ROBERT E. LATTA WASHINGTON OFFICE: 5TH DISTRICT, OHIO 2467 RAYBUR N HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING (202) 225-6405 DEPUTY WHIP DISTRICT OFFICES: 1045 NORTH MAIN STREET COMMITIEE ON Qtnngr.e1t.s nf tly.e Nnit.eh §tat.es SUITE 6 ENERGY AND COMMERCE BOWLING GREEN, OH 43402 (419) 354- 8700 SUBCOMMITTEE ON Jtnusc nf iRcprescntatiucs COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY 101 CLINTON STREET REPUBLICAN LEADER SUITE 1200 lllaslfingtnn. m<It 20515-3505 DEFIANCE, OH 43512 S U BCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY (419) 782- 1996 SUBCOMMITTEE ON CONSUMER June 20, 2019 382 318 DORNEY PLAZA PROTECTION AND COMMERCE ROOM 302 FINOLAY, OH 45840 (419) 422- 7791 The Honorable Ajit Pai The Honorable Elaine Chao Chairman Secretary Federal Communications Commission U.S. Department of Transportation 445 12111 Street SW 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE ' Washington, DC 20554 Washington, DC 20590 Dear Chairman Pai and Secretary Chao, I write to thank you for your continued interest in advancing automobile safety and wireless innovation in the 5.9 GHz band. I have long recognized the value of this spectrum and hold the position that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should work with the Department of Transp01iation (DOT) and other interested stakeholders to determine the most efficient use of this band. The expertise from both agencies is important to this ongoing discussion. In 1999, the FCC allocated 75 MHz of mid-band spectrum to pave the way for connected cars using dedicated sh01i-range communications (DSRC) technology. However, in recent years we have seen vast technological changes and the cunent mandate requires updating to ensure that the spectrum allocation supports our nation's goal to further enhance automobile safety through connected transp01iation. Meanwhile, consumer demand for Wi-Fi services continues to grow, and the cmTent model for testing unlicensed sharing capabilities in the 5.9 GHz band has made little progress. This has caused ongoing unce1iainty in the band, hindering investment and deployments of safety technologies and hampering the expansion of Wi-Fi services. It is clear that the cunent timeline and model for testing is outdated and should be reconsidered on an expedited basis. Therefore, I urge the FCC to move forward, working together with DOT to consider modern approaches that will advance vehicle safety and Wi-Fi in the 5.9 GHz band. I also encourage you to ensure that any new rulemaking will reflect an open and transparent process so that Congress and stakeholders can properly monitor the progress of any fu1iher testing and provide appropriate feedback to band plan proposals. Thank you for your willingness to evaluate how to best utilize the 5.9 GHz band. PAINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER