SAT Streamlining Act: Modernizing Satellite Licensing for the Final Frontier

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Subcommittee will come to order. The Chair recognizes himself for 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 space craft use to communicate with each other and back to Earth, is regulated and licensed by the FCC. The FCC 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 U. S. companies are leading the way. While we have long relied on satellite technology for GPS and key services supporting functions of the U. S. 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. In fact, these next-generation satellite networks provide broadband at speech, 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 uh terrestrial-based infrastructure, satellite was able to bridge the gap and keep first responders connected. Satellite-based services will also continue to impact other industries, 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. We're also hearing more about space-based enterprise communication services and orbital orbital orb 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 twenty-first century, it is essential our committee continues to be part of that conversation. Today 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 legislative text for Chairman Guthrie and Ranking Member Pilon's Satellite and Telecommunications Streamlining Act. This legislation is aimed at streamlining licensing of space-based communication services providing more certainty for operators uh 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 General Manager from California, for her opening statement.

Thank you very m- very much, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank the witnesses for being here today. I am 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 in the satellite marketplace continues to accelerate, our policy The federal communications commission's processes need to keep pace. That's especially true when it comes to the federal communications commission's licensing process, which reviews applications to operate satellite systems. If we want the United States to remain a global leader in communications technology, we need a process that is modern, predictable and e- 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 just a few years ago. In the beginning of twenty twenty, the US had around one thousand satellites in orbit. By twenty twenty three, when we passed an earlier version of this bill out of committee, the US had around forty five hundred satellites. Today, we have over eleven thousand satellites. The sheer scale of this growth is staggering, and shows why we need to help our agencies modernize to address this demand. To 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 thirteen months when 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 At its core, the satellite streamlining act is about making sure their federal process keeps pace with today's reality. It'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 in whether patients can access telehealth. For 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. We must also ensure that States can continue enforcing 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. I look forward to hearing from witnesses on how we can improve

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 uh Ranking Member Matsui for holding this important hearing. And 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 its services, we are increasingly relying on satellite-based services to help those to help those who need to close the digital divide and offer support in moments of crisis. We're also seeing new partnerships between satellite operators and mobile carriers as they merge to provide direct-to-device services to help improve coverage in communities that were previously unserved. Today we are considering the Sat-streamline Act, which would update the Federal Communication Commission's licensing rules for I wanna thank ranking member Pilon for agreeing to work with me on this legislation. Since 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 wanna thank ranking member Pilon for his commitment to work on this bill in a bipartisan fashion. We wanna engage with industry and government, stakeholders alike, to make sure we get those reforms right. And that our efforts to modernize refl and modernize

Thank you, Chairman. Uh, I now recognize the gentleman from Florida who will be uh providing an opening statement on behalf of the ranking member Mr. Pilon uh Representative Soto, you're recognized for five minutes.

Thank you, Chairman. This committee has a long tradition of working in a bipartisan fashion to enhance technological innovation in this country. And today's hearing marks the start of another important endeavor as we begin exploring the next frontier of commercial space industry. Uh, we know that for a fact in central Florida with over a hundred and four launches last year by NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Blue Origin, and more, most of those were telecommunication satellite missions. And so, uh the stakes could not be higher for american space innovation. i saw firsthand uh 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. um 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, I think the more space 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. I 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. Unfortunately, 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, 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. This is especially important for consumers as they have come to depend upon mel upon mobile connectivity to receive emergency alerts with lifesaving 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 when 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 H R eighty-two fifty-five, the satellite and telecommunication streamlining act today, a bipartisan bill by Chair Guthrie and Ranking Member Pallone introduced last week. This 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. By 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 six hundred percent, quite simply failing to ensure that the United States rem remains a market leader in this sector risks our nation falling behind our counterparts across the globe including China in producing cutting edge consumer innovations and fortifying our public safety and national security capabilities. Therefore, 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. And we are determined to continue to work with Chairman Guthrie and other members of this committee to make any necessary edits to the SAD 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 remaining.

Thank you, gentlemen. Uh, we have now concluded with member opening statements. The 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 uh, 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. Uh, the witnesses here before us today are Mr. Tom Stroup, President, Satellite Industry, Miss Kara Lieben-Azakar, uh, Vice President of Legislatory and Public Policy, Iridium Communications. And Mister Shiva Goyul, uh, partner of Wally Rahn, and, uh, we appreciate all of you, uh, for being here and making the time. Um, Mister Schraub, you are recognized for five minutes.

German Hudson, Ranking Member Matsui, German Guthrie, distinguished members of the subcommittee, thank you for inviting me to testify before you today. I'm Tom Stroup, 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. With over fourteen thousand 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 con congressional attention to licensing modernization is so timely and important. The number of satellites in orbit has grown almost tenfold in the last ten years, and looking ahead, the pace of growth is exa- is set to accelerate further. Operators have announced plans to deploy over forty thousand 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. The 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-period to provide additional resources and focus in our industry, as well as its ongoing space modernization for the twenty-first century proceeding, which proposes to replace the legacy satellite rules with a new framework. Congress can reinforce this progress by signaling signaling its expectation that the FCC finalize a framework that is faster, more predictable, and technology neutral. As the number of satellites in orbit has grown dramatically, so too will is the importance of coordinating the safe operation of these satellites and managing the shared environment of low Earth orbit. The 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. While 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 broad band constellations that will offer services to developing nations and Chinese allies at below market or subsidized rates. It is critical critical for 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 U S and globally, and driving progress for the benefit of all Americans. In furtherance of these goals, we have five priorities. First, promote American space innovation through streamlined regulations without unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy. Second, lead standards development internationally. With WRC twenty-seven preparations now underway and eighty percent of the agenda addressing space services and technologies, the stakes could not be higher. SIA urges Congress to ensure the FCC and ege- executive branch agencies have the resources and direction needed to present a unified, pro-innovation position at WRC twenty-seven. Third, advanced responsible space traffic coordination and advocate for the adoption of similar policies internationally. The Office of Space Commerce's work to develop a modern space traffic coordination framework deserves robust congressional support. Fourth, streamline space system procurement for greater efficiency in government acquisition. And finally, spur development and investment through access to sufficient spectrum resources. The U. S. should ensure sufficient spectrum allocations are available domestically, and internationally,

Thank you. Ms. Azhikar, you are recognized for five minutes for your opening statement.

Chairman Hudson, Ranking Member Matsui, Chairman Guthrie, Ranking Member Pilon, and distinguished members of the subcommittee. Thank you for inviting me to testify today about the vibrant space marketplace and the sat My name is Kara Libin-Azikar and I am the Vice President of Regulatory and Public Policy for Iridium. For decades, Iridium has been a leading American-founded and American-based MSS communications provider. Now serving roughly two point five million subscribers, including the US government, individuals and private entities around the world. Iridium's US licensed second generation constellation of sixty-six non-geostationary orbit satellites provides services in the L band. includes KA band feeder links and satellite to satellite cross links. Iridium'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 multiple 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. Iridium offers all of these capabilities with less than nine megahertz of L-band user link 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 NTN direct is our new three GPP standards-based narrow-band internet of things and directed-based service that is set to debut later this year. It will extend the reach of cellular carriers to the entire planet, unlike any other Off the shelf cellular devices will connect to Iridium's low earth orbit constellation, providing a standardized solution offering S SMS and IOT functionality. Iridium also offers the first truly global low earth orbit position navigation and timing, or PNT, solution, providing exceptional reliability and high security with a signal strength that is a thousand times stronger than GPS. This 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 back-up PNT capabilities in an ultra-compact chip that can be easily embedded in GPS-dependent devices. As a global leader in the space industry, Iridium appreciates the role of US global leadership in space race two dot O, and welcomes the increasingly competitive space marketplace. To ensure that the satellite industry continues its 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. The previous administration created the FCC's 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 US leadership in the evolving global space economy. Consistent 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 MSS, 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 MSS spectrum where feasible and drive more efficient use of existing MSS allocations. This should be done through technology neutral rules, modernized 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. The FCC should fully evaluate the applications while still providing process certainty and reliability for all operators. And finally, encourage innovation in alternative P and T 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. With these priorities in mind, Iridium supports Congress's efforts to modernize space and earth station licensing to unlock American ingenuity and capability. Essential to this 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 for forward to your questions.

Thank you. Mr. Goyul, you're recognized for five minutes for an opening statement.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, Chairman Guthrie, Ranking Member Pallone, Chairman Hudson, Ranking Member Matsui, distinguished members of the subcommittee, my name is and I'm a partner at Wiley Rhyme. Thank you for the opportunity to share my perspectives on this, uh, and thank you to my fellow witnesses as well for their thoughtful input. As a former NTIA spectrum official and FCC advisor, and as a lawyer who has helped companies, big and small, navigate this this approval process, I've been following the effort to modernize and streamline commercial space licensing for years, and with great interest. I strongly believe that what started out as a good government effort to 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 development suggests 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 uh miss mister strope and miss azekar uh 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. And 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 a bro- 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. These 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 dedication 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 and 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. We 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 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, if 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 with absolutely no daylight between what they're doing commercially and their national security capabilities. China 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 environment. If we want to attract continued investment, we can't just compress the timeline. We have to reach it. So we need to leave room for t- careful technical review, especially in challenging cases, as we reform. Finally, 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, but 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. At the same time, the U. S. 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 interest is critical. Thank you again for allowing me to share my thoughts with you, and I look forward to it.

Thank you. We'll now begin uh questions, and I'll recognize myself for five minutes to ask my questions. Um, I am proud to represent Fort Bragg, call it the home of the airborne and special forces largest army base in the world. Uh, Ms. Azekar, you mentioned national security interest in your testimony. Can you talk about why it's so important the US has a robust commercial satellite industry and how does that impact our war fighters and enhance our national security? Is your mike on? I'm not sure.

Better?

That's better.

Good. Thank you for that question, Chairman. Apologies for that. Um, Iridium is a proud partner of the US government, uh, the US government business, uh, has been a cornerstone of Iridium's business from the very beginning. And w- 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 That has enabled us to grow as a company, um and to participate in a variety of different missions, including recently Iridium was used on the Artemis mission, which was very exciting for us, w in a Summer Labs uh device that was used. Um, we also partner with SDA and we do their operations and integration, and that has been an expansion based on our experience as a satellite operator for over twenty five years. We see our national security mission growing and the solutions

Great. Thank you for that. Um,

Mm.

so the the Guthrie-Poulom version of the SAT streamlining act pairs shot clocks with a provision allowing for tolling of applications and modification request in certain circumstances. Um, Ms. Azekar, what is the value of tolling and how can it be constructive in providing certainty in the licensing process while also effectively

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 or deem granted provisions are key to speeding But without a tolling provision that enables for additional analysis in complex situations that require additional technical analysis it could result in what Shiva mentioned which is a shrubber rubber stamp and when an application is rubber stamped it results in petitions for reconsideration which results in uncertainty for licensees that have ap have licenses that may conflict with the application and the applicants that just got a grant can't rely upon. So a tolling provision, um 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. I mentioned the example of Hurricane Helene, uh, when it tore through North Um, satellite-based services help keep our first responders connected when the terrestrial networks are 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, Mister Schrupp, is there anything else Congress can do to support the deployment of these services?

Thank you for the question, and and I would emphasize the the points that have been made in terms of regulatory certainty. Um, I think that, uh, the directed device services um, ideally suited to emergency situations where other systems are knocked out, um, and just ensuring that when applications are submitted that there were s- that they're, uh, dealt with in a timely manner is one of the best ways of ensuring that.

Great. Zazgar, do you have anything to add?

Thank you for allowing me to add on to that. Um, so Iridium's direct-to-device solution and Tandirect is an MSS direct-to-device solution that utilizes RETS and RETS to help us in the process of determining 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 inter in international standards bodies, which I hope we can speak about further. I think the key piece that I would like to add on to what um Tom has indicated is that direct devices mu- can be much broader even in emergency situations. We're hoping ours will be used extensively in an internet of things context, and also will have the SMS functionality in the event of emergency.

Great. Well, see my time's about to expire, so I'll call my time and recognize uh our ranking member. Uh, Miss Representative Matsu, you are recognized for five minutes to ask your questions.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. This bill is highly relevant to LEO internet constellations. It's gonna help connect communities that are difficult to reach with fiber. But when a company like SpaceX wins over seven hundred million dollars in federal funding only to seek special treatment to get around the roles that raises real concern. Mister Goyal, how can we strengthen this building, 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?

Thank you, Ranking Member, for the question. Um, I 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 uh plans tend to be nationwide plans. That's how you really tackle and solve this problem. Um, I know that's an area where uh y- you've shown a lot of leadership over the years in protecting and improving uh low-income programs nationwide uh t- to make sure everyone has uh the connectivity they need to participate in modern society. And uh I I think those efforts are uh extremely

Okay, thank you. Um, we often talk about satellite licensing as a question of speed, but it's also a question of where innovation happens, who gets to compete, and whether United States stays the place where the next generation satellite systems thrive. Mister Stroup, what are the risks if our permitting process remains too burdensome, and satellite companies increasingly decide it's ea- easier to get licensed abroad than in United States?

Thank you.

For the question, I I think it starts with uh the potential loss of employment, potential loss of the 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 uh one company ends up spawning off several other companies. If this is pushed offshore, uh we lose out on the potential for that innovation, that uh that uh um industrial base, as well as the other things that I mentioned in terms of tax base and employment.

OK, thank you. Mister Gouriel, people often focus on

Uh, 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. Uh, they need to show their investment. Uh. 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 gonna be able to operate. So I I think this is uh actually quite quite important for them. I would also add that um smaller companies are also the most vulnerable to license denials. And if you had a situation where statutory deadlines were pushing the FCC to act on a complex application that wasn't ready and it just denied an application, I think the big guys could probably survive. I think some of the small ones would just go away.

Okay.

And that's why I think tolling and some of the flexibility and balance uh added to this bill are are really important uh from the small p provider perspective.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you. Um, Miss Azekar, 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 and critical services depend on. Thank you, Congresswoman, for the uh

Um, I think the key here is to ensure that there are fair, flexible and stable regul 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 spaced economy and to succeed uh in the space race two dot O.

OK, um, the FTC is already severely understaffed Last year the Space Bureau acknowledged the limited staff resources, even as earth station applications grew by seventy-two percent. Um, and the administration's proposed budget cuts have pushed staffing down even further. as a car, this bill would let some applications for be approved automatically if the FCC does not act in time. What safeguards are needed to ensure FCC staff have the necessary information and capacity to review applications quickly and thoroughly and you've got fifteen seconds to answer.

Thank you for the question, and thank you for the ten seconds that I have left to answer. Um, we uh, I think I'd like to follow up with you on that decision.

Okay, well, we'll do that.

Thank you.

Appreciate it. Thank you very much.

Oh, are you back?

General Lady yields back. Uh, the Chair now recognizes the Chairman of the full committee and Mister Guthrie for five minutes to ask your questions.

Thanks. So the first question will be for Mister Stroud. 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. At the same time, the Supreme Court's twenty twenty-two decision, EPA versus West Virginia, make clear that major agency actions must be rooted in statutory in a statutory authority. Do you think there is so there's the question, do you think there is value in Congress passing legislation like the Statutory Blanking 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, uh, questioned, and I don't think that, you know, we talked or testified previously about the importance of stability, um, in the regulatory process, and I think this is helping ensure that, uh, there's an understanding that the rules that are adopted in the modernization, new rulemaking at the FCC continue into the future.

Okay.

Absolutely.

Thank you. So, Ms. Azkar, this is for you. How does modernizing the licensing

Thank you, Chairman, for that question. Yes,

Yes.

uh, there are other areas to consider, and uh streamlining licensing will enable uh, as I've already mentioned, a fair, flexible and stable environment for doing business. There is the concern that operators will go elsewhere to license. And in doing so, they will have um more f- m- more uh l- less regulation um 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 cra- a collision in two thousand nine, and have led on space situational awareness and orbital debris mitigation. This is a critical area for the sustainability of satellite orbits, and we believe

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 inter-agency process, particularly when it comes to shared spectrum bands. So, these two, I'll ask both questions, let you guys answer, Ms. Asghar, if you go first. So, Ms. Asghar, what has been uranium's experience navigating the

The inter-agency process is a critical piece to licensing. Um, it's critical because of the shared use of space that Mr. Goel has mentioned previously and because of the the shared spectrum that exists. Um,

Mm.

Iradium works closely with all of the different agencies to ensure that its operations meet all regulations and standards and technical requirements. Um, and we have had a positive experience in doing so. Um, but I know that others may not have and Mister Goyal may have a different perspective.

OK, thank you. So your suggestion, Mr. Goyal?

Um, so I, look, I, I, I think NTIA, I'm, 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 whole inter-agency could do better? Well, one is I think people need a front door, especially the smaller companies that the 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. There's nobody a law that they can sorta look look to and say, this type of application and this frequency band tends 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? There needs to be incentives, priorities, and manpower, uh, to make sure that, uh, they are prioritizing this work and and recognizing that, um, allowing commercial, uh, the commercial sector to share fre- frequencies isn't a bad thing. As long as we can protect federal users, it's a great thing.

Thank you. My time is expiring and I will yield back the fifteen second.

Thank you, gentlemen. Chair now recognizes the gentleman from Florida, Mister Soto, for five minutes to ask your questions.

