House communications subcommittee urges swift reauthorization of FCC auction authority; members spar over use of proceeds and shared-spectrum approaches

Chairman Hudson convened the House Communications and Technology Subcommittee on Feb. 5, 2025, to examine U.S. spectrum policy and the nearly two‑year lapse of the Federal Communications Commission’s spectrum auction authority.

The hearing featured testimony from industry and public‑interest witnesses who urged Congress to reauthorize auction authority quickly and to craft a bipartisan plan for how new spectrum is studied and released. Representative Doris Matsui, the subcommittee’s ranking member, said restoring auction authority must come with protections that “close the digital divide, protect national security, and support public safety communications.”

Why it matters: Lawmakers, regulators and companies told the panel that demand for mid‑band and unlicensed spectrum is rising rapidly as consumers, businesses and government systems carry growing volumes of data. Witnesses said a practical reauthorization paired with a clear spectrum pipeline would signal to global standards bodies and industry that the United States is ready to compete on 5G, Wi‑Fi and future 6G deployments.

Industry witnesses described near‑term capacity gaps. Michael Powell, president and CEO of NCTA — The Internet & Television Association, told the…