Members of a U.S. Senate subcommittee on Wednesday expressed broad bipartisan support for reauthorizing the FirstNet Authority, while also signaling a desire to strengthen federal oversight and governance of the organization that oversees the nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN).

The hearing, chaired by Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), focused on the upcoming sunset of the FirstNet Authority’s authorization in February 2027. Fischer emphasized that allowing the authority to lapse would be unacceptable given the network’s critical role for first responders nationwide.

“With millions of connections operating across all 50 states and U.S. territories, FirstNet has become a communications lifeline for police officers, firefighters, EMS, and other first responders,” Fischer said in her opening statement. “Failing to reauthorize it would be unthinkable for the men and women who rely on prioritized connectivity to carry out their missions.”

Fischer urged Congress to act promptly to avoid uncertainty that could undermine years of investment and trust with the public-safety community. However, she also noted that reauthorization should be accompanied by a reassessment of the FirstNet Authority’s governance structure.

“Beyond simply extending FirstNet’s legal authority, we must ask whether the network is fully living up to its promise,” Fischer said, citing recent findings from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Inspector General that identified weaknesses in oversight and performance accountability. “This is not a critique of the mission, but a call to improve how the FirstNet Authority functions.”

Mike Adkinson, acting chair of the FirstNet Authority board, told lawmakers that FirstNet represents a “generational success” in delivering interoperable communications for public safety.

“The ability for first responders to communicate—without question—is a priority, and that’s what this network is ultimately about,” Adkinson said. He added that the board takes the Inspector General’s findings seriously and has directed management to address all identified issues.

“Oversight and accountability are critical in any operation, especially where lives are at stake,” Adkinson said. “There is no acceptable outcome other than resolving these problems.”

Adkinson also acknowledged structural challenges within the current framework, noting that the respective roles of the FirstNet Authority board, the authority itself, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) are not always clearly defined.

“There are too many captains on this ship,” he said, calling for a clearer and more unambiguous line of authority to enable effective decision-making.

Under its 2017 contract, AT&T is responsible for building and operating the NPSBN, using public-safety-dedicated Band 14 spectrum while also providing FirstNet subscribers with priority and preemption across its broader commercial network. AT&T is required to pay the FirstNet Authority $18 billion over the 25-year term of the agreement, with all funds reinvested into the FirstNet system. This revenue currently represents the authority’s sole source of funding, making it one of the few federal entities that does not rely on congressional appropriations.

Despite this funding model, several senators argued during the hearing that the FirstNet Authority should be subject to greater transparency and oversight, similar to other federal agencies. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) noted that many local first-responder agencies use taxpayer funds to pay for FirstNet subscriptions, reinforcing the case for enhanced accountability.

The subcommittee is expected to continue discussions on reauthorization in the coming months, with governance and oversight reforms likely to be central to the legislative debate.