copps' view, a social justice issue for having the broadband at the house and now you have completely dismantled the model that got us to 200 million folks having access to broadband. and, how you don't intertwine that is beyond me. and i guess my concern is, is exactly that. you say here, light touch. four days later, you unleash a pretty aggressive first time ever i would argue, regulation of the internet. today, you say, light touch, what is next? i mean, obviously this is something you are whetted to and are clearly committed to this and i think mr. mcdowell pointed out the section, i apologize, section 17, did i get that right? you have clearly laid out the platform to do this. and, is it your position, that you are going to continue to pursue at least in court that you have the right to regulate the internet. >> if i may, sir, when i started at the fcc the prior add vacation had adopted first a set of principles regarding a free and open internet and enforced those principles against the company and a prior administration did it and that is why we're now in court and took those

the chairman, julius genachowski, commissioner michael copps, commissioner clyburn, and commissioner and baker. we ask you keep your oral opening statements to approximately five minutes so we have at full-time -- ample time to question you. >> thank you. thank you for the chance to testify on the national broadband plan. and this addresses the opportunities and challenges of high-speed internet in a way that reflects the strong conviction that as our nation rebuilds the economy, broadband can and must serve -- >> if i could get you to pull that microphone a bit closer. >> how is that? >> much better. >> ongoing investment and enduring job creation. multiple studies tell us the same thing. even modest increases and adoption can yield hundreds of dozens of new jobs. a broad array of people throughout the economy agree if we have world leading networks, there will be a powerful new wave of innovation and job creation. the title of one recent op-ed said it all, "fix the bridges but did not forget broadband." the status quo is not good enough. notwithstanding the positive developments in

commissioner copps recognized the urgency of this tasked.hout his early strong leadership, we simply would not be here today so i'm personally grateful for your early work and i appreciate it. with that, blair i turn it over to you and your team. >> thank you, mr. chairman and commissioners. and let me just echo what you said about commissioner copps who so graciously started this process and invited me and all of us to this. in every era america must confront the challenge of connecting the nation of new above all else this plan is a call to action to meet that challenge for this year. if we needed we will have networks, devices and applications that create new solutions to seemingly intractable problems. if successful, we will transform our country and as america does when it transforms itself, transform the world. though that is a bold claim it is consistent with meeting the challenge congress gave. the congressional mandate was unique in this institution or perhaps any institution of the federal government. congress was visionary in aski

commissioner copps recognized the your -- urgency of this task. without his early, strong, leadership we simply would be here today. so i'm personally grateful for your early work and i appreciate it. that, blair, i turn it over to you and your team. >> thank you, very much, mr. chairman, commissioners and let me echo what you just said about interim chair "cops" who, so graciously started this america must confront the challenge ever connecting the nation anew, above all else, this plan is a call to action to meet that challenge for your era. if we need it networks and devices and applications that create new solutions to seeming trackable problems. if successful, it will transform our country into. as america does when it transforms itself, transforms the world that is a bold claim, this consistent with meeting challenge that congress gave us. the congressional mandate was unique in the annals of this institution or perhaps any institution of the federal government. congress was visionary in asking for holistic plan that asked us not to consider

commissioner copps recognized the urgency of this task without his early strong leadership we simplybe here today so i am personally grateful for your early work and i appreciate

there will be no crime on the streets but no one is saying we are going to fire every police chief and copps because there's still crime on the streets and in this case there are actual penalties that are destroying the lives of adults who are trying to do a good job. >> host: okay. we talked about what is wrong, what went wrong. how do we get out of this mess? let's say you were secretary of education which wouldn't be a bad idea. what do you? what is the first and second thing you do? what do we need? >> guest: i think what we need in this country is a kind of not just one targeted plan, no silver bullet. we have to recognize educational achievement has several sources. part of it is the health and well-being of children and so i would -- i don't ever want to be secretary but if i were and i were 20 years younger and wanted to be i would say let's sit down with the people involved in welfare issues and let's have -- let's focus on the communities where children are most distressed and at need and let's do something about making sure that their parents have access to jobs and that they have

commissioner copps. >> good morning.

commissioner copps. >> good morning. thank you for having us appear to discuss the plan.s is something that has been near and dear to make for the almost nine years i have been at the commission. i have long lamented the lack of it -- lack of a broad band strategy where other nations were leaving us in their competitive best. that has -- in their competitive test. that has changed. we are setting off down that road. we are beginning to walk the walk. broadband is not just a " noble but because this is the great and a bulwark of our times. this infrastructure intersects with every challenge confronting our country. it opens doors of equal opportunity, news, information, and our democratic dialogue. and there is no solution to any of these challenges this -- that does not have a broad band component to it. it was music to my ears when congress called for the development of they national broadband plan. under the leadership of chairman genachowski and the hard work of the fcc team and and the most open and transparent process i have witnessed, we have a plan with clear objec

it was 17 minutes after the hour when commissioner baker -- copps had to get off line. we lost the exchange we lost the chance thought. it is a very cumbersome process. i think you for recognizing that even on that level where no votes would be taken that this country would be better served having a process that is more relaxed. >> thank you. >> let me assure you it there will be a hearing on your measure in the not so distant future. >> the gentleman from alabama, mr. griffith, is recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i appreciate the opportunity. if many mentioned staff, is it your staff that is going to make the recommendations so we remain competitive and enhance the creativity of our internet? >> the sec staff is what i was referring to. -- the fcc staff. >> is there a group that is specifically in tune with what has happened in the marketplace in the last 10 years? has the relationship with the that marketplace -- >> that is the job of the staff of the agency to be proactive, stay on top of market developments, and make sure we can discuss it ne