matsui, chairman guthrie, distinguished members of the subcommittee, thank you for inviting me to testify before you today.
▶ 0:32:23I'm tom straub, the president of the satellite industry association. Satellites are the backbone of modern society. We rely on them for communications, position, navigation and timing, and remote sensing. Across the globe, satellites provide critical services to hundreds of millions of americans and billions of people around the world every day.
▶ 0:32:44With over 14,000 active satellites on orbit today and plans for tens of thousands more through the end of the decade, we had a time of tremendous innovation and growth in the industry. The scale of this growth over the past decade is without precedent in the history of communications, and it is precisely why congressional attention to licensing modernization is so timely and important.
▶ 0:33:09The number of satellites in orbit has grown almost tenfold in the last ten years, and looking ahead, the pace of growth is set to accelerate further. Operators have announced plans to deploy over 40,000 additional satellites in the next four years. In addition, applications have been filed at the fcc for data centers in space for upwards of a million or more satellites. This unprecedented growth is why the regulatory framework governing this industry must keep pace.
▶ 0:33:40The current licensing regime was not designed for a world in which thousands of satellites are launched in a single year, and constellations are replenished on multi-year cycles. Sia applauds the fcc's creation of the space bureau to provide additional resources and focus on our industry, as well as its ongoing space modernization for the 21st century proceeding, which proposes to replace the legacy satellite rules with a new framework.
▶ 0:34:07Congress can reinforce this progress by signaling, signaling its expectation that the fcc finalized the framework that is faster, more predictable, and technology neutral. As the number of satellites in orbit has grown dramatically, so too is the importance of coordinating the safe operation of these satellites and managing the shared environment of low earth orbit.
▶ 0:34:29The office of space commerce within the department of commerce is playing an increasingly vital role through its work to develop a civil space, situational awareness capability and space traffic management coordination framework for the united states. Sia strongly supports the office of space commerce's mission and encourages congress to ensure it has the resources and authorities it needs to fulfill its responsibilities.
▶ 0:34:56While the us has long led the space sector, china is closing the gap with similar investments in space technologies that will challenge our national security community while also undermining democracy around the globe. China is now actively deploying two major leo broadband constellations that will offer services to developing nations and chinese allies at below market or subsidized rates.
▶ 0:35:20It is critical critical for congress to support continued domestic innovation and to avoid regulations that put U.S. providers on an unequal playing field internationally. Sia's members are dedicated to advancing national interests, including the competitiveness of satellite companies in the us and globally, and driving progress for the benefit of all americans. In furtherance of these goals, we have five priorities.
▶ 0:35:46First, promote american space innovation through streamlined regulations without unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy. Second, lead standards development internationally with wrc 27 preparations now underway and 80% of the agenda addressing space services and technologies. The stakes could not be higher.
▶ 0:36:09Sia urges congress to ensure the fcc and executive branch agencies have the resources and direction needed to present a unified pro-innovation position at wrc 27. Third, advance responsible space traffic coordination and advocate for the adoption of similar policies internationally. The office of space commerce has worked to develop a modern space traffic coordination framework, deserves robust congressional support.
▶ 0:36:35Fourth, streamline space system procurement for greater efficiency in government acquisition and finally spur development and investment through access to sufficient spectrum resources. The us should ensure sufficient spectrum allocations are available domestically and internationally to support innovative and rapidly growing commercial satellite operations. I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you today on behalf of the satellite industry, and I look forward to your questions. >> thank you, miss azocar.
▶ 0:37:06You're recognized for five minutes for your opening statement. >> chairman hudson, ranking member matsui, chairman guthrie, ranking member pallone, and distinguished members of the subcommittee, thank you for inviting me to testify today about the vibrant space marketplace and the sat streamlining act. My name is carol azocar, and I am the vice president of regulatory and public policy for iridium.
▶ 0:37:29For decades, iridium has been a leading american founded and american based mass communications provider, now serving roughly 2.5 million subscribers, including the us government, individuals and private entities around the world. Iridium's us license. Second generation constellation of 66 non-geostationary orbit satellites provide services in the l-band. Includes ka band feeder links and satellite to satellite cross links.
▶ 0:37:59Iridium's ubiquitous network provides reliable, weather resilient communication services including safety of life, aviation, maritime and other services to areas where terrestrial, wireless or wireline networks do not exist or are limited. With our reliable portable coverage, we connect people, organizations, and assets to, to and from anywhere in real time, including in areas where terrestrial based services have been damaged due to natural disasters.
▶ 0:38:25Iridium offers all of these capabilities with less than nine megahertz of l-band userlink spectrum. Iridium continues to expand by developing new and innovative uses for our network and the next generation of networks to come. For example, iridium and tn direct is our new 3g standards based narrowband internet of things and direct to a service that is set to debut later this year. It will extend the reach of cellular carriers to the entire planet, unlike any other network.
▶ 0:38:53Off the shelf cellular devices will connect to iridium's low earth orbit constellation, providing a standardized solution offering sms and iot functionality. Iridium also offers the first truly global low earth orbit position, navigation and timing, or pa solution, providing exceptional reliability and high security with a signal strength that is 1000 times stronger than gps.
▶ 0:39:19This service is protecting critical infrastructure globally today against gps jamming, spoofing and timing disruption. Commercial launch of iridium's revolutionary asic chip is imminent, further enabling support of resilient primary or backup pa capabilities in an ultra compact chip that can be easily embedded in gps dependent devices.
▶ 0:39:40As a global leader in the space industry, iridium appreciates the role of us global leadership in space race 2.0 and welcomes the increasingly competitive space marketplace to ensure that the satellite industry continues its rapid development of new and more robust offerings. It is essential that laws and regulations facilitate the evolutionary and revolutionary growth of the space industry, not inhibit it. Space is a bipartisan issue.
▶ 0:40:05The previous administration created the fcc space bureau and initiated satellite streamlining initiatives. Now, under the leadership of chairman carr, the space bureau has moved to reduce backlog and develop a comprehensive space modernization proposal. Iridium supports these initiatives, prioritizing reforms through legislation will further ensure that future fcc administrations remain focused on rapid, carefully crafted decisions that will drive U.S. leadership in the evolving global space economy.
▶ 0:40:33Consistent with these views, there are several core priorities that this subcommittee and the fcc should emphasize to fuel competition and advancement in the us space economy. First, ensure that critical mobile satellite services or sms are protected from harmful interference. This requires clear technical protections, coordination obligations, and enforceable compliance mechanisms that preserve high levels of service, reliability and continuity. Second, free up additional mass spectrum where feasible and drive more efficient use of existing mss allocations.
▶ 0:41:03This should be done through technology neutral rules, modernize service and technical requirements, and streamlined licensing to foster competition, enhance capacity and improve end user outcomes. Third, promote future access to satellite spectrum via transparent, predictable rules based processes.
▶ 0:41:21Fcc should fully evaluate the merits of applications while still providing process certainty and reliability for all operators, and finally encourage innovation in alternative pnt solutions across all use cases. Market based mechanisms that prioritize resilience, redundancy, and rapid adoption of new technologies are essential, especially where such use cases implicate national security and public safety objectives.
▶ 0:41:44With these priorities in mind, iridium supports congress's efforts to modernize space and earth station licensing to unlock american ingenuity and capabilities essential to the. To this effort is ensuring that any change in fcc rules adequately protects operators like iridium that are already providing valuable services to the american public and to federal stakeholders. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I look forward to your questions. >> thank you. Mr. you will you'll recognize for five minutes for an opening statement.
▶ 0:42:15>> thank you, Mr. chairman. Chairman guthrie, ranking member pallone, chairman hudson, ranking member matsui, distinguished members of the subcommittee. My name is shiva goyal and I'm a partner at wiley rein. Thank you for the opportunity to share my perspectives on this, and thank you to my fellow witnesses as well for their thoughtful input.
▶ 0:42:33As a former ntia spectrum official and fcc advisor, and as a lawyer who has helped companies big and small navigate this approval process, I've been following the effort to modernize and streamline commercial space licensing for years, and with great interest.
▶ 0:42:50I strongly believe that what started out as a good government effort to unlock innovation and connect the unconnected has, over time, taken on even greater strategic importance and has now become a policy imperative that is nothing short of essential to our nation's success. Recent developments suggest that the golden era we thought had just started in commercial space is poised for yet another rebirth. I won't repeat what you've heard from, uh, miss Mr.
▶ 0:43:17And miss azocar about the tremendous things going on in the space industry, but it should suffice to say that we're seeing limits being pushed across the board, whether that's in broadband, direct to device, orbital servicing, optical earth observation, and many more areas.
▶ 0:43:36And we're seeing capabilities grow not just on payloads, but also on the bus, supporting broader power size and mass ranges, which creates more opportunities for broader variety of missions to get done. At the same time, launch capacity is expanding. So all of this can actually go up. And if you look at the markets, you'll see participation from a broader and mature, more mature base of investors as well.
▶ 0:44:04These are all tremendously positive signs, but none of this growth is guaranteed. And to reach our potential, government has to move as fast as the innovators it oversees. My concern is that at the rate that they're moving, failing to keep up won't just create a bottleneck. It will impose a structural constraint on our ability to compete and secure ourselves in a new space era. The fcc has been working tirelessly and across administrations to solve this problem, and its leadership and staff.
▶ 0:44:34Dedication, in my view, has been extraordinary. So has this committee's steadfast focus on legislation. Regulatory reforms and legislation can work hand in hand with the fcc addressing specifics and root causes in congress, building lasting expectations and accountability in a way that industry will trust. As we look ahead, I think there are three principles that should guide our reforms. First, we have to recognize that long licensing timelines cost us much more than we think.
▶ 0:45:03We tend to measure the cost of regulatory delay in terms of extra capital burned, and maybe even a missed launch window. As intolerable as those costs may be, they pale in comparison to the losses we never see. The breakthroughs never attempted. The companies never formed the architectures never designed because the regulatory risks and timelines prevented the economics from penciling in. The fact is, the more time a company has to budget for licensing, the less time and resources it has to innovate. And the way these timelines work in practice.
▶ 0:45:33If you can make a licensing practice, take half as long, you can easily double or triple the amount of time people have left to build and iterate and improve what they're doing, all while reducing uncertainty and risk. We can't afford not to act on improvements. The prc is prioritizing space as a domain of strategic competition, with absolutely no daylight between what they're doing commercially and their national security capabilities.
▶ 0:46:01China doesn't make companies wait years for a license. And if we're serious about maintaining leadership, nor should we. Second, while speed is important, licensing efficiency is not the same thing as a rubber stamp. Space is and always has been a shared commitment. If we want to attract continued investment, we can't just compress the timeline. We have to reach the right result in the end. So we need to leave room for careful technical review, especially in challenging cases as we reform.
▶ 0:46:33Finally, efficient and effective ntia coordination is essential to modern space licensing. As this body knows, ntia coordinates commercial requests for spectrum access with federal agencies that use the same or nearby spectrum. That job has always been important. It's becoming even more so with the growth that we're seeing. For years, space innovators have relied on s-band and x-band frequencies that are heavily used by federal agencies, and we're seeing greater interest in sharing with the feds in higher frequencies as well.
▶ 0:47:02At the same time, the us government continues to transition from owning and operating its assets to buying services commercially, which could lead to even more commercial interest in using federal bands. A predictable, efficient framework that expands access and protects federal interests is critical. Thank you again for allowing me to share my thoughts with you, and I look forward to your questions. >> thank you. We'll now begin questions, and I'll recognize myself for five minutes to ask my questions.
▶ 0:47:31Um, I am proud to represent fort bragg. Call it the home of the airborne and special forces. Largest army base in the world. Um, miss azucar, you mentioned national security interest in your testimony. Can you talk about why it's so important to us? Has a robust commercial satellite industry, and how does that impact our warfighters and enhance our national security? Is your mic on? I'm not sure. Better. That's better.
▶ 0:48:00>> thank you for that question, chairman. Apologies for that. Um, iridium is a proud partner of the us government. The us government business, uh, has been a cornerstone of iridium's business from the very beginning. And the way that we view it is that our commercial business and our government business go hand in hand. The innovations that occur in our commercial business can be used in our government business, and the innovations that occur in our government business can be used in our commercial business.
▶ 0:48:26That has enabled us to grow as a company and to participate in a variety of different missions, including. Recently, iridium was used on the artemis mission, which was very exciting for us in a summer labs device that was used. Um, we also partner with sdi and we do their operations and integration. And that has been an expansion based on our experience as a satellite operator for over 25 years.
▶ 0:48:48We see our national security mission growing and the solutions that we can provide as growing, and we look forward to partnering with the federal government in that effort. >> great. Thank you for that. Um, so the, the guthrie paulam version of the sat streamlining act pairs shot clocks with a provision allowing for tolling of applications and modification requests in certain circumstances.
▶ 0:49:13Um, miss azocar, what is the value of tolling and how can it be constructive and provide uncertainty in the licensing process, while also effectively dealing with the challenges that may arise, such as coordination challenges?
▶ 0:49:30>> a key piece of satellite streamlining and reforming the licensing processes for satellite licenses and earth station licenses is regulatory certainty, and regulatory certainty occurs when licensees and applicants, applicants alike, can, um feel confident in the rights that are being granted to them. Shot clocks are deemed granted.
▶ 0:49:50Provisions are key to speeding up the process, but without a tolling provision that enables for additional analysis and complex situations that require additional technical analysis, it could result in what shiva mentioned, which is a rubber stamp, and when an application is rubber stamped, it results in petitions for reconsideration, which results in uncertainty for licensees that have have licenses that may conflict with the
▶ 0:50:21Application. And the applicants that just got a grant can't rely upon it. So a tolling provision like what is in the bill, um, enables the fcc additional consideration to ensure that regulatory certainty for all because technical considerations have been fully developed and and decided upon. >> that's helpful. Thank you. Um, we've heard today about the steps industry has taken to advance directed device services to supplement terrestrial coverage. Uh, these services are essential for our first responders.
▶ 0:50:49I mentioned the example of hurricane helene, uh, when it tore through north carolina. Um, satellite based services helped keep our first responders connected when the terrestrial networks were wiped out. Um, the fcc has adopted a framework for supplemental coverage from space, and many wireless companies have announced partnerships with satellite operators. Uh, Mr. shroff, is there anything else congress can do to support the deployment of these services? >> thank you for the question.
▶ 0:51:17And I would emphasize the points that have been made in terms of regulatory certainty. Um, I think that the directed device services ideally suited to emergency situations where other systems are knocked out. Um, and just ensuring that when applications are submitted, that they're, that they're dealt with in a timely manner is one of the best ways of ensuring that. >> great. Zachary, do you have anything to add? >> thank you for allowing me to add on to that.
▶ 0:51:44Um, so iridium's direct to device solution and tan direct is an mss direct device solution that utilizes our existing network and our existing spectrum. We didn't deploy any new satellites and we didn't require any additional licensing. What it did require was participation in international standards bodies, which I hope we can speak about further.
▶ 0:52:06I think the key piece that I would like to add on to what tom has indicated is that direct to devices can be much broader even than emergency situations. We're hoping ours will be used extensively in internet of things context. And also we'll have the sms functionality in the event of emergency situations. >> great. Well, I'll see. My time is about to expire, so I'll call my time and recognize our ranking member, miss representative matsui, you're recognized for five minutes to ask your questions. >> thank you very much, Mr.
▶ 0:52:37Chairman. This bill is highly relevant to leo. Internet constellations can help connect communities that are difficult to reach with fiber. But when a company like spacex wins over $700 million in federal funding only to seek special treatment to get around the rules, that raises real concerns. Mr. goyal, how can we strengthen this bill to make sure that government, at every level, federal and state, have the tools they need to hold satellite broadband providers accountable for delivering affordable, reliable service?
▶ 0:53:08>> thank you, ranking member for the question. Um, I completely agree with you that affordability is paramount here. Um, the goal cannot be to just grant licenses. And on paper, it's got to be to get as many services out there from as many providers as possible to as many consumers as possible. Um, in my view, the best affordability plans tend to be nationwide plans. That's how you really tackle and solve this problem.
▶ 0:53:34Um, I know that's an area where, uh, you've shown a lot of leadership over the years in protecting and improving, uh, low income programs nationwide, uh, to make sure everyone has, uh, the connectivity they need to participate in modern society. And, uh, I think those efforts are extremely important. And thank you for the question. >> thank you. Um, we often talk about satellite licenses as a question of speed.
▶ 0:54:00It's also a question of where innovation happens, who gets to compete, and whether the united states stays the place where the next generation satellite systems thrive. Mr. straub, what are the risks if our permitting process remains too burdensome? And satellite companies increasingly decide it's easier to get licensed abroad than in the united states? >> thank you for the question.
▶ 0:54:25I think it starts with the potential loss of employment, potential loss of tax base and the innovation that is spun off into other companies. That's one of the things that we've seen within the space sector generally, is that one company ends up spawning off several other companies. If this is pushed offshore, we lose out on the potential for that innovation, that that industrial base, as well as the other things that I mentioned in terms of tax base and employment. >> okay. Thank you. Mr. gabriel.
▶ 0:54:53People often focus on what this bill would do for large, low earth orbit satellite providers like spacex or amazon. But what would it mean for small satellite operators, including startups, university missions and other experimental users? >> congresswoman, I actually think they might be the biggest beneficiaries of this bill. Uh, smaller companies in particular have much more to lose and are much more vulnerable from delay. They don't have war chests.
▶ 0:55:20Uh, they need to show their investors and customer base that they have a license and that they're ready to go. Um, and they also need predictability and certainty about when they're actually going to be able to operate. So I think this is actually quite, quite important for them. I would also add that, um, smaller companies are also the most vulnerable to license denials.
▶ 0:55:42And if you had a situation where statutory deadlines were pushing the fcc to act on a complex application, it wasn't ready and it just denied an application. I think the big guys could probably survive that. I think some of the small ones would just go away. And that's why I think tolling and some of the flexibility and balance, uh, added to this bill are really important, uh, from the small provider perspective. >> thank you.
▶ 0:56:05Um, miss azocar, as you modernize the fcc licensing process, what do we need to get right so we move faster without undermining the reliability and interference protections that existing operators in critical services depend on. >> thank you, congresswoman, for the question.
▶ 0:56:23Um, I think the key here is to ensure that there are fair, flexible and stable regulatory regulations underlying the licensing process to ensure that it balances the existing space economy that exists within the united states and the newer entrants that are coming in to have a more robust us space economy and to succeed in the space race. 2.0. >> okay.
▶ 0:56:50Um, the fcc is already severely understaffed, and last year, the space bureau acknowledged the limited staff resources even as earth station applications grew by 72%. Um, and the administration's proposed budget cuts to push staffing down even further. H.r. This bill would let some applications for be approved automatically if the fcc does not act in time.
