ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE WASHINGTON OFFICE: 1237 LONGWORTH House OFFICE BUILDING SueCOMMITlU ON EMERGING THREATS AND WASHINGTON, DC 20515 C...PABILmES (202) 225-4035 SUBCOMMITTEE ON READINESS FAx: 1202) 22&.-0821 ORLANDO OFACE: SMALL BUSINESS COMMITTEE 225 EAST ROBINSON, SUITE 525 RANKING M EMBER, SUBCOMM ITTEE ON CONTRACTING ORLANDO, Fl 32801 AN D W ORKFORCE 18881 205-5421 SueCOMM1TTEe ON ECONOM 1c GROWTH, TAx AN!> SANFORD OFFICE: CAP1T AL A ccess 110 WEST FIRST STREET, SUITE 210 STEPHANIE MURPHY SANFORD, Fl 32771 1888) 205-5421 7TH DISTRICT, FLORIDA July 5, 2018 The Honorable Ajit Pai 534 Chairman Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street SW Washington, DC 20554 RE: Accelerating Wireline Broadband Deployment by Removing Barriers to Infrastructure Investment, WC Docket No. 17-84 Dear Chairman Pai: Expanding access to reliable, high-speed broadband is vital to our country's continued economic development. In the modem world, the internet is an essential tool to communicate and obtain information. Without internet access, it is exceedingly difficult to find a job, apply for school, pay bills, or perform a wide range of other daily tasks. I commend the Commission's continued efforts to develop innovative policies to promote broadband expansion. As the Commission deliberates on its proposed One-Touch Make Ready (OTMR) policy, it is important that you work to address the concerns raised by industry experts and to mitigate service interruptions for consumers. In addition, I urge the Commission to carefully consider the effects the OTMR proposal may have on existing collective bargaining agreements. The current telecommunications workforce has the skills, training, and experience required to ensure that make-ready work is done safely and efficiently. Any new regulation of this work should benefit not only consumers, but also the line workers whose livelihoods will be impacted. Given the effect the FCC's proposed policy will have on workers and consumers in my district and other districts, I respectfully ask the Commission to carefully review these issues as you finalize that policy. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER