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everyone's attention. i want to welcome a great friend, a tremendous policy maker, someone who provides leadership on all of the issues and policies that we care about in the broadband industry and we couldn't have a better friend so i want to recognize ben ray lujan, new mexico, a beautiful state, welcome. >> i appreciate that. everyone, it's good to see you all. i was complimenting chip and incompas for the lineup here today not for everyone gathered in this room, but people across the country as welled in such at topic. we all remember the days, or at least a few of us -- i'm looking around this room, i don't know how many of you, but when the land line was maybe the only game in town or maybe you all carried a little box on

your hip that people would come up witcíh creative ways to use numbered characters to try to send you a message for you to give them a call whenever you found a pay phone that you might be lucky enough to have-- by the time i was older when they went away with 50 quarter. i remember when there was a few dimeare today, ai, and better uses of spectrum and allocation, trying to connect every phone, sorry, try to connect every home and every business in america. being smart how we're going to get that done. by the way, taking into consideration how to make it affordable for people to get connected and not just ensuring that they have a hard line to their home. it's incredible. it's a fun time to be in this space and a perfect time, chip. >> we're in the midst of this

historic federal funding to you've been a tremendous leader in that effort. incompas, you've got cliburnirw commissioner of the fcc. she and i have been running the last few years, how do you connect everyone, but remove the barriers to deployment. talk a little bit to everyone how you see data implementation challenge the process, how new mexico is doing, any key principles at this stage of the mplementation of ai? >> one is that is happening in concert, having maps tell you where you need to put a little more attention and where you maybe have some success. what i'm referring to is on to ensure that the fcc would be updating them and they'd be

the go-to source, they have to beix months and i think that's a smart way to look at connectivity data reporting and ensuring that opposites have to be more in touch with what's happening on the ground in their communities and also, empowering what the fcc created with that app originally where folks could weand say, no, these are the fees in my house and i don't have connectivity and you're updating as a consumer as well. i know i use that app when i saw the speeds that were at my mother's house and i was there and that's not the case so i jumped on the app and my pubc comments as a citizen, i guess, not as a senator, was entered that way. now, new mexico, we're one of the fortunate states that has a state office as well, that is working together, submitting everything on time, and i think that's helping us with doesn'tn that we should watch closely, we should ensure that we're

going to connect every home that we're looking at folks that are not c folks that have the slowest speed that we prioritize this and maximize the funding. all eyes are honest, chip, and you and i have had conversation about this as well, fcc and also congress is very interested in the energy and commercial committee and >> you know, and as we think through, alan davidson was here earlier today, you know, gave a good, relevant, timely remarks, but he's been a leader on conne and a side of that was very proud of the achievement. talk a little about why that's important to new mexico, and you know, in my home state, my former home district, we had the band of choctaws, why is this tribal connectivity so

important? >> one of the strengths of the country to truly identify with the leaders and identify the gaps that exist and rather than just going for connectivity. it's empowering the tribes to owning their own spectrum and one thing that happened in new extraordinary leader working with pueblos, alongi-25, if you've landed at the airport in albuquerque and going to santa fe, you've driven places where i'm talking about. and kimball understanding the needs of the pueblos was identifying the bestlibrary. well, how does that happen? there was very little connectivity elsewhere. there was a concern with easements, things of that

nature. rather than bringing someone else in a process, they said we'll build our own networks. they have three pueblos, and optimize speed and it's their program now and they're working with others to provide the service to enhance s of that na it's almost -- there's a program called 638 where sovereign nations are able to take ownership of particular programs. this is empowering sovereign nations across the united states to be those leaders right now and it's a program i support. it's a program i helped lead, as you know, chip, and it's closed the gap. and one of the reasolook, 18% o within the sovereign nation werely without any connection and you compare that to those of us that are not

living within reservations. the number is high, but it's ref injustice? it shows that the program that was there before as well-meaning as it was was not closing the gap and this program is so i'm really optimistic that what this means in eliminating the lack of connectivity in all sovereign nations and all the tribes, with all the pueblos. >> commissioner carr in his remarks, in his conversation with andy, right before you came on, talked about how his infusion of public funding, combined with, really, the high peak of private investment, the funding combined, private-public. that if we can also bring ininf to most efficiently, quickly recipe for how we can help he

close the divide and to do it as quickly and as cost effectively as possible. one opportunity before the fcc right now is on 12 gigahertz used and champion on that issue as the fcc is timely in making a decision to allow two-way fixed high powered wireless service, protecting against any interference, what would that mean? and is it time for the fcc to act? >> one, it's time for the fcc to act. i believe that everyone will be hearing from senator blackburn, u.s. senator from tennessee, momentarily as well. and marsha joined the let to the fcc encourage them to move.2 gigahertz space is going to be one of the important components to be able to help to connect

all of america, especially in those areas where, you know, lo of mountain, it's hard to get from here to there, there's concern with permitting and easements and the rest alphabet soup that goes along with it, this is an important component to get this done. let me just say, chip the 5th of march? >> i think otherwise known as super tuesday. >> (laughter) >> spectrum reauthorization expires on march 9th. i'm not trying to lose a week or gain a week, last that needs to get done, too. and by the way, that's one of the only revenue creating bills that the commerce committee and the senate has before it to be able to get things done. we've got to do both. so i'm hopeful, optimistic that the fcc will act. we should all encourage them to move in that particular space,

focus on encouraging the senate and in the house to send to the president, spectrum reauthoritization policy right away. it seems to me it's not the policy that's getting in the way of this. we've got to get it done. i'm going back to 12 gigahertz. we, myself and senator blackburn shared with the fcc in that science. technology is getting better. there are better ways to understand what's going to work, whether it's interference, whether it's not. and also how to live together and i think that helps us in other bands and i'm hopeful there can be strong rule making to open the door for more spectrum use and as well. >> well, first, thank you, for your leadership on 12, it's important.

we have a great coalition, as you know trying to work with travel leaders across the country for a set-aside that would follow the precedent and th sovereign rights of the sovereign nation and thank you for your good work on 12. the spectrum auction north is a good segue into another very important discussion that we've had here today abo t of gettingd and funded. would you like to make news on any other path forward t hope t going to happen that we're going to get a solution for acp toed? >> i'm optimistic that there will be a fix for the short-term funding with acp. i believe senator and senator vance, their package looking at appropriations, it's getting more support and more members are talking about it,

appropriated are talking about it and ways to get that funded. colleagues in different corners are asking about the pay forwards as well. one of the other reasons why spectrum needs to get done soon. it wouldel nonetheless, unless the congress wants to see millions of people across america lose internet. all the providers in the room or represented in this room have had to send notice to their customers to say this is all going away. congress didn and there's a solution at hand. and a solution that's widely supported. so, i believe that that's the answer and in addition to that, while the vast welch effort ext year, we need to be thinking about after that. so, i've been proud to be

working with colleagues on a bi group to bring those programs together, to modernize those programs, to modernize the way they're funded and who they're going to help and how they're going to help and the rest looking at the world we're in. it's not 1996 any longer, but we can build off 1996 and ensuring there's more ways to keep people connected as well. i believe that good policy reforms and modernization, helps secure more votes for the immediate funding, because it shows our colleagues that may have some reluctance providing that immediate s we're changing this program, we're modernizing and so there's a policy component in addition to funding as well. and i believe it's a great partnership if both of those two can land together and move together. vehicle. t is always what's the but i'm optimistic with the conversations that i've had, with the conversations that other members have engaged with

me■ ■÷ about, including leaders in this particular area. so, it seems to be in the right place. we all need to help close it though. >> you know, one thing that i appreciate your leadership position on the committee, on the subcommittee, but it's a bipartisan commitment that you have with certain of your members. you've mentioned senator blackburn, she's going to be following you in a little bit. we're how do we cross the railroad tracks to close the digital divide. how do we that. one more timely with reasonable with actual cost standards. we'll be talking with her about appreciate your willingness to listen to us on that issue. earlier today we announced that incompas is starting a center for ai public policy and responsibility. you've been a leader on ai just, you know, i know that we

di'tuestions or remarks on ai, but anything that you want to just kind of layout as your principled approach? what you see is the tremendous benefits that could flow to new mexico, the hardland of the-- heartland of the company that could work for economic development and make a difference? >> the one thing, chip, i always have to remindai's going great stuff, but also do some bad things if it's allowed to. one of the focuses i have on the subcommittee is looking at guardrails. what are those? what can we learn about other nations are doing in this particular space and what can we be doing better in the united states to ensure that ingenuity, innovation, iprosper guardrails here and one example that i'll give you is, in th:

well, in the united states we don't have a great diversity an trials. when we're developing drugs in america, it depends who is in the room and what audience they're going to target and then what population they may be near in testing that particular drug i'm talking about the color of my skin, who my parents are, where they came from and the rest. it's the composition, who gets the true benefits of these marvels and who doesn't. i had a stroke about two years ago, twices devices that checks if it doesn't help me sleep, but it helps to measure my blood pressure and rate, if i'm sleeping or not.