▶ 0:57:12What safeguards are needed to ensure fcc staff are the necessary information and capacity to review applications quickly and thoroughly? And you've got 15 seconds to answer. >> thank you for the question, and thank you for the 10s that I have left to answer. Um, we, uh, I think I'd like to follow up with you on that. >> okay. Well, we certainly will do that. Thank you very much. Uh, I. >> yield back, uh, the chair now recognizes the chairman of the full committee, Mr.
▶ 0:57:41Guthrie, for five minutes to ask your questions. >> thanks. So the first question will be for Mr. strauss. Um, since the first version of the sat streamlining act was introduced a few short years ago, the fcc has undertaken several initiatives to modernize space, including a notice of proposed rulemaking currently under consideration at the commission that aims to modernize the licensing process.
▶ 0:58:03At the same time, the supreme court's 2022 decision epa versus west virginia made clear that major agency actions must be rooted in statutory and a statutory authority. Do you think there is? So there's a question. Do you think there is value in congress passing legislation like the sat streamlining act that codifies satellite licensing authority? >> yes. Thank you for the question. And absolutely. Um, I think that we've seen other instances where the intent of congress has been questioned.
▶ 0:58:31And I don't think that, you know, we talked testified previously about the importance of stability, um, in the regulatory process. And I think this has helped ensure that there's an understanding that the rules that are adopted in the modernization rulemaking at the fcc continue into the future. So absolutely. >> thank you. So, miss azocar, this is for you. How does modernizing the licensing process help make the united states the best place for satellite companies like iridium to do business?
▶ 0:58:58Are there other barriers we should be thinking about as we consider legislation? >> thank you, chairman, for that question. Yes. Uh, there are other areas to consider. And streamlining licensing will enable, uh, as I've already mentioned, a fair, flexible and stable environment for doing business.
▶ 0:59:20There is the concern that operators will go elsewhere to license and in doing so, they will have, um, more, more, less regulation in which to operate in space. Space is a complex environment in which to operate. And while it is vast, it is not infinite. We operate in low earth orbit, which is becoming congested. And we were the victim of a crash, a collision, in 2009, and have led on space situational awareness and orbital debris mitigation.
▶ 0:59:48This is a critical area for the sustainability of satellite orbits, and we believe, a critical piece of oversight that is not taken up sufficiently by many countries and certainly by our adversaries, and something to consider in the legislation. >> okay. Thank you. And this is also for you and also for Mr. goyal. Um, so switching gears, we've heard a lot about the complicated process of working with the interagency process, particularly when it comes to shared spectrum bands.
▶ 1:00:14So these two, I'll ask both questions, let you guys answer them as asghar if you go first. So, miss asghar, what has been your experience navigating the interagency process, and are there ways we can improve the coordination? And then for Mr. goyal, do you have any I'd like for you to add, based on your experience as fcc and ntia kind of answer, is there ways we can improve the coordination with interagency process? So, miss azocar, if you. >> the interagency process is a critical piece to licensing.
▶ 1:00:44It's critical because of the shared use of space that Mr. goyal has mentioned previously, and because of the, the shared spectrum that exists. Um, iridium works closely with all of the different agencies to ensure that its operations meet all regulations and standards and technical requirements. And we have had a positive experience in doing so. Um, but I know that others may not have and Mr. goyal may have a different perspective. >> okay. Thank you. So your suggestion, Mr. goyal?
▶ 1:01:13>> uh, so I look, I think nisha, I'm somewhat defensive of my old agency. They do a tremendous job. They work very hard. They try to move things quickly. Um, what I think they could do better and what the interagency could do better. Well, one is I think people need a front door, especially the smaller companies that that everyone's been talking about. They need a front door. They don't know who to reach out to. Um, they don't know how to get guidance on what the process is and what to expect based on other applications that have been filed.
▶ 1:01:40There's no body of law that they can sort of look, look to and say, this type of application and this frequency band tend to get treated by this agency this way, right? That type of information, I think could be tremendously helpful. Number two, I think we could add capacity and support to the spectrum. Officials at the federal agencies themselves, spectrum officials at federal agencies don't just do spectrum when they're doing spectrum. They don't just they're not just trying to figure out how to give it away. Right?
▶ 1:02:06There needs to be incentives, priorities, and manpower, uh, to make sure that, uh, they are prioritizing this work and recognizing that, um, allowing commercial, the commercial sector to share frequencies isn't a bad thing as long as we can protect federal users, it's a great thing for the nation. It could even be a great thing for their agency if they're buying services. >> thank you. My time is expired and I'll yield back the 15 seconds. >> thank you. Gentlemen. Chair now recognizes the gentleman from florida, Mr.
▶ 1:02:34Soto, for five minutes to ask your questions. >> thank you. Chairman. You know, every day floridians experience, uh, having issues with cell phone reception, rural areas, natural disasters out at sea. Which is why we're so thrilled that last year we had 104 launches from cape canaveral, mostly launching telecom satellites.
▶ 1:02:55We saw spacex lead the charge with over 10,281 satellites through starlink, with 42,000 approved blue origin with kuiper, 239 satellites with a planned 3236 and many other operators. And we welcome more competition into this, which is why I got to work on with doctor dunn, the launch communications act, which we passed last term that helped streamline fcc permits for launches.
▶ 1:03:24And now we need to help streamline satellite licensing at the fcc as well, which is why the sat act is so important. Uh, Mr. straub, how would you describe the hold up to our constituents on on barriers to satellite licensing coming online? Uh. >> I'm sorry, could you repeat the question? >> how would you describe the barriers, administrative barriers to satellites becoming licensed at the fcc?
▶ 1:03:52>> I think that the time that it has taken previously, um, to address the to work on the, the applications, I mean, it certainly give the fcc credit. As noted before, um, there were approximately 64,000 applications pending at the time that the space bureau was created. And the fcc has done a tremendous job of dealing with the backlog, but that doesn't address the the workload that is coming on a going forward basis. And I think that the streamlining act addresses many of those.
▶ 1:04:20And I think that the modernization nprm rulemaking will also help address those. >> so the regulatory streamlining is important, but we also probably need more folks there to help process these. You think. Right. >> I'm absolutely supportive of additional resources for the fcc, especially within the space bureau. >> sure. Uh, miss azocar, I know you mentioned safety. That's something I was going to bring up. Uh, you know, satellites do crash into each other sometimes, so we do want to make sure that we do get these applications right.
▶ 1:04:47You had mentioned about adversaries, right? We have control over our own satellites, maybe coordination with our allies. I wanted you to elaborate on things we could do to ensure we don't have crashes with satellites of our adversaries. What could we be doing better? >> thank you. Congressman. Orbital debris mitigation and space safety is critical to the stability of the us space economy and the international space economy.
▶ 1:05:12Orbital debris mitigation requires the sharing of data of the locations of the satellites, so that space situational awareness can be used for what are called conjunctions, or the movement of satellites away from other objects. When we were collided with in 2009, it was due to a rogue russian satellite that had not been properly de-orbited, and we led the charge on. The reasoning for that was because the data about that had not been properly shared with us in a timely manner.
▶ 1:05:41We led the charge on working with our federal partners in gathering and sharing data about our systems with other operators within the united states. And we believe that a federal system for space situational awareness is critical to the stability of the us space economy. >> absolutely. And we also have to work internationally, right? Because some of these are different countries that are adversaries. Uh, Mr.
▶ 1:06:05Goyal, uh, you know, we have telecom defense, gps, weather broadcasting, earth observation, so many different uses of satellites. What are you seeing as far as trends is the top demand for satellites right now? Which, which areas are the are the hottest areas that people want satellites up for? >> uh, I think it's extremely hard to pick because so much is going on.
▶ 1:06:28I mean, and I think if you view it from a competitive lens, uh, everybody's getting into the same game. China launched over 100 earth observation satellites last year. They sold the irgc a imaging satellite during the conflict that was already on orbit. And it's being used for intelligence. Right. I don't think we can pick, uh, a favorite and and bet on that horse and, and hope that, uh, they really went out.
▶ 1:06:59We need to be doing, pushing on everything, uh, from d to d to broadband to imaging the whole nine yards because, uh, everybody else in the world sure is doing it too. >> sure. That's helpful. So across the board, we're seeing high demand for all these different types of satellites. >> yes. >> okay. Thanks, nia. Yield back. >> thank you. Gentlemen. Chair now recognizes the vice chair of the subcommittee representative from georgia. Mr. allen, for five minutes for your questions. >> thank you, chairman hudson, for holding this hearing.
▶ 1:07:25And I want to thank witnesses for being here to testify and your expertise, uh, as chairman hudson, uh, outlined, hurricane helene wreaked havoc in georgia's 12th district, causing significant damage to our communications infrastructure, leaving our residents unable to call for help, check in with family to let them know they were safe and in many cases, made it impossible to receive helpful updates about available resources and services.
▶ 1:07:54I remember our first press conference and the director of disaster management was talking about the shelters and food and water, and that they were located in various places, and someone asked the question, well, uh, how do we know where they are? He said, go to our website. Uh, we had no website.
▶ 1:08:20And, uh, thankfully to, uh, elon musk and, uh, starlink, uh, he gave, uh, folks the opportunity to have three months free satellite service that a lot of folks took advantage of. Um, and, uh, those things came up pretty quickly. And, uh, we had systems in place to help fill the gaps with recovery efforts. And that got underway.