Thank you, Chairman. You know, every day I've flirted into experience uh having issues with cell phone reception in rural areas and natural disasters out at sea, uh which is why we're so thrilled that last year we had a hundred and four launches uh from Cape Canaveral. Uh, mostly launching telecom satellites. We saw SpaceX uh lead the charge with over ten thousand two hundred and eighty-one satellites uh through Starlink uh with forty-two thousand approved, Blue Origin with Kuiper, two hundred thirty-nine satellites, what a planned th- three thousand two hundred thirty-six, and many other uh operators. And we welcome more competition uh into this, which is why w- I got to work on with Doctor Dunn the Launch Communications Act, which we passed last term. That helped streamline FCC

I'm sorry, could you repeat the question? I I think that uh the

Yeah. Yeah.

that it has taken previously um to address the to to to work on the the applications i mean certainly give the fcc credit as noted before um there were approximately sixty four thousand 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 uh address the the workload that is coming on a going forward basis and i think that the streamlining act addresses many of those and i think that the and modernization nprm rulemaking I will also help address those.

So the the regulatory streamlining is important, but we also probably need more folks there to help process these, you think, right?

I am absolutely supportive of additional resources for the FCC, especially within the space bureau.

Sure. Uh, Miss Azekar, I know you mentioned uh safety, that's something I was gonna bring up. Uh, you know, satellites do crash into each other sometimes, so we do wanna make sure uh that we do get these applications right. You had mentioned about adversaries, right? We have control over our own satellites, maybe coordination with our allies, uh I wanted you to elaborate on things we could do uh to ensure we don't have uh 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 c- economy and the international space economy. Orbital 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, conditions junctions or the movement of satellites away from other objects. When we were collided with in two thousand nine, it was due to a rogue Russian satellite that had not been properly de-orbited. And we led the charge on cha- the the reasoning for that was because the data about that had not been properly shared with us in a timely manner. We 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 are different countries that are our adversaries. Uh, Mister Goel, 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 as 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 it's extremely hard to pick because so much is going on. I mean, a- and I think if you view it from a competitive lens, uh, everybody's getting into the same game. China launched a h- over a hundred 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 win out. We 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.

Thanks and yield back.

Thank you, gentlemen, the chair now recognizes the Vice Chair of the Subcommittee, Representative George and Mister Allen, for five minutes for your questions.

Thank you, Chairman Hudson, for holding this hearing, and I want to thank witnesses for being here to testify on your expertise. Um, as Chairman Hudson uh outlined, Her- Hurricane Helene, or Revec- wreaked havoc in Georgia's twelfth 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. sources and services i remember our first press conference and the director of uh disaster management uh was talking about the shelters and uh food and water and uh 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 and uh thankfully to uh elon musk and uh, starlink, um, 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 uh got underway. But basically, power-wise we were down to uh ten days in most places and some places three weeks in rural areas. Uh, mister uh, stroop stroop, uh, are there any barriers to further expanding these services? And what would those barriers be?

There are couple um, couple restraining factors that I would note. And uh, as Miss Azekar noted, there are a couple different ways of providing direct-to-device services. One is using MSS spectrum and the other is partnering uh with mobile terrestrial carriers to utilize their spectrum. Um, being able to negotiate those agreements and ensure that 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 in being able to provide service. So, um, that i that is one that I would note.

Uh, Mister Goel, uh, uh, do you have any further thing to add about, uh, any barriers to further expanding these services?

Uh, tha- thank you for the question. Um, I think licensing reform will help. I know, uh, uh, the FCC. has its supplemental coverage from space uh 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 uh a directed device uh deployment, and I think uh speeding that up and providing more transparency and certainty uh certainly will help as well and to your point about uh 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 in mass accessibility as soon as you turn it on and and i think uh improving the framework uh is is really important so thank you.

well you just answered my next question to you about innovation in the industry, a new interest to the market uh which has helped bring uh communication services to previously uncertain

i think congress is doing the right things uh i 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 d- a dynamic where you almost need an excuse to hurry up the feds at the other agencies and say,

Right.

I've got a deadline,

Yeah.

and and this bill is gonna do it, uh, and and I think, uh, really improve, uh, outcomes here.

Right, good. Okay, thank you again very much. Uh, and, uh, with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.

Thank you. The chairing, I recognize the gentleman from California, Mr. Ruiz.

Thank you, uh, Mister 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. The 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. In 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. This is real life for many in our country. Statewide, low-income and Latino households have seen virtually no gains in broadband access since twenty nineteen. In communities like mine, too many families are still being left behind. The FCC's own twenty twenty four competition report confirmed we are entering a new space age one where satellite partnerships can reach places, terrestrial infrastructure simply can. This 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 wanna make sure we are not simply accelerating a market that leaves rural and low-income Americans behind. Uh, Mister Strupe, 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 a map?

Thank you. Thank you for the question, and 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 unless it 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 gonna have access to multiple

Access only exists if it's affordable. It can be there, but if people can't afford it,

I

they don't have access to it. So how so what are some mechanisms uh that we can ensure affordability in uh in acquiring this satellite broadband?

I 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 fifty dollars a month today. There are multiple companies that are providing that service. Um in some instances the terminals are are

Miss uh Azokar, 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, and 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 megahertz of spectrum and focuses on narrow, narrow band, low latency, low bandwidth applications, not broad band. However, Iridium is moving Iridium is moving towards a standards-based direct device solution that'll be come online later this year and 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-to-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 that you're looking for.

Thank you. And my last thirty seconds, Mister Goel, from a regulatory and legal standpoint, are there provisions we should include in this bill that would tie streamlined licensing to meaningful affordability commitments?

Uh, thank you. congressman i i completely agree with you on affordability i i would love to see the affordability problem solved on a nationwide basis i think that's how uh you you push the needle on it uh after acp uh ended uh there's data showing um people are reducing service or or cancelling service uh cause they could no longer afford

so so how can we tie streamlining licensing to meaningful affordability commitments

uh i i i would prefer dealing with uh affordability on a more comprehensive basis uh, rather than tying it to licensing, which might not get us all the way.

