This website is the authoritative go-to resource for comments by – and comparisons between – top U.S. policymakers regarding the pace and benefits of broadband deployments. Broadband services play a vital role in a host of areas in both the North American and world economies. These much-sought benefits go beyond consumer desires to include community economic development in rural and urban regions, plus critical applications in education, public safety, military preparedness and disaster response.

As an established leader in government relations and technology standards, the WCA has undertaken this iniative as part of its mission to aid in the spread of broadband and related technologies.We encourage you to submit any relevant comments or proposals -- and thank you for your interest!

Andrew Kreig, President & CEO, WCA

• July 17, 2008 McCain and Obama's Advisors Discuss Tech Policy Stances
• July 10, 2008 McCain To Lay Out Market-Oriented Technology Policy
• July 10, 2008 Letter From WCA's President
• June 26, 2008 Presidential Candidates' Communications Policy Record Debated
• June 26, 2008 Obama's Telecom Policies Suggest Open-Internet Push
• June 19, 2008 Barack Obama Speaks On His Communications Policy Agenda
• June 19, 2008 Obama Pledges Universal Broadband
• June 12, 2008 Survey: Telecom Execs Unaware Of McCain, Obama Policies
• June 12, 2008 Debate Examines Telecom Policies For Possible McCain, Obama Administrations
• More News....

The Bush Administration laid out a clear broadband policy in 2004, with a crucial component being its efforts to rationalize and otherwise make more efficient the use of spectrum. President Bush recognizes the need for broadband deployment, stating: “this country needs a national goal for…the spread of broadband technology.” 

Defining proposals for the policy were unveiled in June 2004 at the US Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration in two separate policy papers. There are a number of additional elements to the administration’s policy including facilitating loans and grants to broadband regions, fostering efficiencies through standards body NIST and other mechanisms. The Administration has also used its majority at the Federal Communications Commission to increase the public interest in communications and enhance user benefits by and for Federal bodies including the general services administration contracts for Federal employees and applications in such specific areas as modern military, homeland security, first responder capabilities and border control.

• The President's Spectrum Policy for the 21st Century Part I, Part II
• Spectrum Management for the 21st Century: Plan to Implement the Recommendations of thePresident's Spectrum Policy Initiative
• WCA Bulletin Item 06/24/04 President Bush Cites Progress For National Spectrum Policy, Broadband, Wireless
• WCA Bulletin Item 06/24/04 US Commerce Department Proposes Spectrum Innovation Test-Bed For Sharing Studie

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez	Ass. Secretary, NTIA, John M. R. Kneuer

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), a division of the Department of Commerce, is the government agency charged with advising the President on telecommunications policy.  Additionally, NTIA is responsible for infrastructure and public telecom facility grants, managing the Federal Government’s use of spectrum and performing telecom research for the Federal government and private sector. NTIA’s Assistant Secretary is nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. 

The Secretary heads up a number of smaller offices under NTIA including the Office of Spectrum Management (OSM), Office of Policy Analysis and Development (OPAD), Office of International Affairs (OIA), the Institute for Telecommunications Sciences (ITS) and the Office of Telecommunications and Information Applications (OTIA).

• Secretary John Kneuer's Statement Before the House Commerce Committee on Broadband and Spectrum Policy 3/22/07
• Secretary John Kneuer WCA 2006 Keynote: The Intersection of Wireless and Broadband: Administration Spectrum Policy 6/28/06
• Secretary John Kneuer: ENUM: The View From Washington 4/19/06
• Former Secretary Michael D. Ghallager's WCA Symposium Keynote: Wireless: Driving US Innovation and Economic Growth 1/18/06

The Federal Communications Commission was established by the Communications Act of 1934 and is a U.S. government agency charged with regulating interstate and international telecommunications including tv, wire, radio, satellite and cable communications. It reports to Congress and is run by five commissioners, with one designated Chariman. A bi-partisan body, the commissioners are appointed by the President with a limit of three allowed to represent the same political party as the current administration.

The FCC is currently holding hearings on broadband policy to determine the need for modifications and additional enforcement of its Internet Policy Statement, particularly in regards to a non-discrimination provision. Among other things, the commissioners are also commencing an annual notice of inquiry into the timely deployment of broadband services in America. For more information on the FCC Commissioners' notable recent broadband policy statements and speeches see below links on (FCC 07-17) "FCC Begins Inquiries on Broadband Data" and (FCC 07-21) "FCC Begins Inquiries on Broadband Deployment."