▶ 1:08:43But basically power wise, we were down to ten days in most places, in some places, three weeks in rural areas. Uh, Mr. straw strap, uh, are there any barriers to further expanding these services? And what would those barriers be? >> there are a couple, um, a couple restraining factors that I would note.
▶ 1:09:09And as miss azocar noted, there are a couple different ways of providing direct to device services. One is using msf spectrum and the other is partnering with mobile terrestrial carriers to utilize their spectrum. Um, being able to negotiate those agreements and ensure that they're providing service and not causing interference to adjacent systems, not necessarily something that's driven by the regulatory process, but is something that is time consuming and being able to provide service. So that, that is one that I would note. >> uh, Mr.
▶ 1:09:36Gul, uh, do you have any further thing to add about any barriers to further expanding these services? >> uh, thank you for the question. Um, I think licensing reform will help.
▶ 1:09:50I know, uh, the fcc has its supplemental coverage from space, uh, framework, uh, that initially focused on the easy cases and there's, uh, you know, more and more attention about, okay, how do we fold in the hard cases too? I think, uh, movement on that could, could certainly help. Um, I think ntia coordination tends to be a factor in the limited number of spectrum bands where you can do a direct to device deployment.
▶ 1:10:20And I think speeding that up and providing more transparency and certainty, uh, certainly will help as well. And to your point about, uh, emergency response, this is a unique technology that can be deployed anywhere on a dime. And, uh, with no infrastructure deployment, they're already there, uh, and mass accessibility as soon as you turn it on. And I think, uh, improving the framework, uh, is really important. So thank you.
▶ 1:10:44>> well, you just answered my next question to you about innovation in the industry, a new interest to the market, which has helped bring, uh, communication services to previously unserved americans like my constituents in rural georgia, uh, this direct to device and broadband services is, uh, is rapidly developing, uh, and further to further expand on that question, what can congress do to help encourage this innovation and, uh, and, uh, provide for new
▶ 1:11:16Entrants into this marketplace? >> I think congress is doing the right things. Uh, I think this bill will help, um, on the fcc licensing side, um, I think it'll even have spillover effects on ntia, uh, where, you know, there's always a dynamic where you almost need an excuse to hurry up the feds at the other agencies and say, I've got a deadline and this bill is going to do it. Uh, and I think, uh, really improve outcomes here. >> right. Good. Okay.
▶ 1:11:45Thank you again very much. Uh, and with that, Mr. chairman, I yield back. >> thank you. The chair now recognize the gentleman from california, Mr. ruiz, for five minutes for your questions. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. I represent the coachella imperial and san jacinto valleys. Uh, these are communities of hard working families, farm workers, small business owners and students. And in far too many of these communities, reliable broadband is not a given. A lot of them struggle. They're under-resourced, underdeveloped rural areas.
▶ 1:12:14The data makes that clear. In the coachella valley, most neighborhoods do not have the fast or reliable internet that families need. In fact, only five areas in the entire valley meet the federal government's basic standard for high speed internet and the imperial valley. The situation is even more stark when people do not have internet at home. The consequences are real and immediate. They cannot have a video call with a doctor. Their kids cannot do their homework. This is not an abstract policy.
▶ 1:12:44This is real life for many in our country. Statewide, low income and latino households have seen virtually no gains in broadband access since 2019, and communities like mine, too many families are still being left behind. The fcc's own 2024 competition report confirmed we are entering a new space age, one where satellite partnerships can reach places terrestrial infrastructure simply can't.
▶ 1:13:10This is a promise worth fighting for, but it only matters if people can actually afford it. The communities I represent cannot pay premium prices for connectivity that wealthier zip codes get from the ground. So as we streamline this licensing process, I want to make sure we are not simply accelerating a market that leaves rural and low income americans behind. Uh, Mr.
▶ 1:13:37Stroop, as we lower regulatory barriers to entry and grow this market, what specific mechanisms exist today or should exist to ensure that rural and underserved communities actually see lower prices, not just expanded service footprints on the map? >> thank you. Thank you for the question.
▶ 1:13:57And, um, I have a particular interest in the point that you're making having grown up in rural north dakota, um, understanding that there are areas of the country that are just not going to receive broadband service and unless it is provided by satellite companies, um, just given the tremendous amount of capacity that's been deployed, the increase in the number of companies that are providing satellite based broadband services, um, pretty much everybody in the country is going to have access to multiple broadband service providers. >> access only exists if it's affordable.
▶ 1:14:27It can be there, but if people can't afford it, they don't have access to it. So, so what are some mechanisms that we can ensure affordability in, uh, in acquiring this satellite broadband? >> I agree completely and I believe that it's providing some form of subsidies for those who are unable to pay, unable to afford the service. Satellite broadband service starts at approximately $50 a month today. There are multiple companies that are providing that service.
▶ 1:14:50In some instances, the terminals are provided at no charge, but I absolutely understand that there are some people that are not able to afford that, and providing some form of subsidy, I think, would be the way of ensuring that they have that they do have not only access but actual broadband service. >> miss azucar iridium has long operated in some of the most remote and connectivity deprived regions. Uh, what does genuine affordability look like in practice for satellite broadband?
▶ 1:15:17And how can congress structure this legislation to incentivize pricing models that work for low income households? >> thank you, congressman, for the question. Iridium operates in less than nine mhz of spectrum and focuses on narrow, narrow band, low latency, low bandwidth applications, not broadband. However, iridium is moving. Iridium is moving towards a standards based direct device solution that will become online later this year.
▶ 1:15:44And one of our reasons for doing that and for moving in that direction, is that standards based devices are lower cost smaller, and are easily more easily affordable by um, by, by end users. So a move towards a direct device solution where it is built into existing devices that end users already have or that they can easily afford is one way to achieve the goal. >> thank you. In my last 30s Mr.
▶ 1:16:12Goal from a regulatory and legal standpoint, are there provisions we should include in this bill that would streamline licensing to meaningful affordability commitments? >> uh, thank you congressman. I completely agree with you on affordability. I would love to see the affordability problem solved on a nationwide basis. I think that's how, uh, you push the needle on it. Uh, after acp, uh, uh, there's data showing, um, people are reducing service or canceling service.
▶ 1:16:42How can we. >> streamlining licensing to meaningful affordability commitments? >> uh, I would prefer dealing with affordability on a more comprehensive basis rather than tying it to, to licensing, which might not get us all the way. >> okay. Thank you. >> thank you. The gentleman, the chair now recognizes the gentleman from california, Mr. obernolte, for five minutes for your questions. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. Thank you to our witnesses. Uh, I've really enjoyed this hearing on what I think is a critically important topic. Mr.
▶ 1:17:13Straub, uh, you and your testimony had some pretty strong words about the need for responsible space traffic management. And, uh, when we think about the fact that we're transitioning to an environment of thousands of new satellites being launched every year, the need for that management becomes pretty clear. And I also found it compelling that, uh, miss azocar was talking about the collision in 2009 between an iridium satellite and a russian satellite.
▶ 1:17:41That's going to become more and more prevalent if we don't get this problem under control. Obviously, we're going to have a growing need for, uh, the office of space commerce to take up some of the slack there. But it's been pointed out that this is going to require international cooperation because we're not the only ones who are launching satellites. So could you walk us through how you see that problem being solved and where the different responsibilities are going to lie when we do get it solved? >> yes.
▶ 1:18:09Thank you for the question, and it's extremely important issue. I would recommend that we start by funding the tracks program moving forward with implementation of it. Um, and then starting to work with allied nations to be able to utilize what, uh, information that we've gathered, shared it with them and expanded on a global basis. There have been discussions about whether this should be done on a global basis and international basis, starting with the itu.
▶ 1:18:30And there's a great fear within the industry that it will take far too long to implement a global basis, a global system, and therefore, we need to start with implementing something in the united states. We spend over ten years trying to identify which civil agency was going to take on this role. Fortunately, we've identified the office of space commerce as the one to do it, to do so. But in order for them to be successful, we need to fund the tracks program.
▶ 1:18:56>> and do you see a role for automated decision making through technologies like artificial intelligence in solving this problem? Because it seems like a a problem that ai would be very good at solving. And, uh, obviously you'd prefer to solve the problem ahead of time, but, uh, if you had an autonomous system that was continuously monitoring it, you might be able to avert a collision at the last second. If you know that it occurred through a human error, is that something that might be possible?
▶ 1:19:25>> I think there's absolutely a role for ai to be able to help address the issue. Some of the the conjunctions can be addressed, uh, by on board decisions within spacecraft. But ultimately, we need to know where each of the different objects in space are. >> thank you. Uh, Mr. goyal, uh, I was really interested in the different, uh, principles that you laid out in your testimony. And two of the principles in particular are principles that were echoed by, uh, other members here of the panel.
▶ 1:19:53The frustration with long licensing timelines. And you had some pretty poignant examples of the consequences of those, uh, licensing timelines, but you also highlighted the need to leave room for careful technical review, uh, particularly as the use of these satellite technologies becomes more diverse. But I mean, obviously those two ideas are in tension. We can't complain simultaneously about needing to do a more detailed technical review.
▶ 1:20:22At the same time, we're complaining about the fact that the licensing timelines are too long. So how do we balance the need to do both of those things at the same time? >> thank you. Congressman, I take the point. Um, and I think balance is the right word and is, is hard to achieve.