OK. Thank you.

Thank you, gentlemen, the chair now recognizes the gentleman from California, Mister Obernolte, for five minutes for your questions.

Thank you, Mister Chairman, thank you, our witnesses, uh, I've really enjoyed this hearing on what I think is a critically important topic. Mister Straub, uh, you in your testimony had uh some pretty strong words about the need for responsible uh 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 Azhikar was talking about the collision in two thousand nine between an Iridium satellite and a Russian satellite. That's gonna become more and more prevalent if we don't get this problem under control. Obviously we're gonna have a growing need for uh the Office of Space Commerce to take up some of the slack there, but uh it's been pointed out that this is gonna require international cooperation, because we're not the only ones who are launching satellites. So uh 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, thank you for the question, and it's extremely important issue. Um, I would recommend that we start by funding the TRAX program, uh 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 expand it on a global basis. There have been discussions about whether this should be done on a global basis, an international basis, starting with the ITU. And there's a great fear within the the industry that it will take far too long to implement a a global basis uh a global system and therefore we need to start with implementing something in the United States. We spent over ten years trying to identify which civil agency was gonna take on this role. Fortunately we've identified the Office of Space Commerce is the one to do it, to do so, but in order for them to be successful we need to fund

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 uh 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 that it occurred through an a human error. Is is

i think there's absolutely a role for ai to be able to help address the issue um some of the the uh conjunctions can be addressed uh uh by onboard decisions within spacecraft but ultimately we need to know where each of the different objects in space are

thank you uh mister goil uh i was really interested in the 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 uh the frustration with long licensing timelines and you 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 uh 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 uh complain simultaneously about needing to do a more detailed technical review, at the same time

Thank you, Congressman. I I I take the point, um, and I think balance is the right word and is is hard to achieve. Uh, you know, the bill as drafted now has tolling provisions which uh allow the FCC under some circumstances to extend the timeline, uh, and 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, mo- most market participants can look at this bill and say, I'm still gonna get a license in time. It might not be twelve months if I'm proposing something really novel, but uh even if there's an extension, there there there are limits on it. So uh but but achieving that is is critical, cuz 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 gonna deny applications. And um you know, I don't think that helps anybody. I think it's particularly damaging to smaller companies whose investors, whose customers are suddenly gonna say the FCC isn't buying what you're selling. Uh, so there there's gotta be that balance and, you know, I think tolling and and similar safety valves are are the way to go.

Right. Well, I agree with you. Uh, I 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 uh, a too thorough technolo- technical review going on. So, uh, 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's expired. I yield back, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, gentlemen. Chair, and I'll recognize the gentleman from California, Mister Peters, for five minutes to ask your question.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for calling in support in hearing the, uh, SAT 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 US leadership in the global space economy. In the last few years, China's satellite presence has grown over six hundred percent after the Chinese government identified satellite broadband as one of its top priorities and dedicated sev- significant investment to the sector. If we in America want to keep pace with China, it's critical we reform our licensing per uh processes and equip US companies with the tools they need to compete on the global stage. Mr. Goel, in your testimony you described a a regulatory bottleneck. When you were at the FCC, what challenges did you witness within the existing regulatory process for issuing satellite communications licenses? What are the real word real word 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 Uh, the FCC experiences too as pain points. If uh the rules are unclear and nobody knows what the requirements are to the the the service they're proposing, well the FCC's gotta deal with that too, when the rules are jumbled. Clarity's gonna 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, industry is scratching their heads uh and uh you know they're they're litigating uh the issue before the FCC and spending a lot of time and money doing it. And the FCC, the poor FCC is, you know, in the middle, uh, trying to pick out who's right and and pull out data there. So, uh, this is what contributed to just-in-time licensing,

Yeah.

uh, a practice that I think the FCC is trying to move away from and and and ought to do, uh, quickly, but i- it's it's very much, uh, a slowdown.

What would you say to to San Diegans and Americans are the costs of that? How the how would you reflect the cost of that?

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 uh, time is money, I always say too. Um, and um, we stayed in a lot of context in this committee. Uh, innovation in the commercial satellite sector strengthens the economy and empowers U U S leadership interconnected world. An example of this is how mobile wireless profess uh providers like ATT, 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. Satellite 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

Thank you for that question, Cong- Congressman. I already am partners with over five hundred 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, and 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, um which gets fair, flexible and stable licenses into the hands of new entrants, will enable not just satellite operators but also their partners to,

Um, Mister Strube, do you have anything 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 in your sector.

The, I'm sorry, certification?

The the new bill, the act we're talking about today.

I I I'm I'm sorry, could you repeat it one more time?

I was asking how the proposal before us today would help spur innovation.

Oh, OK.

Sorry.

regulatory certainty.

Yeah, sure, yeah.

I I think absolutely knowing that from the time one raises an investment with a concept to the time that they're able to obj uh uh obtain a license is is crucial to being able to move forward with any innovative product.

Alright. Well, my time has expired. I think we're all dedicated in this committee to closing the digital divide, and I think this will be a big step forward, and I yield back.

Thank the 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 Um, we will go vote and uh stand in recess until five minutes at the end of the third vote. So, uh, the committee stands at recess.

the subcommittee will come to order and the chair will recognize himself for five minutes for questions and um mr. robson if i could uh start uh my questions with you that uh you know i have the honor of working with the general lady from illinois second district when uh on the uh satellite precision agriculture legislation and you know when you look at what we can do out there on the agricultural front for for our farmers especially with uh precision agriculture and you and then you bring in the satellite i'd like to get your perspective on that on the uh on agriculture and and especially with satellites

uh thank you for the question and um precision agriculture is an example of many different uses satellite technology. Um, starting with the remote sensing capability to be able to image um, fields, as well as utilization of GPS services and then ultimately uh, communication services. Um, so I think it's one of the great applications of many different sectors of the industry.

Well, thank you very much. Uh, Mr. Groyal, if I could um turn now to you. Uh, you know one of the great things about serving on the Energy and Commerce Committee is that we are really looking over the the horizon by five to ten years when you're up there on the dais, we gotta make and uh you know in your testimony i thought it was interesting what you how you mentioned it says it requires to move as fast as the innovators we oversee and that's what we wanna make sure is we're not uh hurting the innovators the entrepreneurs out there with the legislation and the regulations that follow um what what do you see uh again especially when we talk about licensing processes you know that's one of the things we've been really talking about in this congress is on permitting in getting these things done. And when you're looking at uh, 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, Um, your po- your point about uh 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 but you are seeing extremely deliberate and focused planning in China from large 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 a private sector involved uh 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 based on what they see on paper uh and uh and i think that's what uh streamlining is really gonna accomplish and uh unlock a lot of benefits

well because again you mentioned when you talk about your hidden cost of regulatory delay you know again which i think you just answered the question because uh 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 If they just do it. I think that, I think it's a really important factor that has to be considered when, when we're looking at the, 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 uh to you, Mister Straub, um, you know when you say, and uh we just heard from Mister Goyal, uh we were saying 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

oh how fast

the united states now they only got thirty five seconds left

yeah i i think as noted in my testimony uh with respect to broad band services rapidly um they've got two constellations that are already in the process of launching uh soon to be deploying most likely subsidized

Well, thank you very much. My time has expired and I yield back. The chair now recognizes the gentlelady from Illinois's second district for five minutes for questions.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mister Chair and Ranking Member, for holding this afternoon's hearing and thanks to our witnesses for participating and your patience. The satellite industry is evolving and the stakes for rural America are real. In my district alone, there are four thousand five hundred farms, the 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 alongside uh the bipartisan precision agriculture satellite connectivity act to help our farmers maximize yield efficiency and profitability through satellite enabled precision agricultural tools but 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 you discus

Stroup, yes.

Stroup, sorry. You discussed how satellite enabled precision agriculture is transforming productivity in rural America, particularly in areas beyond the reach of terrestrial networks. How does the SAT streamlining act ensure that new and emerging satellite providers, especially those focused on agricultural and rural communities, can enter the market rather than having that capacity concentrated among a few large operators.

Yes, thank you for the question, and I think a good example would be utilization of IOT services, to be able to uh sense the level of moisture or the amount of uh fertilizer that may be needed. Um, if you are a start-up company, um, not knowing how long it would take to be able to get a license authorized, it could be the difference between you actually have a a viable business or not. The satellite stream aligning act uh should be able to address that by setting it

Thank you. Mister Goel, you have highlighted the high regulatory costs for a small satellite company, and that uncertain licensing timelines can effectively erase innovation by discouraging start-ups before they even get off the ground. What specific reforms in the SAT streamlining act would most directly reduce those barriers to entry for new and smaller satellite companies.

Uh, thank you, Congresswoman. I I think it's the combination of certain uh time periods for reviewing a license with the safety valve for uh licenses for license applications that are very complicated. Uh, you c- if you're a start-up, 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 gonna take for me to get a license.

Mm-hmm.

Um, and you can look at it and say if I'm playing by the rules and I have a reasonable proposal, I'm not gonna 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 shock clocks without uh a safety valve. Um, and so I I I think those two provisions in parallel uh could could really help startups.

Thank you.

thank you gentlelady now recognize the gentleman from ohio mister landsman for five minutes for your question

thank you mister chair uh appreciate all of you for being here uh it's um a good bill uh the you know both the united states and the chinese have launched uh a a a ton of satellite capacity and um the bill clarifies it i think in a very important way the licensing uh processes at the sec. 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 uh review process, uh we s- think you see or hear here bipartisan support for the bill. Um I just I I had a couple of questions. Uh. And and anyone can answer this, but maybe Miss. How's the car? It's like sugar in Spanish, but but yeah, but then oh. Sorry. Um. W w you either everyone can, but I was thinking about you. What is the um what 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 wanna note that Iridium has a partner in Ohio called Saffron that we're very happy to partner with.

Yeah, yeah.

Um, and so we have a bit of a presence there. Um, they build P and T equipment that connects to our network. Um, 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 sixty-six satellites.

Hmm.

So building resilience and redundancy into the satellite ecosystem is a part of who we are as a company but from our 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. It's true.

Yeah, thank you. I would add that um having a healthy industry with capabilities at multi-orbit um is one of the ways of being able to insure redundancy and resiliency. That 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 res- uh of communicating with both geo and non-geostationary satellites is one of the ways and and that's achieved with a healthy industry.

Thanks. I I have nothing to add. I I think the the points have been covered well. This is an inherently resilient and redundant technology. Thank you.

These 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?

Honest, but what I will say is that the US economy is robust, and China is doing it in a different way. Uh, 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 uh provide a voice for the US companies like an American company like Avidia,

Great. Thank you.

One thing that I would note that is publicly available is utilization of a maneuverable spacecraft um in both geo- and non-geostationary orbits. Um there have been stories that have been published about the capability capabilities that uh the chinese have deployed uh their potential dual use, but definitely have implications for security purposes.

got it

and uh look i this is not a specific capability but one thing uh china has been very good at in our telecom history has been exporting their ecosystems to places around the world uh you we've seen that with uh gps and the baidu baidu

yeah

system we've seen that uh with huawei and zte terrestrially when we took our foot off the gas

Got it. Thank you all very much. Now you're back.

Thank you. And the chair would like to uh welcome in the gallery Christian Kurth. He's a senior at Mac- 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, Mister Carter, after five minutes.

