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FEDERALhearing transcript

Senate Hearing Update on FirstNet

Original title: AN UPDATE ON FIRSTNET

Record date · January 1, 2019

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What This Bill Does

This document is a transcript of a 2017 Senate hearing regarding the progress and implementation of , a nationwide broadband network dedicated to public safety and first responders. The hearing included testimony from government officials, emergency service providers, and AT&T representatives.

Why it matters

The hearing provides oversight on the deployment of a national high-speed wireless network designed to ensure first responders have reliable communication during emergencies.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

First responders

They are the primary users of the broadband network being discussed.

Directly affected

AT&T

The company is the private partner responsible for building and maintaining the FirstNet network.

Key Facts

The hearing took place on July 20, 2017, in the Russell Senate Office Building.
The subcommittee reviewed the status of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet).
Witnesses included representatives from the GAO, AT&T, FirstNet, and state emergency services.
The hearing included a formal question-and-answer period with written responses submitted by AT&T and FirstNet leadership.

Show all 5 facts

The session focused on the technical and operational rollout of the nationwide public safety broadband network.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is FirstNet?

is the First Responder Network Authority, a nationwide broadband network specifically for public safety and emergency responders.

Who testified at this hearing?

Witnesses included Curtis Brown (Virginia Homeland Security), Dr. Damon Allen Darsey (Mississippi Center for Emergency Services), Mark L. Goldstein (GAO), Chris Sambar (AT&T), and Michael Poth ().

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

cross reference100% confidence

Extensive Written Follow-up

The document contains a significant appendix of written responses to questions from 11 different Senators, indicating a high level of legislative scrutiny regarding the AT&T/FirstNet partnership.

AT&T FirstNet

Connected Entities

AT&T, Michael Poth, FirstNet and 3 more

OrganizationAT&T“Private partner for FirstNet deployment”Map →

PersonMichael Poth“CEO of FirstNet”Map →

OrganizationFirstNet“First Responder Network Authority”Map →

PersonChris Sambar“Senior Vice President at AT&T”Map →

PersonCurtis Brown“Deputy Secretary, Homeland Security and Public Safety, Commonwealth of Virginia”Map →

PersonRoger Wicker“Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the ”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance60
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy20
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz10
Current news / social attention level

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