▶ 1:20:38Uh, you know, the bill as drafted now has tolling provisions which allow the fcc under some circumstances to extend the timeline, uh, and places accountability checks on the fcc's ability to extend so they can't just do it willy nilly. I think that's the right approach. You know, most market participants can look at this bill and say, I'm still going to get a license in time.
▶ 1:21:01It might not be 12 months if I'm proposing something really novel, but, uh, even if there's an extension there, there are limits on it. So, uh, but, but achieving that is critical because what's the alternative, right? If the fcc can't pull the trigger because something's too complicated, they haven't run the traps. They're going to deny applications. And, um, you know, I don't think that helps anybody.
▶ 1:21:25I think it's particularly damaging to smaller companies whose investors, whose customers are suddenly going to say the fcc isn't buying what you're selling. Uh, so there's got to be that balance. And, you know, I think tolling and similar safety valves are the way to go. >> right? Well, I agree with you.
▶ 1:21:41I also think that if we examine the reason for the long licensing timelines now, uh, the reason why those timelines are unreasonably long is not that there is a two thorough technical technical review going on. So I do think that there's room there, uh, to, to accomplish both of those goals, but I appreciate your perspective. I see my time has expired. I yield back, Mr. chairman. >> thank you, gentlemen, chair. And I recognize the gentleman from california, Mr. peters, for five minutes to ask your question. >> thank you, Mr.
▶ 1:22:11Chairman, for calling this important. Hearing the stat streamlining act is a bipartisan proposal that aims to standardize the regulatory review process and prevent unnecessary licensing delays in the satellite sector, which supports vital services from gps and weather forecasting to secure military communications. The reforms in this bill will help ensure continued american innovation, industry investment and U.S. leadership in the global space economy.
▶ 1:22:34In the last few years, china's satellite presence has grown over 600% after the chinese government identified satellite broadband as one of its top priorities and dedicated significant investment to the sector. If we in america want to keep pace with china, it's critical we reform our licensing processes and equip U.S. companies with the tools they need to compete on the global stage. Mr. goel, in your testimony, you described a regulatory bottleneck when you were at the fcc.
▶ 1:23:02What challenges did you witness within the existing regulatory process for issuing satellite communications licenses, and what are the real world, real world costs of a convoluted and complicated licensing process in the united states? >> thank you. Congressman. My insight from the fcc was all of the pain points that industry has with the licensing process. Uh, the fcc experiences too, as pain points.
▶ 1:23:28If the rules are unclear and nobody knows what the requirements are to the service they're proposing, well, the fcc has got to deal with that, too. When the rules are jumbled, clarity is going to help. When there aren't clear standards on what counts as interference or what you have to put in your plans and what exactly you have to say in an application. Well, industries scratching their heads, uh, and, you know, they're litigating, uh, the issue before the fcc and spending a lot of time and money doing it.
▶ 1:23:54And the fcc, the poor fcc is, you know, in the middle, uh, trying to figure out who's right and, and pull out data there. So, uh, this is what contributed to just in time licensing, uh, a practice that I think the fcc is trying to move away from and ought to do quickly, but it's, it's very much a slow down. >> what would you say to, to san diegans and americans are the costs of that? How, how would you reflect the cost of that?
▶ 1:24:20>> so I think the costs are less capacity to innovate, uh, services that don't come out at all or come out less quickly, uh, greater opportunity for our rivals, including china, uh, to grab international spectrum and orbital resources and, uh, disadvantage economically and militarily against our rivals. >> yeah, time is, time is money.
▶ 1:24:43I always say to, um, and, um, we spent a lot of contacts in this committee, uh, innovation in the commercial satellite sector strengthens the economy and empowers U.S. leadership in an interconnected world. An example of this is how mobile wireless providers like at&t, verizon, t-mobile partner with satellite companies to provide broadband and voice service to americans who live in rural and hard to reach areas where we lack terrestrial coverage.
▶ 1:25:10Satellite technology also enables first responders to improve their emergency response efforts, and at uc san diego in my district, helps researchers improve health outcomes. But as we've heard today, regulatory complexity and delays in addition to rising costs, spectrum scarcity and coordination and supply chain supply chain constraints can slow down innovation in this vital industry. Um, miss miss azocar, how does the current regulatory landscape prevent innovation in, uh, in your company?
▶ 1:25:39And how would the proposal today help address that? >> thank you for that question. Congressman. Iridium partners with over 500 companies to develop and deploy solutions that connect to our network. Companies like viavi of california. So iridium operates in less than nine megahertz of l-band spectrum.
▶ 1:26:01And we have utilized that spectrum to innovate in our network due to the regulatory certainty that we have through our license, regulatory certainty through something like the sat streamlining act, which gets fair, flexible and stable licenses into the hands of new entrants will enable not just satellite operators, but also their partners to develop and deploy solutions that benefit the american consumer throughout the us economy. >> um, Mr.
▶ 1:26:31Do you have any to add on behalf of the group you represent? >> could you repeat the question, please? >> how? Um, the proposal would help spur innovation, uh, in your sector. >> the I'm sorry, certification. >> the new build act we're talking about today. >> I I'm sorry, could you repeat it one more time? >> I was asking how the proposal before us today would help spur innovation. >> oh, okay. Regulatory certainty, I think absolutely.
▶ 1:26:57Knowing that from the time one raises an investment with a concept to the time that they're able to obtain a license, is crucial to being able to move forward with any innovative product. >> right? My time is expired. I think we're all dedicated in this committee to close the digital divide. I think this will be a big step forward and I yield back. >> thank you gentlemen. Um, unfortunately votes have been called. We are, uh, got four minutes left on the first of three votes. So I'll ask the indulgence of our witnesses.
▶ 1:27:23Um, we will go vote and stand in recess until five minutes at the end of the third vote. So, uh, the committee stands at recess.
▶ 2:14:03I am so for five minutes for questions, and if I could start my questions with you that, you know, I have the honor of working with the gentlelady from illinois second district when on the satellite precision agriculture legislation.
▶ 2:14:20And, you know, when you look at what we can do out there on the agricultural front for our farmers, especially with precision agriculture, and then you bring in the satellite, I'd like to get your perspective on that on the on agriculture and and especially with satellites. >> thank you for the question. And, um, precision agriculture is an example of many different uses of satellite technology.
▶ 2:14:47I'm starting with the remote sensing capability to be able to image fields, as well as utilization of gps services and then ultimately communication services. So I think that's one of the great applications of many different sectors of the industry. >> well, thank you very much. Uh, Mr. if I could turn now to you, you know, one of the great things about serving on the energy and commerce committee is that we are really looking over the horizon by 5 to 10 years. When you're up here on the dais, we got to make sure we get things right.
▶ 2:15:16And, you know, in your testimony, I thought it was interesting how you mentioned it says it requires us to move as fast as the innovators we oversee. And that's what we want to make sure is that we're not hurting the innovators, the entrepreneurs out there with the legislation and the regulations that follow us. What do you see, again, especially when we're talking about licensing processes? You know, that's one of the things we've been really talking about in this congress is on permitting and getting these things done.
▶ 2:15:46And when you're looking at, you know, how long it takes to get something done, how far does that put us behind? Especially when you think about like communist china and what happens over there? >> uh, I think it puts us behind by a lot, right? It it makes everything cost more, uh, people waste their money on, on lawyers like me, uh, when they should just be able to tell what the rules are and what the requirements are and file an application and, you know, deal with some back and forth and get a license.
▶ 2:16:16Um, your, your point about china, I think is extremely well taken. Uh, they have, they are, you know, relying on both state owned enterprises and private industry and they are not waiting for a license. And, you know, I think it's pretty safe to say that the united states industry is well ahead of china right now in space.
▶ 2:16:36But you are seeing extremely deliberate and focused planning in china, from launch to broadband to imaging across the board to ai in space. Um, and, you know, they're getting their universities involved. They're getting, uh, private sector involved.
▶ 2:16:55Uh, they're getting their military involved and they're breaking down the barriers between the three with a lot more, uh, force and requirements than, you know, we do here in the united states. So, um, I don't think we should be slowing down. I think, uh, people should be able to tell when they'll be able to provide service based on what they see on paper. Uh, and I think that's what, uh, streamlining is really going to accomplish and unlock a lot of benefits.
▶ 2:17:24>> because again, you mentioned when you talk about your hidden costs of regulatory delay, you know, again, which I think you just answered the question because they don't worry about that because you said in your first sentence here, we tend to measure the cost of regulatory delay in terms of extra capital, burn fees and payroll, and even a missed window window for lunch launch. And what we're looking at there is there is none for them because they just do it.
▶ 2:17:46I think that I think that's a really important factor that has to be considered when when we're looking at the legislation and what we have to be doing in the future to make sure that the united states doesn't fall behind. And if I could go back to you, Mr. straub, um, you know, when you say and we just heard from Mr.
▶ 2:18:12Goyal, um, that you we were seeing that the us has long led the space sector, but china is closing that gap. How fast are they closing the gap? >> could you repeat the question, please? >> well, how fast is china closing that gap with the united states. And I only got 35 seconds left. >> I think, as noted in my testimony, with respect to broadband services, rapidly.
▶ 2:18:38And they've got two constellations that are already in the process of launching, soon to be deploying most likely subsidized service throughout the world, certainly with respect to launch the second, uh, the country with the second most launches. Um, so I think that, uh, you know, the united states has an advantage with respect to innovation, but is, as noted by Mr. gold, um, they have the ability to be able to, to deploy tremendous resources in an effort to catch up. >> well, thank you very much.
