FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
WASHINGTON
OFFICE OF
THE CHAIRMAN
August 11,2015
The Honorable Gene Green
U.S. House of Representatives
2470 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Congressman Green:
Thank you for your letter expressing concern about whether the Downloadable Security
Technical Advisory Committee (DSTAC) is following its original congressionally defined
purpose.
As you know, Section 106(d) of the STELA Reauthorization Act of2014 (STELAR)
directed the FCC to establish a working group to "identity, report, and recommend performance
objectives, technical capabilities, and technical standards of a not unduly burdensome, uniform,
and technology- and platform-neutral software-based downloadable security system designed to
promote the competitive availability of navigation devices in furtherance of section 629 of the
Communications Act of 1934." I established DSTAC to meet this statutory directive and have
asked the Committee to include in its report how to meet the obligations of both section 629 of
the Communications Act, as the umbrella statutory mandate, and section 106 of STELAR.
DSTAC was created under the rules of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and meets
each of the requirements outlined by Congress. It contains representatives of all parties in
interest. The Committee has been moving full-steam ahead - holding six full, public committee
meetings since it was formed and holding working group meetings four days per week. FCC
staff is working to keep DSTAC on task to complete the required report to the Commission by
September 4,2015.
All DSTAC meetings are public and any non-members can make comments at those
public meetings, including the very issue you raise here. This is an open and transparent process,
and FCC staff is working to address any concerns as they arise, including issues relating to the
scope of the report.
I appreciate your interest in this matter. Please let me know if! can be of any further
assistance.
Sincerely,
:J-.h;-/£t
Tom Wheeler
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
WASHINGTON
OFFICE OF
THE CHAIRMAN
August 11,2015
The Honorable Bob Latta
U.S. House of Representatives
2448 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Congressman Latta:
Thank you for your letter expressing concern about whether the Downloadable Security
Technical Advisory Committee (DSTAC) is following its original congressionally defined
purpose.
As you know, Section 106(d) of the STELA Reauthorization Act of2014 (STELAR)
directed the FCC to establish a working group to "identify, report, and recommend performance
objectives, technical capabilities, and technical standards of a not unduly burdensome, uniform,
and technology- and platform-neutral software-based downloadable security system designed to
promote the competitive availability of navigation devices in furtherance of section 629 of the
Communications Act of 1934." I established DSTAC to meet this statutory directive and have
asked the Committee to include in its report how to meet the obligations of both section 629 of
the Communications Act, as the umbrella statutory mandate, and section 106 of STELAR.
DSTAC was created under the rules ofthe Federal Advisory Committee Act and meets
each of the requirements outlined by Congress. It contains representatives of all parties in
interest. The Committee has been moving full-steam ahead - holding six full, public committee
meetings since it was formed and holding working group meetings four days per week. FCC
staff is working to keep DSTAC on task to complete the required report to the Commission by
September 4, 2015.
All DSTAC meetings are public and any non-members can make comments at those
public meetings, including the very issue you raise here. This is an open and transparent process,
and FCC staff is working to address any concerns as they arise, including issues relating to the
scope of the report.
I appreciate your interest in this matter. Please let me know if I can be of any further
assistance.
Sincerely,
-;;;;-~
Tom Wheeler