• Chairman Kevin J. Martin 4/16/07 (FCC 07-17)
• Chairman Kevin J. Martin 4/16/07 (FCC 07-21)
• Commissioner Michael J. Copps 4/16/07 (FCC 07-17)
• Commissioner Michael J. Copps 4/16/07 (FCC 07-21)
• Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein 4/16/07 (FCC 07-17)
• Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein 4/16/07 (FCC 07-21)
• Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein 6/27/06 WCA 2006 Keynote
• Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate 4/16/07 (FCC 07-17)
• Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate 4/16/07 (FCC 07-21)
• Commissioner Robert M. McDowell 4/16/07 (FCC 07-17)
• Commissioner Robert M. McDowell 4/16/07 (FCC 07-21)

Senator John McCain (R-AZ). First elected to the Senate in 1986, re-elected in 1992, 1998 and 2004 and having previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Arizona’s 1st district, Senator John McCain announced his candidacy on February 28.  The Senator pursued the Republican nomination in the 2000 presidential election and is well known for his support for government spending reform and fighting terrorism. McCain is very active in the Senate and has strong policy positions on a number of issues. Relevant Leadership Roles: Armed Services Committee, Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee, Chair of the Indian Affairs Committee.  Member, Environmental and Energy Study Conference, Senate Centrist Coalition, Senate Co Chair, National Security Caucus, Senate Steering Committee and the Senate Wilderness and Public Lands Caucus among others.

BROADBAND POLICY
(07-10-08) Former FCC Chairman Michael Powell is drafting a technology agenda for Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (AZ) that the campaign expects to release this month. The news item from CQ further reported: While Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (IL) backs legislative initiatives to promote network neutrality, diversity in media ownership and consumer privacy, Powell said McCain would take a more typically Republican market-oriented approach. According to Powell, the highlights of McCain's technology agenda will include proposals to: (1) Lower capital gains taxes to encourage large companies to invest profits domestically; (2) Develop an immigration policy that would allow skilled technology workers to remain in the U.S. and an education policy that would produce more engineering and computer science graduates; (3) Promote free trade and open global technology markets; (4) Create a permanent research and development tax credit. Such incentives are typically renewed every year by Congress. Details.

Active in the interoperability for public safety debate, Senator McCain introduced the Spectrum Availability for Emergency-Response and Law-Enforcement to Improve Vital Emergency Services Act in March of this year.  The legislation would allow an extra 30 MHz of radio spectrum for a broadband network to be used by first responders from state and Federal levels.   He said: “We will not solve our nation’s interoperability crisis until all emergency personnel involved in responding to an incident are able to communicate seamlessly, and that is what this legislation is intended to accomplish.”

The Senator also introduced rural broadband legislation in 2002 describing it as a “…comprehensive, deregulatory, but measured approach to providing more Americans with more broadband choices.”  He further explained that “by ensuring that the market, not government, regulates the deployment of broadband services, the legislation will promote investment and innovation in broadband facilities - and consumers will benefit.”

McCain presided over 2006’s Net Neutrality hearings, making opening remarks and advocating on the importance of the issue.  He does not support so-called Net Neutrality legislation, saying: “I strongly support innovation, and I believe that the network operators should get a return on their infrastructure investments, which will encourage more development of broadband capacity in the U.S.”

A former WCA convention speaker, Senator McCain has interests in many areas of telecommunication policy and additionally advocates for the development of Municipal Broadband Networks.

BROADBAND POLICY
In a speech announcing his 2008 bid for the Democratic nomination, Senator Obama directly underlined his technological advancement goals in respect to rural broadband, saying: in the digital age…Let's make college more affordable, and let's invest in scientific research, and let's lay down broadband lines through the heart of inner cities and rural towns all across America.”  

The Senator has also been vocal in expressing his support for legislation backing Net Neutrality, stating in a June 2006 Podcast that:  “It is because the Internet is a neutral platform that I can put out this podcast and transmit it over the Internet without having to go through any corporate media middleman. I can say what I want without censorship or without having to pay a special charge.”