▶ 2:19:07My time has expired and I yield back. The chair now recognizes the gentlelady from illinois second district for five questions. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. Ranking member, for holding this afternoon's hearing. And thanks to our witnesses for participating in your patients. The satellite industry is evolving and the stakes for rural america are real. In my district alone, there are 4500 farms.
▶ 2:19:30The majority of them are family owned, and they are the backbone of our food supply, ensuring they have access to the latest agricultural technology is just not an economic priority. It is a food security priority. That is why I introduced alongside robert latta, the bipartisan precision agriculture satellite connectivity act, to help our farmers maximize yield, efficiency and profitability through satellite enabled precision agricultural tools.
▶ 2:19:59But that innovation is only possible if we have a licensing process that can keep pace. A slow or cumbersome fcc process does not create, not just create backlog. It pushes investment and jobs overseas and leaves our rural communities waiting longer for the connectivity they need. Mr. stroop, you discussed stroop. Sorry.
▶ 2:20:23You discussed how satellite enabled precision agriculture is transforming productivity in rural america, particularly in areas beyond the reach of terrestrial networks. How does a s a t streamlining act ensure that new and emerging satellite providers, especially those focused on agricultural and rural communities, can enter the market and compete, rather than having that capacity concentrated among a few large operators? >> yes. Thank you for the question.
▶ 2:20:52And I think a good example would be utilization of iot services to be able to sense the level of moisture or the amount of fertilizer that may be needed if you are a startup company, um, not knowing how long it will take to be able to get a license authorized, it could be the difference between you actually have a viable business or not.
▶ 2:21:12Satellite streamlining act should be able to address that by setting a time frame and some certainty for new entrants into the industry to be able to, uh, to be able to raise the capital, deploy the, the equipment, deploy their services and ultimately provide service to farmers. >> thank you. Mr. gul, you have highlighted the high regulatory costs for small satellite company and that uncertain licensing timelines can effectively erase innovation by discouraging startups before they even get off the ground.
▶ 2:21:40What specific reforms in the s a t streamlining act would most directly reduce those barriers to entry for new and smaller satellite companies? >> thank you, congresswoman. I think it's a combination of certain, uh, time periods for reviewing a license with the safety valve for, uh, licenses for license applications that are very complicated.
▶ 2:22:03Uh, you, if you're a startup, you can look at the provisions in the act and you can see what the fcc is doing in parallel with modernization. And you can say, this is how long it's going to take for me to get a license.
▶ 2:22:18Um, and you can look at it and say, if I'm playing by the rules and I have a reasonable proposal, I'm not going to have my license denied, which the fcc tends not to do and generally prefers not to do, but would be under pressure to do if, uh, if it was under shot clocks without a safety valve. Um, and so I think those two provisions in parallel, uh, could, could really help startups. >> thank you. And with that, I yield back. >> thank the gentlelady.
▶ 2:22:47Now recognize the gentleman from ohio, Mr. landsman, for five minutes for your question. >> thank you, Mr. chair. Uh, I appreciate all of you for being here. It's a good bill. Uh, the, you know, both the united states and the chinese have launched, uh, a, a, a ton of satellite capacity.
▶ 2:23:10And, um, the bill clarifies and I think in a very important way, the licensing processes at the fcc, uh, takes into account the national security concerns and like banning chinese company, uh, market access to the united states and creating stricter foreign ownership review process. Uh, we, I think you see or hear here bipartisan support for the bill.
▶ 2:23:37Um, I just, I had a couple of questions. Uh, and anyone can answer this, but maybe miss esther could, as a car, it's like sugar and spanish, but but yeah. Oh, sorry. Um. You either everyone can. But I was thinking about you. What is the, um.
▶ 2:24:06What are some things that we in the fcc should be doing to ensure space based communications are redundant and resilient? Uh, yeah. Okay. Yes. Yeah. >> thank you for that question, congressman. And I just want to note that iridium has a partner in ohio called safran that we're very happy to partner with. Um, and so we have a bit of a presence there. Um, they build pa equipment that connects to our network.
▶ 2:24:31Um, so resilience and redundancy is the core of iridium's, I would say brand. Um, in addition to how our network is architected for resilience and redundancy of 66 satellites, we have 14 in-orbit spares, we have multiple ground systems, and we really only need 1 or 2. And we have multiple lines of fiber from each of those ground systems. So building resilience and redundancy into the satellite ecosystem is a part of who we are as a company.
▶ 2:24:58But from a regulatory perspective, a huge part of resilience and redundancy is having a competitive market based approach that allows new entrants and competition so that there can be multiple ways to achieve the same goal. >> great. Mr. chairman. >> thank you. I would add that, um, having a healthy industry with capabilities at multi orbits is one of the ways of being able to ensure redundancy and resiliency.
▶ 2:25:23That is one of the major growth areas of the industry that we haven't talked about today, and ensuring that there's capability terminals that are capable of, uh, of communicating with both geo and non-geostationary satellites is one of the ways and that's achieved with a healthy industry. >> thanks. >> I have nothing to add. I think that the points have been covered. Well, this is an inherently resilient and redundant technology. Thank you.
▶ 2:25:49>> the when talking about the satellite capacity, to the extent that any of you can talk about this in an unclassified setting, what capabilities do china and russia possess to your knowledge that that we don't or we should be working on?
▶ 2:26:18>> but what I will say is that the us economy is robust, and china is doing it in a different way. China is funding its own actors and it is, um, deploying systems in a risky way that doesn't collaborate sufficiently internationally. I think the ways that the us government can support the us space economy is to provide a voice for the us companies, like an american company, like iridium on the international stage, such as at the wrc and at 3g standards setting bodies.
▶ 2:26:51Um, and while I don't have an example of a way that china is beating us at this time, without that type of support, we we would be concerned that we could be in that position. >> great. Thank you. >> one thing that I would note that is publicly available is utilization of maneuverable spacecraft in both geo and geostationary orbits. There have been stories that have been published about the capabilities that the chinese have deployed. They are potential dual use but definitely have implications for security purposes. Got it.
▶ 2:27:23>> and look, this is not a specific capability, but one thing china has been very good at in our telecom history has been exporting their ecosystems to places around the world. Uh, we've seen that with gps and the beidou beidou system. We've seen that with huawei and zte terrestrially when we took our foot off the gas. >> got it. Thank you all very much. And I yield back. >> thank you. The chair would like to welcome in the gallery.
▶ 2:27:52Christian kurth is a senior at, uh, langley high school in mclean, virginia. His father, tim, some of you may know, was chief counsel on this subcommittee. So welcome, christian. Glad to have you with us. Um, and this time, the chair will recognize the gentleman from louisiana, Mr. carter, for five minutes. >> uh, thank you, Mr. chairman. And thank you for the witnesses joining us here today. Satellite technology, satellite technology is constantly evolving, and the united states must remain at the forefront of this critical infrastructure.
▶ 2:28:19I represent southeast louisiana, where we're no stranger to hurricanes and to other devastating natural disasters. Satellites provide early warning and accurate forecasts, as well as vital connectivity for first responders and residents. These systems enable communities to prepare for natural disasters and respond more effectively during recovery efforts.
▶ 2:28:42Last year, I was vocal in my opposition to the trump administration's plans to cut crucial hurricane forecasting satellite data, a decision that would have had disastrous if would have been disastrous. Rather, if they had followed through. We must continue to fund and support innovations in satellite technologies, because I've seen firsthand how reliable systems and connectivity save lives.
▶ 2:29:09This is why legislation like the satellite and telecommunications streamlining act is so critical. By responsibly modernizing the satellite approval process, we can accelerate innovation and deploy advanced satellite technology faster while ensuring our communities are equipped with the most advanced tools tools in times of crisis, in times of need, and times of challenge. Uh, these are not just things to say. This is real. These are people's lives. Uh, Mr. stroope.
▶ 2:29:38I was proud to introduce next generation 911 act richard hudson that modernizes our emergency alert system. How can satellite infrastructure expand access to 911 and underserved areas, as well as a backup for emergency communication networks? >> yes. Thank you for the question and your leadership on this issue.
▶ 2:30:05I'm starting with the second part of your question. First, I think that satellites have the ability to provide a backup for 911 systems. There are thousands of fiber cuts per year in this country. Some of them have impacted nine nine, one one systems. And so I think that satellites have the ability to be able to provide the backup. Also, there's clearly the communication capability with direct to device services when systems go down, often satellites, because their infrastructure is in space, are the only means of being able to communicate.
▶ 2:30:34And I think that's really one of the best means that the satellite industry can help address the ability to call 911 when there is no other system available. >> would you all agree that the notion that we would get rid of satellites in forecasting that we will remove satellites from noaa and getting rid of current agencies, that that forecast and give us the idea of where storms may come, weather strength. That is not good sound policy. >> I think that satellites are crucial to be able to provide weather forecasting.
▶ 2:31:02Much of the information that is gathered is only capable of being gathered from space, and so I absolutely am supportive of continuing to fund. >> thank you, miss azocar. >> it's not necessarily an area of expertise for myself or iridium with respect to weather forecasting, but support. >> but as a citizen, but not necessarily.
▶ 2:31:25>> as a citizen and as a participant in the satellite industry, funding for satellites and for advancement of space infrastructure is critical to the future of the us space economy. >> thank you, miss goel. >> I completely agree that weather forecasting from space is is essential. >> and while I'm with you, miss goel, with the fast pace of innovation in satellite technology, why is it important for regulatory processes to be responsive to this innovation?
