rosenworcel.so, indeed, and i say this with a heavy heart, but at the same time, with an encouraged heart because of the relationship that you and i have and how we've been able to get some things done here, not the least of which just recently was the faa bill. and so here we have the session of the federal communications commission. it is a very full agenda. it is an ambitious agenda. and while proceedings like this one, this one on broadband and privacy are incredibly important, i want now to touch on chairman wheeler's latest proposal to free consumers from having to pay annoying and excessive monthly rental fees for set top boxes. everybody agrees, i don't see much dissent that we need to move beyond as technology rapidly advances. move beyond set-top boxes. the market place should constantly strive for ways to give consumers what they want. congress said, as much in '96, thank you, senator, from massachusetts, '96. congress said as much in '96 when we required the fcc give consumers some alt

commissioner rosenworcel two years ago was promised a vote. by unanimous consent, we can bring that vote up this afternoon on the floor. so commissioner rosenworcel doesn't have that cloud over her head. and i ask we confirm her on unanimous consent. we can do it immediately. and i just think it is an important statement for the committee to make. this is a -- this is a relic of the past. it's a typical satellite or telco top set box. it is today. this could be in your house today. this could be in your house 20 years ago. an investigation led by senator blumenthal and i found that one, approximately 99% of american paid tv subscribers, rent this set top box from their paid tv provider. two, subscribers spend on average $89 a year renting a single set top box. but the average household spends $232 a year on set top box rental fees renting about two and a half boxes. in other words, over 10 years, the average family is paying $2300 to rent this box. $2,300. that's a good business to be in. the set top box rental market may be worth $19.5 billio

i look forward to working with commissioner rosenworcel and all my colleagues on the first issue you raised. secondly, as far as we do not have jurisdiction over device manufacturers. we have worked with the ftc on this issue and are advised that if our rule requires that devices warranted to consumers that they are complying with 338 and 631, that the ftc will have the ability to do the necessary enforcement to protect that privacy. >> thank you. we will have the ftc in front of my subcommittee in the near future. we have some reference in the way that they do business. on the topic of broadband relocation, the options, i'm following the incentive option remains increasingly concerned about the potential funding shortfalls and i'm committed to working with senator schatz and others to see that we have a plan in case the things that we're fearful of happening actually do happen. we look forward tower reports in regard to that as this process goes forward. again, on options, i'll ask this to you, mr. chairman. i'm particularly focused on 5-g. the last time you and i spoke here at comm

commissioner rosenworcel, i know you've been thinking about it. i want to open this up to all of you. what should we do to help us start building things in this country, particularly in this dynamic sector of our economy. >> thank you, senator. you know, we now are in the early days of a wireless revolution. it is becoming such an important part of civic and commercial, but the challenges to get it built everywhere, especially as we move to a new fut urks and spectrum and what is happening in the skies, and the least glamourous is what is happening on the ground, but it deserves twice as much attention. we need dig once, he is pesh flee federal land, to make sure we have a construction project, we also lay fiber. it serves wireless facilities and towers. we need to start holding contests for communities, and tell them there is a reward in it for you, if you figure out a way to expedite wireless deployment, particularly of small cells. and then finally, when it comes to federal authorities to control about one-third of the nation's real estate, we

commissioner rosenworcel? >> thank you. as you just heard my colleagues say, september is national preparedness month. it was also in september 4 years ago, more years than i care to count, having moved to an apartment in new york. it was small and unlovely. it was also within easy walking distance of the neighborhood where a bomb exploded earlier this month. what i learned from my time in new york is that its residents may shuffle down the sidewalk in an anonymous supporter, but when crisis ensues, they rally. they love their city. on september 19 when mobile phones blighted with the piercing sound of a wireless emergency alert, urging them to look for a bombing suspect, they took note. he was located a few hours later, and last week he was charged by federal and state prosecutors. the question now is how we can make alerts like this better. that's not just a question for new york. it's a question for all of us. our wireless devices are in our palms, our pockets, our purses. they are with us always. so let's recognize them

rosenworcel. so, indeed, and i say this with a heavy heart, but at the same time, with an encouraged heart because of the relationship that you and i have and how we've been able to get some things done here, not the least of which just recently was the faa bill. and so here we have the session of the federal

commissioner jessica rosenworcel. i know the minority leader is frustrated that she hasn't been confirmed to another term. he also said on the floor previously that i have done everything possible within my authority as chairman of the commerce committee to advance her nomination through the process, and that is correct. we had her hearing we voted her out of the committee. scheduling the floor is not something that i control. what i don't understand, however, is yf senate democrats believe that blocking mobile now and other bipartisan bills that come out of my committee will help her cause. we invited commissioner rosenworcel to testify at one of our hearings leading up to the bill and ironically many of her ideas are reflected in this legislation. the bill also reflects the hard work and priorities of so many commerce committee democrats. in particular, two of the most important additions to the bill were senator schatz's promoting licensing spectrum act and senator klobuchar's dig once bill. if the mobile act now i