and lot of these devices would not get it because of the skin pigment. if the inputs to ai are lacking, what are we going to get? ai is all we're reviewing how it makes the decisions or present these ideas to us as well. that's what i'm suggesting, what are the guardrails? how can we make changes that need addressing as well and i'm proud to represent two national labs out of new mexico. within the department of energy and ai, the national labs have been doing this for a long time. turns out they had to. they had the computers and i would argue they still do in the united states and we need to look to the labs as well, especially when we're working in the confines of government to help us understand where that world should be as well. i applaud you and incompas for leaning into this space. leader schumer is committed. todd young, martin heinrich,

mike rounds, the four leaders that are in the senate that are helping to put this together. in addition to every committee because every committee also ju of ai and there's a lot of interest in this space. in addition, what's happening across america and around the worl so, i'm very excited about what can come, but i'm also mindful that we need to be very thoughtful whether it'sthr through government means, to ensure that we're able to hp■ re unnecessary loopholes. >> yeah, i'm going to wear two hats real quickly. i'm going to wear the incompas hat and my mississippi hat. what we're talking about, we're working with the university of mississippi and this■b intelligence center and the university of medical center is beginning its application for comprehensive cancer center and we're working with all four of

mississippi state, southern jackson state, to work with our federal research center simil t ai applications in health care and agriculture and advanced manufacturing, in autonomy and autonomous vehicles, how to use this, whether it's our dod partners or do national labs on how do we optimize our networks, broadband networks and electricity. i think that senator wicker and you would make a great team how do we bring the research hubs in advanced ai applion and bringing in our hbcu partners into the process and have these regional ways that we can make sure that the concernshat you have can be addressed, our research can be done to help us lead internationally in our competitiveness and that we have the guardrails that we

need, but also the security and the privacy and the, you know, the competition. so i'd le to bring some of the folks into your --. >> i think the world of senator wicker, i think that roger is a wonderful person and a great leader and his leadership capacity on the powers committee and armed services and roger's authored his own packages and pmsoluon some of which are ideas that■u coalesce the working group and some of those were authored by roger. i should say senator ro wickerment wicker: he's a great leader and i look forwar thim. >> is there anything you want to say about the coalition to maintain and sustain acp, to

bring tribal lands into rich opportunities. spectrum you have a great portfolio. your leadership is respected across both aisles and on bicameral basis. you have something that's unique and your a both public service commissioners and states t words of guidance or wisdom to our member companies and to what we're trying to achieve and the best way to support policy makers? >> well, i can't say enough great things. i think the world of the commissioner and it was when she was the chair of one of the arms of the national rural-- or the national what are we called, public utility commissioners. what am i missing, there's an r out of there. public utility■ñ commissioners,

anyhow, she was the chair of the group that would engage with members of the house and the senate and fcc and ferc and others, and i was proud to get onto that little group and then the chair of that group introduced me first to a fella named jim cliburn before i was running for congress. and was leader cliburn who supported me in my member of the house. and whatever she advocates for, there's good in it and a way to get things done. look, whene're on things, the example i'll give. right now things are volatile in the congress. there's debates over funding the federalgovernment unnecessary barriers get put in place of good work. that just wastes taxpayers e're

hurting the rest with market volatility. so, if members of congress are willing to do that on funding the government, what do you think they'll do on affordability programs, on acp? even though they're broadly supported, i want us all to understand that because there may be some areas where there's some disagreements with modernizin or future funding, i get it. everyone here has a role and responsibility, you know your business better than anyone, but if we don't work together to get this done, acp could go away. and then what? your budgets, revenue models, all of your work across america and and conversations with investors, what are you goingth what is going to happen to the

conduit in the ground maybe recycle it, get pennies on the it. r, if there's copper if it's glass tubes, i don't know what we'll do, maybe run water in it, i don't know. we've got to get t i'm asking that we find ways to work together that we understand how important these conversations are in landing funding year, but looking at the next five, 10 programs like this exist and more people across the country are going to hunger and demand for faster and faster and faster speeds which means you're going to continue to th going to be there to get that done. i think some good can happen, but it's one of the places we have to find a together. that's what i would ask. that's what i would understand. we will always come to the table and we appreciate how you always go to the table andu bri

and we look forward to working with you on connecting every american, every tribe so, i couldn't thank you more. >> well, thank you for your leadership. >> thanks, everybody. [applaudible conversations]á.