House Commerce Committee advances a bill that would reauthorize the FirstNet Authority through September 2037, alter its relationship with NTIA
By Donny Jackson, Editor, Urgent Communications
House Energy & Commerce committee members voted unanimously to advance a bill that would reauthorize the FirstNet Authority through September 2037 while altering some aspects of the relationship between the FirstNet Authority and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
With the committee’s 50-0 vote, H.R. 7386—the “First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act of 2026—can be considered by the full US House of Representatives. The bipartisan bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.) and Jennifer McClennan (D-Va.) and would prevent the FirstNet Authority from sunsetting in February 2027, as current law dictates.
Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-Ken.) said he believes the work of Dunn, McClennan and others to develop a bill—in cooperation with many first responders—that meets the needs of public safety will be beneficial.
“It’s so important that we remove the legislation ambiguity currently plaguing the program while preserving the FirstNet [Authority] board and the voices of first responders,” Guthrie said during today’s markup. “Since our hearing and markup in the beginning of February, we have worked tirelessly with first responders and public-safety officials to incorporate wide-ranging edits and technical assistance to make this bill as strong as possible.
Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) echoed this sentiment, noting that the bill also calls for the number of public-safety members on the FirstNet Authority board be increased to at least five of the 15 members.
“The looming sunset of the First Responder Network Authority, which is set to expire in less than one year, is one of the most urgent communications issues that we face right now,” Pallone said during the markup. “Extending the FirstNet Authority … means that millions of [public-safety] users will maintain access to the nationwide public-safety broadband network, as it stands today.
“While the FirstNet Authority’s work has been positive for public safety, it’s clear that the original law that created FirstNet includes structural deficiencies that—at times—have opened the door to waste and mismanagement … The bill before us today make important reforms to increase transparency and accountability at the FirstNet Authority for the benefit of FirstNet users across the country.”
Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) described H.R. 7386 as “the most bipartisan piece of legislation I’ve worked on this Congress,” publicly citing the efforts of Democrat Reps. McClellan, Pallone and Doris Matsui (D-Calif.). Hudson also thanked the work of public-safety organizations that “came to the table” during negotiations about the bill, while being critical of organizations that were unwavering in their beliefs that the status quo be extended.
“To those who still oppose this legislation, because they believe the only path forward for reauthorization is a clean reauthorization with no reforms—and to strike the sunset date and remove congressional oversight and review forever—that was never on the table or an appropriate path forward,” Hudson said during the markup.
“This legislation strikes an important balance that explicitly outlines and preserves the board’s role in determining the needs of public safety and the strategic direction of the network, while ensuring the proper and responsible oversight of the network and the reinvestment of funds.”
Language in McClellan’s amendment that was approved today provided language that appears to be designed to clarify some of the oft-cited ambiguity in the original 2012 law that created the FirstNet Authority in the following ways:
Deleting verbiage describing the FirstNet Authority as an “independent authority;”
Requiring the FirstNet Authority to get prior approval from the NTIA, except for specified exceptions, including emergency-response deployments, setting strategic priorities, budgeting and network reinvestment, managing the device and application ecosystem; conducting outreach to public safety, and reporting to Congress;
Allowing the FirstNet Authority to nominate three individuals to serve as the organization’s associate administrator—now known as the CEO and executive director—that will be considered by the NTIA assistant secretary makes the appointment to the position; and
NTIA must act on network-reinvestment decisions and task orders within 60 days of receiving a written recommendation from the FirstNet Authority.
In addition, the McClellan amendment calls for the FirstNet Authority contractor charged with building, operating and maintaining the nationwide FirstNet system—currently AT&T, with a contract that extends into 20420—to adhere to new requirements regarding reporting and outage notifications. Meanwhile, NTIA would be required to provide Congress with an annual report on FirstNet adoption rates—“by profession and geographic area,” according to the amendment—and members of Congress will be allowed to read the 25-year contract between AT&T and the FirstNet Authority.
Mike Ferguson, AT&T’s executive vice president for federal legislative relations for AT&T, expressed support for the Commerce Committee’s action.
“We applaud Chairman Guthrie, Ranking Member Pallone, and Reps. Hudson, Matsui, Dunn and McClellan for their leadership, as well as the entire Committee for moving FirstNet reauthorization forward with bipartisan support,” Ferguson said in a prepared statement provided to IWCE’s Urgent Communications.
“This legislation ensures that the critically important FirstNet program, dedicated to public safety, will continue into the future. We urge the Senate to take up FirstNet reauthorization as soon as possible, so a final bill can move to the President’s desk.”
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association today called on the U.S. House of Representatives to pass H.R. 7386 when it moves to a floor vote.
“FirstNet is not just a network; it is a life-saving tool that depends on a robust, well-maintained physical infrastructure,” NATE President and CEO Todd Schlekeway said in a prepared statement. “This reauthorization provides the necessary certainty to continue the deployment of 5G upgrades and expanded rural coverage essential for emergency response. We urge Congress to ensure our industry continues the critical work of hardening and expanding this vital resource.”
Steven Locke, the first president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) also applauded the House Committee vote.
“I thank Chairman Guthrie, Ranking Member Pallone, Subcommittee Chairman Hudson, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Matsui for their leadership in passing the amended legislation to preserve the federal FirstNet Authority,” Locke said in a prepared statement.
“The FirstNet Authority provides mission-critical communications every day to help local fire, EMS, and law-enforcement agencies protect their communities. Today’s vote demonstrates the bipartisan support for this essential emergency-response programme.”
