Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) has been named chair of the House Energy & Commerce Committee's Communications and Technology Subcommittee by E&C chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.). Latta had been ranking member of the subcommittee.

The committee has primary oversight of the Federal Communications Commission.

Rep. Buddy Carter (Ga.) was named vice chair.

The other Republican members on the committee: Reps. Gus Bilirakis of Florida, Tim Walberg of Michigan, Neal Dunn of Florida, John Curtis of Utah, John Joyce of Pennsylvania, Randy Weber of Texas, Rick Allen of Georgia, Troy Balderson of Ohio, Russ Fulcher of Idaho, August Pfluger of Texas, Diana Harshbarger of Tennessee, Kat Cammack of Florida, Jay Obernolte of California and Rodgers.

Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.) will be vice chair of the full committee.

Latta is a longtime opponent of network neutrality rules, once calling former President Barack Obama reckless for his support of them. He is also co-founder of the bipartisan Rural Broadband Caucus and, with Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.), of the bipartisan Wi-Fi Caucus.

House Energy & Commerce Committee Republican leadership said Thursday (Aug. 19) that they had big issues with the theft of data from T-Mobile, saying Congress has to pass privacy legislation ASAP.

“The T-Mobile data breach is of serious concern. While we have more to learn to determine how this breach happened and its potential wide-ranging consequences, we urge all companies to do everything they can to safeguard and protect American’s personal information," they said in a statement.

"They" were E&C ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Communications and Technology Subcommittee ranking member Bob Latta (R-Ohio), and Consumer Protection ranking member Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.).

They pointed out that last month the committee approved bipartisan legislation to promote cybersecurity information sharing.

That appeared to be a reference to H.R. 4046, the “NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act,” which would authorize the NTIA's Office of Policy Analysis and Development and re-christen it the Office of Policy Development and Cybersecurity.

The office administers the network security information sharing program established by Congress in the Secure and Trusted Communications Act. It passed along with a raft of tech/cybersecurity bills last month.

But they said more needs to be done. "We need to build on that work to protect Americans’ privacy. This breach is yet another example of why Congress must pass a national privacy and data security law. We need strong national standards that ensure industries can innovate, strengthen cybersecurity and data privacy, and keep up with the evolving ways bad actors steal personal information.”

Both Republicans and Democrats have argued for national legislation, but have yet to agree on just what should be in that law.

Looking to get in front of an issue with bipartisan support, the ranking Republicans on the House Energy & Commerce Committee have called on the Democratic chairs of the Energy & Commerce Committee and Communications Subcommittee to hold a hearing on closing the digital divide. 

Doing the asking were E&C ranking member Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and Communications Subcommittee ranking member Bob Latta (R-Ohio). 

That came in a letter Thursday (June 4) to Committee chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.) and Subcommittee chairman Mike Doyle (D-Pa.). 

"The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the need for connectivity, as millions of Americans transition to working remotely," the Republicans wrote. "Children need broadband to be able to do their schoolwork from home. Some Americans who do not have access to reliable broadband connections travel to the nearest parking lot to be able to connect to the Internet. It is our duty to examine these issues and work in a bipartisan manner to close the digital divide."

They pointed to a hearing the subcommittee had held on the issue earlier this year, but said given the pandemic, it is time to look at the implications for the millions who did not have access to broadband, including reducing "regulatory barriers." 

The FCC has certainly been short-cutting some of the normal regulatory routes to broadband deployment during the pandemic, loosening or waiving rules to boost access for low income residents and those on tribal lands, among others. 

Walden and Latta pointed out that ISPs had stepped up to offer free or reduced service, kept providing service to those unable to pay and increased data allowances, as well as donating devices to help kids do their homework. 

They were certainly preaching to the choir about the need for closing the digital divide, which has been a focus on Democrats as well as Republicans, but may have lost them on the need for reducing regulations to get there.  

The Republicans called for a hearing ASAP. A spokesperson for committee Democrats was unavailable for comment on the letter.