Uh thank you, Mister Chairman, and thank you for the witness joining us here today. Satellite technology satellite technology is constant. evolving and the United States must remain at the forefront of this critical infrastructure. I represent Southeast Louisiana, where with no stranger to hurricanes and to other devastating natural disasters, satellites provi- provide early warning and accurate forecast, 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. Last year, I was vocal in my opposition to the Trump's 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. This is why legislation like the satellite and technol- telecommunication 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, in times of challenge. Uh, these are not just things to say. This is real. These are people's lives. Uh, Mister Strupe. I was proud to introduce next

Yes, thank you for the question and your leadership on this issue.

Mm.

Um, starting with the second part of your question first, I think that satellites have the ability to provide a backup for nine one one systems. Uh, there are thousands of fiber cuts, per year in this country, um, 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 the communication capability with direct to device services. Um, when systems go down, often satellites, because their infrastructure is in space, are the only means of being able to communicate. And I think that's really one of the best means that the the satellite industry can help address uh the ability to call nine one one when there is no other system available.

Do would you all agree that the notion that we would get satellites in forecasting that we will remove satellites from NOAA in getting rid of current agencies that that forecast and give us the idea where storms may come where the strength that is not good sound policy

i think that satellites are crucial to be able to provide weather forecasting much 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 azekar

It's not necessarily an area of expertise for myself or VITIAM with respect to weather forecasting, but support is

But a but as a citizen, not necessarily from our

But as a citizen 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 Goyal?

I completely agree that uh weather forecasting from space is is essential and

And and while I'm with you, Miss Goyal,

yeah.

with the fast pace of innovation in satellite technology,

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, uh, Mm. it provides them the flexibility they need to change

In this fast-moving uh technological age that we find ourselves in, what can we, in in 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 partisan noise, to make sure that technology is forefront, that we are

Uh, you keep doing what you're doing, a balanced approach that gives certainty and focus on people,

All right.

whether that's through affordability or something else.

Task card?

Fair, flexible, regulat- regulatory, um, that gives uh certainty to existing providers and new ones alike.

Rest of stroke.

And move forward with the satellite stream. Yeah.

Now when you're leaving here today, you're gonna say, dang it, I had a chance to tell those guys what to do and I didn't give it all to them. Thank you all very much. Mr. Chairman, at you.

Thank you, gentlemen, Chair, I recognize the gentleman from Texas, Mister Flueger, for five minutes for your questions. Thank you, Mister Chairman, and I I thank the witnesses for uh for being here. Um, there's a company in Midland, Texas called uh AST Space Mobile, and and they've testified before this committee before in doing some amazing work. I've I've followed their progress, closely visited uh a couple of times um and this week we had a the Mystic Alert uh Act that passed the House, incorporating space-based direct-to-device um capability into the wireless emergency uh alert system. Um and and space-based broadband is exactly the type of American innovation that I think we expect and uh the 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 Ms. Azkar. Um how will the Sat streamlining act directly impact companies like AST space mobile 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 wanna start with um just ensuring you understand that iridium has been a part of the natural disaster response since hurricane Katrina. So 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 um for uh seeing what has happened and also for search and rescue so there are a variety of different use cases in natural disasters. The 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 by satellite service by

Uh, thank you. Um, and I'll just kinda go one step further, um, you know, on the the deemed grant provision if the FCC misses a a deadline, then 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, uh, can you explain how the provision is necessary, uh, to give these shot clocks

Yeah. Sh- shot 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 twenty five.

Thank you very much. Um, I'll go to uh another topic to n- kinda into the uh the novel space activities uh topic. And and Mister Strupe, as we consider the uh the Sat streamlining act, um how should we think about uh and addressing novel space activities and how can we compliment what Chairman Carr and the FCC is already doing, and and what they're uh specifically trying to do with the uh part one hundred proceeding?

Yes, thank you for the question and There are a number of novel space activities proposed, one good example of being space data centers, and um I think that from the time we started discussing uh satellite streamlining to today, we've seen a sea change in terms of the potential scope of the applications, um and the the size of constellations. And so I think ensuring that there is sufficient uh coordination among the various organizations governmental organizations that have an interest um and that this uh the ability to be able to gather additional information from the time an application is initially submitted is going to key going to be key to supporting the uh some of the novel space activities which provide a great deal of uh excitement and opportunity within the industry but also creates some additional challenges for the industry.

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 they it raises issues with respect to uh the impact of using uh optics for connectivity nasa filed an applic a a response and one or more of the applications that have been filed um they be able to uh uh monitor all of those those satellites i mean today uh one of the satellite operators has had over uh three thousand three hundred thousand maneuvers in the course of one year if we're looking at at the 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 uh we we ensure the safety of space uh is is definitely one of the challenges.

Uh, Mister Goel, I'm sorry, I was gonna talk to you about the regulatory environment in our competition with China, uh and if you'd like to follow up in writing uh 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 has expired and I'll I'll yield back, but if you w- 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 General Lady from Virginia.

Thank you, Mister Chairman,

Thank you.

two weeks ago the world watched as the Artemis two mission successfully completed its ten day lunar mission. This 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 uh prioritizing legislation that supports our continued progress in space. The SAT 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 legislation will help provide certainty to the industry, support emerging technologies, and accelerate the deployment of next-gen k connectivity, particularly for rural and underserved communities that stand to benefit the most. So simply put, if we want a lead in space, we must be able to move at the speed of innovation here on Earth. And so, Ms. Ach, you said it and I messed it up already. Azokar? Yes. Ranking member Doris Matsui raised concerns about reduced staffing at the FCC and proposed budget cuts that could further strain the agency's capacity.

Thank you, Congresswoman, for that question. Thank you, Congresswoman, for that question. And I just, And, I just, since you mentioned Artemis and you're from Virginia, since you mentioned Artemis and you're from Virginia we are a proud Virginia-based company. we are a proud Virginia-based company. with three offices now there and having expanded a lot there in within Virginia, um that also participated in the Artemis mi- mission, some were labs, had a device that was used in the uh NASA capsule recovery team. Um so I just wanna make sure you're aware of those pieces, but um in terms of the resources at 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, MEO, G, uh, uh, you know, the the acronyms never end. And, um, having sufficient resources to process applications is critical to the speed. Um, so we we share your concern about ensuring that the FCC has the resources to do so.

