Senate Commerce Committee holds confirmation hearing for Ariel Roth to lead NTIA

Ariel Roth appeared before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation for her confirmation hearing to be assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information and head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

Roth emphasized her commitment to expanding broadband access, managing federal spectrum, and advising the president on internet policy. "If confirmed, I will bring this experience and my understanding of the policy challenges we face today to the work of NTIA," she said. She described broadband expansion and spectrum policy as among the agency's most pressing tasks.

The committee's chair opened by introducing the nominee and praising her record on telecommunications policy. "Today, I'm delighted to say that we are considering the nomination of Ariel Roth to be the assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information," the chair said, noting Roth's committee experience and calling her "an esteemed member of the Republican staff on this committee." Senator Roy Blunt, who introduced Roth, described her as "exactly the kind of thorough and principled leader" suited to the post.

Members from both parties pressed Roth on implementation priorities. Several senators focused on the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program and the pace of deployment; others raised national-security and technical questions about spectrum allocation and coordination with the Department of Defense and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Roth told senators she would "work with NTIA's distinguished career staff" to assess technical and legal questions and that, if confirmed, she would "abide by the law" when implementing programs such as BEAD and Buy America requirements.

Committee members also asked Roth about specific policy tools at NTIA's disposal, including the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund, the Digital Equity Act implementation, and whether NTIA should support using auction proceeds to modernize 911 systems. Roth repeatedly said she would consult agency career staff and work with senators' offices to carry out statutory mandates.

The hearing included repeated questions about NTIA's role in coordinating federal spectrum policy. When asked about spectrum co-existence with the Defense Department — specifically whether the Department of Defense could build an Iron Dome system and coexist with commercial users — Roth said she would not "jeopardize our ability to develop such a system here at home" and expressed optimism that interagency work and feasibility studies could produce a workable path forward.

Roth closed by invoking public service as a motivation for her nomination and noting family support; the committee set a schedule for submitting questions for the record and placed letters of support into the record. Senators will submit questions for the record by the committee deadline and the nominee will respond by the stated date.

The committee did not take a confirmation vote at the hearing; members were given time to submit questions for the record.