Rep. James Comer

The chairman of the House Oversight Committee is pushing back on the FCC’s decision to cancel funding for SpaceX’s Starlink constellation in a federal rural broadband program. 

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, sent a letter to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on Oct. 7, requesting information from the FCC about the decision. 

Comer said his letter was spurred by instances of Starlink providing connectivity after Hurricane Helene, and recent testimony from FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr calling the decision “unlawful.” 

“The devastating impact of Hurricane Helene — and the millions of Americans stranded without cell service or power — illustrates the importance of expanding broadband access to rural areas1 and using innovative technologies to do so,” Comer wrote. 

Comer requested documents and information from the FCC about Starlink’s RDOF application and the FCC’s decision to grant funding and then deny it. He also requested all documents and communications between FCC personnel regarding Elon Musk, the acquisition of X, and SpaceX and Starlink, in addition to a briefing with FCC staff. 

SpaceX initially was set to receive about $886 million over 10 years through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). But the FCC rejected SpaceX’s application in 2022, saying the constellation “failed to demonstrate” that it could deliver the service that was promised. SpaceX appealed the decision, and the FCC reaffirmed it in December 2023, despite the objections of Republican Commissioners Carr and Nathan Simington.