Thank you. And, Mister 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, that doesn't seem to be enough, and you might need more intervention. Um, I appreciate the work that Ranking Member Pallone and Chairman Guthrie are putting in for to uh to this legislation and 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 SAT Streamlining Act will offer clear statutory authority to assist the FCC in its rulemaking process?

Uh, thank you, Congresswoman. I I I think the legislature the the legislative piece is actually really important. Um, 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 gonna replace this entire rule part with an entirely new rule part." Um, and I think, uh, uh, from Congress uh helped with that. Um, I would also say if you look through the Communications Act today, uh, you will scarcely see the mention mention of the world's satellite in space, given how much the FCC is doing in this area. In this environment, uh, i- i- in 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, i- in a topic that - that the statute doesn't really, uh, talk about. And the last thing I would mention is legislation is enduring. Space,

So you point 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, I mean I don't have

Mm.

Thank you. The chair now recognizes the gentlelady from Florida, representative Kammack, for five minutes to ask your question.

Thank you, Mister Chairman, um and my apologies for rolling in hot, uh I had a munchkin in toe. Um so we'll start with uh I know uh you Mister

She's welcome anytime.

You know what, she's probably more productive than most members up Um, I'm gonna start with you, mister. Is it Goel?

Goel, yeah.

Goel? I'm I tend to mess that up. I apologize.

Oh. Perfectly okay, thank you.

Well, thank you. So you had noted earlier, and I 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. So given that China is aggressively advancing its satellite capabilities and internationally how urgent is it that we streamline our licensing processes and what specific risks, and I want you to detail that very carefully, do we face if we fail to keep pace?

Um, I I think the urgency, it it it's extremely urgent, um uh you know we we can't we 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 uh 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 of U in Ukraine, about just how critical satellite connectivity and satellite and space-based services are to our national security. I 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. Since

Do you think, just as a follow-up to that, do you think that we have um the the signal's intelligence necessary to really understand exactly where they are in their development?

That that's an extremely good question, uh Congresswoman, and I I I am hesitant to say this, but I I just don't know. Uh I you know, I hope we know where they are and I hope we feel confident uh that that we're

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 to make sure that we are keeping pace.

Of course.

Absolutely. Um, turning to you, mister, is it strope?

Strope.

Strope. Strope. 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 and the thousands planned in coming years. From 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 is taken to process applications has been one of the big issues and part of that.

On average, what would that be?

The length of time. So um examples have been cited taking over two years to get uh um an application, either denied, approved, 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 uh the same uh frequency bands, is one of the issues that I've heard uh as a as a pain point from our members.

OK, I appreciate that, and I'm I'm gonna come back to you if I can make the time work on this, but I'm gonna turn to you. As a car? Yeah, I one out of three. Miss Azekar, your testimony highlighted the importance of existing of protecting existing satellite services especially those tied to public safety, national security and critical infrastructure. Now as we move to streamline the licensing, which is critically needed, 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'm so pleased and impressed by you. Um, so in terms of protecting existing operators that provide safety of life communications, Iridium prides itself on a near ninety nine point nine nine percent availability everywhere on the globe pole to pole. Um, 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 in natural disasters. So, interference to us means safety of life. Protecting from harmful interference necessitates pro proper process at the FCC. While we agree that proper process must be quick and ra- 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 us existing operators and users which requires involvement by federal agencies and by, um, technical experts.

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, Mister Chairman. Thank you.

Thank you. Chair, now I recognize the General Manager from North Dakota, Miss Fedorchuk, for five minutes for your question.

Thank you all. I appreciate your expertise and the time you're spending with us today, and thank you for organizing this great hearing, uh, Mister Chairman. Uh, I have questions for all three of you, so I hope to get through them all. Um, starting with you, Mister Goal. Is it Goal or Goal?

Guile.

Guile. Guile. All right,

Thank you.

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, uh, 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 ti um delays and timelines?

I I think those are great questions. Um, I think the cost is this. right when we're 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 and orbital resources globally which we know they're trying to do uh militarily we will have an edge uh and and expand our edge uh in satellite technology which uh has a much more uh uh important impact on both offensive and defensive strategies uh in 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 uh uh the biggest benefits uh that we'll see and in terms of, is this already happening? I mean I I think the the answer is yes. Uh 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.

Mm-hmm.

Uh so I think this is happening.

And once the space is lost, can we get it back?

N- I think that would be very difficult.

Mm-hmm.

Okay. Um, Miss Azhikar, uh 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 regular 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 Fork. So, thank you for your partnership with your office. Um, Iridium uses a small amount of spectrum, as you note. We do a lot with it. We have two point five million subscribers and many lines of business, um, and we are innovating regularly to add on position navigation and time and NTN direct. The lesson there for us is, NTN direct is our direct to device solution. The lesson there for us is that the regulatory stability and certainty 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. Um, and that has required ongoing conversations with the FCC

Very good, as I'm sure many others would as well.

Mm.

Uh, okay, finally, Mister Stroup, uh, the FCC is moving toward a more streamlined assembly line model, uh, for um, 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.

Um, so, the

The idea is to be able to um rapidly change the the licensing process. It's you know the system was established for um 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 uh um that it will be dealt with rapidly, um there will be boxes to check, certifications that are made, and most importantly the process will move forward much more quickly.

Excellent. Uh, thank you all again. Mister Chairman, I yield back.

Thank you very much. Um, I ask you in Adam's 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 uh being here today. Thank you for indulging us through the vote series. Um, really appreciate your testimony, both written and and today. Um, And uh I 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. Uh, members should submit their questions by the close of business on May fifth, twenty twenty six. Without objection, the subcommittee stands adjourned.