▶ 2:31:50And how does, uh, streamline act, encourage satellite manufacturers and startups to build and license their systems in america? >> uh, it gives them more time and more money to focus on building and innovating. It gives them the certainty they need to attract investment and to attract customers. And it provides them the flexibility they need to change their plans after they get a license, without having to repeat a years long process.
▶ 2:32:20>> in this fast moving, uh, technological age that we find ourselves in, what can we and a bipartisan effort under the leadership of our chair, can we do to assist in amplifying the voices of the professionals, to make sure that we're wading through the politics and the partizan noise, to make sure that technology is forefront, that we are ahead of the game, not behind the game, not chasing.
▶ 2:32:47Uh, if you had an opportunity to tell us what to do today, how can we help you better? And you can all take a quick crack at that in 13 seconds. >> uh, quick, keep doing what you're doing. A balanced approach that gives certainty and focus on people, whether that's through affordability or something else. >> fair, flexible regulation, regulatory that gives certainty to existing providers and new ones like. >> Mr. strobe, and move forward with the satellite stream.
▶ 2:33:15>> now, when you're leaving here today, you're going to say, dang it, I had a chance to tell those guys what to do and I didn't give it all to him. Thank you all very much, Mr. chairman, I yield back. >> the gentleman chair recognizes the gentleman from texas, Mr. pfluger, for five minutes for your questions. Thank you, Mr. chairman, and I thank the witnesses for for being here. Um, there's a company in midland, texas called, uh, ast spacemobile, and they've testified before this committee before and doing some amazing work. I've followed their progress closely, visited a couple of times.
▶ 2:33:41Um, and this week we had a bill, the mystic alert, uh, act that passed the house incorporating space based direct to device, um, capability into the wireless emergency alert system. Um, and space based broadband is exactly the type of american innovation that I think we expect and that republicans in the trump administration are working hard to accelerate. Um, streamlining the satellite regulations is critical into making that work. And I'll start with miss azocar.
▶ 2:34:09Um, how will the sat streamlining act directly impact companies like ast, spacemobile, and how will the implementation of laws such as the mystic alerts, uh, act be affected if we don't fix the licensing process underlying them? >> thank you for the question, congressman. I just want to start with, um, just ensuring you understand that iridium has been a part of the natural disaster response since hurricane katrina.
▶ 2:34:36So while it's discussed extensively today as a direct to device solution, we've been doing this now for decades. And in the instance of the texas flooding, for instance, we were used not just for critical communications during the restoration, but also, uh, drones utilize iridium for, uh, seeing what has happened and also for search and rescue. So there are a variety of different use cases and natural disasters.
▶ 2:35:01The streamlining of licensing will enable more providers to provide a variety of different services to end users in the event of a natural disaster. Because, as tom has indicated, satellites satellite service by its nature, is resilient and redundant in a natural disaster scenario. >> thank you. And I'll just kind of go one step further.
▶ 2:35:20Um, you know, on the the diem grant provision, if the fcc misses it a deadline, then the license is automatically, um, approved upon the applicant's written notice. But after the floods where we lost communications, um, you know, I'm kind of looking at the agencies missing deadlines and how that technology could have saved lives. So can you explain how the provisions necessary to give these shot clocks real teeth and what that effect would have, um, just overall on safety? >> yeah.
▶ 2:35:50Shot clocks are an important part of satellite streamlining. Um, but they're not without potential consequence. So while it's beneficial to the us space economy for licensing to occur quickly, it also needs to be deliberative and to resolve all concerns so that the licensee that receives the license and existing licensees have regulatory certainty to rely upon that to innovate. The way that iridium has been able to do for the last 25 years. >> thank you very much.
▶ 2:36:16Um, I'll go to another topic kind of into the the novel space activities, uh, topic. And Mr. stroop, as we consider the, the sat streamlining act, um, how should we think about, uh, and addressing novel space activities and how can we complement what chairman carr and the fcc has already doing and what they're specifically trying to do with the part 100 proceeding? >> yes. Thank you for the question.
▶ 2:36:44There are a number of novel space activities proposed. One good example being space data centers. And, um, I think that from the time we started discussing satellite streamlining to today, we've seen a sea change in terms of the potential scope of the applications, um, and the size of constellations.
▶ 2:37:05And so I think ensuring that there are sufficient coordination among the various organizations, governmental organizations that have an interest, um, and that the streamlining act accounts for the ability to be able to gather additional information from the time an application is initially submitted is going to be going to be key to supporting the some of the novel space activities, which provide a great deal of excitement and opportunity within the industry, but also creates some additional challenges for the industry.
▶ 2:37:34>> any specific challenges that we should be aware of or thinking about? >> yeah, certainly. Um, just the sheer scope and size of some of the constellations that are proposed. Um, it raises issues with respect to, uh, the impact of using optics for connectivity. Nasa filed an application, a response, and one or more of the applications that have been filed, um, they'll be able to, uh, monitor all of those, those satellites.
▶ 2:37:59I mean, today one of the satellite operators has had over 3000 300,000 maneuvers in the course of one year. If we're looking at hundreds of thousands or a million satellites, being able to make sure that we know where all of those objects are, uh, in order to be able to make sure that, uh, that we, we ensure the safety of space is definitely one of the challenges. >> uh, Mr. gold, I'm sorry, I was going to talk to you about the regulatory environment and our competition with china.
▶ 2:38:24And if you'd like to follow up in writing on that specifically, if we fail to get the environment right, uh, with these novel space activities, what's the risk that we're opening ourselves up to? So my, my time is expired and I'll, I'll yield back. But if you, if you'd like to follow up in writing, that'd be great. >> I appreciate that, congressman. >> thank you. Uh, the chair now recognizes the gentlelady from virginia, representative mcclellan, for five minutes for your questions. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. Two weeks ago, the world watched as the artemis two mission successfully completed its ten day lunar mission.
▶ 2:38:54This was a clear signal that the united states remains a global leader in space and is ready to take on the new frontier. And I'm pleased to see this committee prioritizing legislation that supports our continued progress in space.
▶ 2:39:08The s t streamlining act does just that by clarifying the fcc's role in space and strengthening its statutory authority in reviewing satellite and earth station applications, ensuring a more efficient, predictable and timely licensing process, and at a time of intensifying global competition, particularly from nations like china, who are moving aggressively to expand their presence in orbit, we can't afford unnecessary regulatory delays that slow innovation or deployment, and this
▶ 2:39:39Legislation will help provide certainty to the industry, support emerging technologies and accelerate the deployment of next gen connectivity, particularly for rural and underserved communities that stand to benefit the most. So simply put, if we want to lead in space, we must be able to move at the speed of innovation here on earth. And so, miss, uh, you said it and I messed it up already. Yes.
▶ 2:40:03Ranking member doris matsui raised concerns about reduced staffing at the fcc and proposed budget cuts that could further strain the agency's capacity, but we didn't fully explore that issue. So can you walk us through what specific safeguards are needed to ensure that the fcc has the workforce, technical expertise and resources to review and act on applications both quickly and thoroughly?
▶ 2:40:29And what are the risks to innovation, deployment timelines and us competitiveness if those constraints are not addressed? >> thank you, congresswoman, for that question. And I just since you mentioned artemis and you're from virginia, we are a proud virginia based company with three offices now there and having expanded a lot within virginia, um, that also participated in the artemis mission, some were labs had a device that was used in the nasa capsule recovery team.
▶ 2:40:56Um, so I just want to make sure you are aware of those pieces, but in terms of the resources that the fcc reviewing applications is a resource intensive process and space is complex. We operate as a mobile satellite service provider, but there's fixed satellite service, there's geostationary non-geostationary. Um, there's leo mio. You know, the acronyms never end. And, um, having sufficient resources to process applications is critical to the speed.
▶ 2:41:24Um, so we, we share your concern about ensuring that the fcc has the resources to do so. >> thank you. And Mr. goyal, um, I'm pleased to see that the fcc is working to increase the speed at which it processes space and earth station licensing. Um, and unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be enough and you might need more intervention. Um, I appreciate the work that ranking member and chairman guthrie are putting in to, uh, to this legislation.
▶ 2:41:51And these dual tracks should send a clear signal to the industry that both congress and the fcc recognize the urgency of this issue. Can you elaborate on how these two tracks work in tandem and how the s t streamlining act will offer clear statutory authority to assist the fcc in its rulemaking process? >> thank you. Congresswoman. Uh, I think the legislation, the legislative piece is actually really important.
▶ 2:42:17Um, it creates incentives for the fcc to really put streamlining at the top of the agenda and to compress those timelines as much as possible and to actually address the root causes. And what you'll see is this fcc, you know, to its credit and to the credit of staff, uh, didn't just tinker around the edges. They said, we are going to replace this entire rule part with an entirely new rule part. Um, and I think, uh, the message sent from congress, uh, helped with that.
▶ 2:42:46Um, I would also say if you look through the communications act today, uh, you will scarcely see the mention mention of the world satellite in space, given how much the fcc is doing in this area, in this environment, uh, this administrative law environment, it is never a bad idea to give the agency some cover when it's, uh, being engaged this much, uh, in a topic that, that the statute doesn't really talk about. And the last thing I would mention is legislation is enduring. Space is hot right now to be casual about it.
