Look Ahead: Committee Announces Schedule for Week of December 10

WASHINGTON, DC – The House Energy and Commerce Committee today announced its schedule for the week of December 10, 2012. The committee will hold hearings to exercise oversight over new spectrum auction authority Congress gave the FCC this year and implementation of the health care law’s exchanges and Medicaid expansion.

On Wednesday, December 12, the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology will hold a hearing on “Keeping the New Broadband Spectrum Law on Track.” The subcommittee continues to exercise oversight over implementation of new FCC spectrum auction authority, which will help meet soaring demand for mobile broadband services and fund a nationwide public safety network. The auction authority was part of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 and originated in the House Energy and Commerce Committee as Chairman Walden’s Jumpstarting Opportunity with Broadband Spectrum (JOBS) Act. All five FCC Commissioners will testify.

Chairman Walden stated, “Our subcommittee carefully crafted the legislation to create jobs by getting more spectrum into the pipeline to meet consumer demands for more mobile broadband, and to allocate a portion of auction proceeds toward build-out of a public safety broadband network, while ensuring broadcasters are treated fairly. I look forward to the testimony of all five FCC commissioners as we examine what the FCC can do to advance those goals, and what it should avoid.” A Majority Memorandum and witness testimony will be posted here when available.

On Thursday, December 13, the Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing on “State of Uncertainty: Implementation of PPACA's Exchanges and Medicaid Expansion.” Members of the Energy and Commerce Committee, along with a bipartisan group of governors, state officials, and state Medicaid directors have repeatedly requested the administration provide basic information about how the exchanges and Medicaid expansion will be implemented and regulated.

Witnesses will include state health officials and representatives from the federal Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight and the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services. The officials will discuss the implementation of the health care law's exchanges and Medicaid expansion. With less than 13 months until implementation, the committee intends to press the administration to finally respond to the numerous critical questions that remain unanswered nearly 1,000 days since enactment of the health care law. A witness list is posted here. The Majority Memorandum and witness testimony will be posted at the same link when available.

Hearing Details:

Wednesday, December 12, 2012
10:00 a.m.
2123 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
Hearing on “Keeping the New Broadband Spectrum Law on Track”

Thursday, December 13, 2012
10:00 a.m.
2123 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Health
Hearing on “State of Uncertainty: Implementation of PPACA's Exchanges and Medicaid Expansion”

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