▶ 2:43:16It's popular, it's trendy, but it's also an industry where you make long lived investments. Legislation tells the industry that, uh, five years from now, ten years from now, even if you're not as popular as you are today, you're still going to get the same treatment from the fcc and you're going to get your licenses through. So thank you. >> so you put on one of the very reasons I've been pushing so hard for us to modernize the telecom act as quickly as possible. So thank you for that. Um, and I don't have question.
▶ 2:43:45I mean, I don't have time for a question for you, Mr. strauss, but I will submit some for the record because I don't want you to feel left out. Uh, with that, I yield back. >> thank you. The chair now recognizes the gentlelady from florida, representative kat cammack, for five minutes to ask your question. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. Um, and my apologies for rolling in hot. Uh, I had a munchkin in tow. Um, so we'll start with, uh, I know, uh, you. >> Mr. welcome anytime. >> you know what? She's probably more productive than most members up here.
▶ 2:44:14So, um, I'm going to start with you. Mr. is it goel? >> goyal. >> yeah. Goyal. I'm, I tend to mess that up. I apologize perfectly. >> okay. Thank you. >> well, thank you. So you had noted earlier and when I was watching that regulatory delays don't just slow innovation, but they can actually prevent it from happening at all. We know that the regulatory environment strangles the life out of basically every industry, and this is no exception.
▶ 2:44:39So given that china is aggressively advancing its satellite capabilities and filing for spectrum internationally, how urgent is it that we streamline our licensing processes and what specific risks? I want you to detail that very carefully. Do we face if we fail to keep pace? >> um, I think the urgency, it's extremely urgent.
▶ 2:45:00Um, you know, we can't we've had a lot of discussion at this hearing about china being on its heels about, uh, a very broad based, uh, push, uh, by the chinese to develop and expand their space based capabilities. And we are seeing militarily, uh, whether it's in the iran conflict or whether it was in the war in ukraine about just how critical satellite connectivity and satellite and space based services are to our national security.
▶ 2:45:28I mentioned before the chinese sold an imaging satellite to the irgc during the period of this conflict. It turned out to be more advanced than people really thought. Uh, broadband satellites are being used for battlefield communications for drones. Uh, you know, this is the future of modern warfare. Sensing in space is going to be tremendously important as well. So the urgency is, is now we got to get this right and we cannot lag behind.
▶ 2:45:53>> do you think, just as a follow up to that, do you think that we have, um, the the signals intelligence necessary to really understand exactly where they are in their development? >> that's an extremely good question, congresswoman. And I, I am hesitant to say this, but I just don't know. Uh, I, you know, I hope we know where they are and I hope we feel confident that we're better. And this is a race we're winning and we're making sure we're just widening the gap.
▶ 2:46:19Uh, but to tell you the truth, I just don't know. >> well, and I think you'd agree with me that hope is not a strategy. And to your point, we definitely need a strategy to make sure that we are keeping pace. Of course. Absolutely. Um, turning to you, Mr. stroke. >> stroke, stroke. >> I'm just messing up all the names today, but thank you for correcting me. So the satellite industry is experiencing unprecedented growth with thousands of satellites already in orbit, tens of thousands planned in coming years.
▶ 2:46:45From an industry perspective, what are the biggest pain points in the current fcc licensing process, and how would a more predictable assembly line framework change investment and deployment decisions for us companies? >> yes. Thank you for the question. And I think that, um, the length of time that it has taken to process applications has been one of the big issues. >> and on average, what would that be. >> the length of time.
▶ 2:47:08So, um, examples have been cited taking over two years to get an application either denied approved just some kind of a response. So that's one of the issues that the industry has encountered. Another, because the industry shares spectrum, often the time that it takes to coordinate with federal agencies, because the federal government is also using the the same frequency bands is one of the issues that I've heard as a as a pain point from our members. >> okay, I appreciate that.
▶ 2:47:34And I'm going to come back to you if I can make the time work on this, but I'm going to turn to you, uh, as a car. Yeah. One out of three. Miss azocar, your testimony highlighted the importance of existing of protecting existing satellite services, especially those tied to public safety, national security, and critical infrastructure.
▶ 2:47:53Now, as we move to streamline the licensing, which is critically needed, as has been talked about so far, and expand access to spectrum, how can we ensure that we're not creating harmful interference or undermining the reliability of these mission critical services, particularly for first responders and federal users? And I'm asking this as the wife of a first responder. >> thank you for that question. And as a working mom, I love this. I'm so pleased and impressed by you.
▶ 2:48:17Um, so in terms of protecting existing operators that provide safety of life communications, iridium prides itself on a near 99.99% availability everywhere in the globe, pole to pole. And we have global maritime distress service. We're the only american company that provides that. We provide aviation safety services, safety of life services and natural disasters.
▶ 2:48:42So interference to us means safety of life, protecting from harmful interference necessitates proper process at the fcc. While we agree that proper process must be quick and and rapid and meet the needs of the growing us space economy, it also needs to have sufficient technical analysis to ensure that harmful interference doesn't occur to existing users, existing operators and users, which requires involvement by federal agencies and by technical
▶ 2:49:14Experts. >> I appreciate that, thank you. Um, I believe my time is over, so I'll submit the remainder of my questions for the record. Um, with that I yield, Mr. chairman. >> thank you. Thank you chair now recognizes gentlelady from north dakota, miss fedorchuk, for five minutes for your question. >> and thank you all. I appreciate your expertise and the time you're spending with us today. And thank you for organizing this great hearing. Mr. chairman. Uh, I have questions for all three of you, so I hope to get through them all. Um, starting with you, Mr. goal. Is it goal or. Goyal.
▶ 2:49:45>> goyal. Goyal. All right. Uh, you've argued that regulatory delay can prevent ideas from ever becoming commercialized, uh, in a global race, particularly with china moving aggressively in this space. What is the real cost of these lost ideas? And then are we already seeing companies, uh, or innovation shift overseas because of our regulatory, um, delays and timelines? >> I think those are great questions. Um, I think the cost is this, right?
▶ 2:50:14When we're looking at it vis a vis china, uh, if we can get this right, we'll have services, more services brought to market, quicker and less opportunity for china to secure scarce, uh, spectrum and orbital resources globally, which we know they're trying to do, uh, militarily, we will have an edge, uh, and expand our edge, uh, in satellite technology, which has a much more, uh, important impact on both offensive and
▶ 2:50:45Defensive strategies in wartime. Um, and we will have greater opportunity to make sure it is, uh, trusted and friendly and, and hopefully us based ecosystems, uh, that are being trusted around the world before, uh, china tries to export their own. I think those are the biggest benefits that we'll see. And in terms of is this already happening? I mean, I think the answer is yes.
▶ 2:51:09Uh, you know, I'm not revealing client confidences, but I've had clients come come to me with ideas. They're trying to break the mold. It doesn't fit exactly within regulation. And, um, you have to tell them honestly what the timeline and the road to approval could look like and how fraught it is. And then sometimes you don't hear back on that idea ever again. So I think this is happening. >> and once the space is lost, can we get it back?
▶ 2:51:38>> I think that would be very difficult. >> okay. Um, miss h.r. You've talked iridium operates globally using a relatively small amount of spectrum. What lessons did that offer for spectrum policy more broadly, and are there regulatory, regulatory barriers preventing more efficient use of spectrum? >> thank you congresswoman. And we're grateful to partner with the university of north dakota to hire, uh, students for high skilled jobs at the sda facility in grand forks.
▶ 2:52:07So thank you for your partnership with your office. Um, iridium uses a small amount of spectrum, as you note, and we do a lot with it. We have 2.5 million subscribers and many lines of business, and we are innovating regularly to add on position, navigation and time and ntn direct.
▶ 2:52:24The lesson there for us is ntn direct is our direct to device solution lesson there for us is that the regulatory stability and uncertainty in the license that was granted to us by the fcc as an american, uh, based and american licensed company has enabled us to innovate.
▶ 2:52:40And that has required ongoing conversations with the fcc about whether new solutions that are coming to market require modifications to our license, and also protections from interference when new applications come into play that could interfere with us. So having flexible licenses that are granted quickly is going to be the correct balance to enable others to use spectrum efficiently. But we would we would also take additional spectrum to do more if it was available.
▶ 2:53:12>> very good, as I'm sure many others would as well. Uh, okay. Finally, Mr. straub, uh, the fcc is moving toward a more streamlined assembly line model for approvals. What does that actually look like in practice for companies filing applications? And where does it succeed or where, where could it fall short? >> thank you for the question, and thank you for an opportunity to testify before a fellow north dakota graduate. Um. >> north dakota green.
▶ 2:53:43>> um, so the idea is to be able to, um, rapidly change the licensing process. It's, you know, the system was established for a limited number of applications filed per year, typically for geostationary satellites. And, you know, the assembly line, um, is intended to be just exactly what it's, uh, how it's characterized, um, that it will be dealt with rapidly. Um, there will be boxes to check certifications that are made.
▶ 2:54:12And most importantly, the process will move forward much more quickly. >> excellent. Thank you all again, Mr. chairman, I yield back. >> thank you very much. Um, I ask unanimous consent to insert in the record the documents included on the staff hearing document list, without objection, so ordered. Seeing there are no further members wishing to be recognized. I'd like to thank our witnesses for being here today. Thank you for indulging us through the boat series.
▶ 2:54:39Um, really appreciate your testimony, both written and, and today, um, and I remind members that they have ten business days to submit questions for the record and ask the witnesses to please respond to those promptly. Um, members should submit their questions by the close of business on may 5th, 2026. Without objection, the subcommittee stands adjourned.