Judge Patricia Millett of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit said she and colleagues are reluctant to agree to en banc review of panel rulings, and judges generally are chosen randomly to hear cases. Answering questions at an FCBA seminar Monday night, Millett, who was nominated by President Barack Obama and joined the court in December 2013, offered a rare look into the inner workings at the D.C. Circuit, which regularly reviews challenges to FCC orders. Also appearing, two senior attorneys of the FCC Office of General Counsel reviewed major telecom and media cases from the past 12 months, with one attorney hailing the agency's victory in defending its 2011 USF and intercarrier compensation order as "stunning" and suggesting it offered some lessons.
Judge Patricia Millett of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit said she and colleagues are reluctant to agree to en banc review of panel rulings, and judges generally are chosen randomly to hear cases. Answering questions at an FCBA seminar Monday night, Millett, who was nominated by President Barack Obama and joined the court in December 2013, offered a rare look into the inner workings at the D.C. Circuit, which regularly reviews challenges to FCC orders. Also appearing, two senior attorneys of the FCC Office of General Counsel reviewed major telecom and media cases from the past 12 months, with one attorney hailing the agency's victory in defending its 2011 USF and intercarrier compensation order as "stunning" and suggesting it offered some lessons.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., urged the White House to support reauthorization of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, in comments posted Friday on the Broadband Opportunity Council’s (BBOC) request for comment on broadband availability and deployment issues. A group of House Democrats led by House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., and Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture in a separate filing to “modernize” regulations for the Rural Utility Service’s Telecom Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee program to “better facilitate high-speed rural broadband deployment.” BBOC, which the White House created March 23 to spur broadband investment and adoption (see 1503230064), sought comment on ways the federal government can modernize “outdated regulations,” identify regulatory barriers to broadband deployment and promote broadband adoption.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., urged the White House to support reauthorization of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, in comments posted Friday on the Broadband Opportunity Council’s (BBOC) request for comment on broadband availability and deployment issues. A group of House Democrats led by House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., and Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture in a separate filing to “modernize” regulations for the Rural Utility Service’s Telecom Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee program to “better facilitate high-speed rural broadband deployment.” BBOC, which the White House created March 23 to spur broadband investment and adoption (see 1503230064), sought comment on ways the federal government can modernize “outdated regulations,” identify regulatory barriers to broadband deployment and promote broadband adoption.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler juggles a contentious, complicated and not always visible relationship with GOP-controlled Capitol Hill in executing his agenda, said lawmakers and former FCC chairmen in interviews. More than 20 months into the Wheeler chairmanship, lawmakers from both parties praised Wheeler’s ability to face intense congressional oversight and cultivate relationships outside of the hearing room. Partisan undercurrents affected how some Republicans and Democrats perceive the 69-year-old Wheeler, an Obama administration appointee and former Obama campaign fundraiser, following explosively political debate on net neutrality.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler juggles a contentious, complicated and not always visible relationship with GOP-controlled Capitol Hill in executing his agenda, said lawmakers and former FCC chairmen in interviews. More than 20 months into the Wheeler chairmanship, lawmakers from both parties praised Wheeler’s ability to face intense congressional oversight and cultivate relationships outside of the hearing room. Partisan undercurrents affected how some Republicans and Democrats perceive the 69-year-old Wheeler, an Obama administration appointee and former Obama campaign fundraiser, following explosively political debate on net neutrality.
Rural telco groups outlined a "two-path" framework agreement to revamp rate-of-return USF mechanisms that they believe gives the FCC a jump-start in its drive to modernize the $2 billion high-cost voice subsidy program for the broadband era. Rural carrier representatives submitted their proposals Wednesday for creating a voluntary model-based approach and revising existing USF mechanisms to support stand-alone broadband, while noting there were some areas where disagreements remained and FCC guidance was needed (see 1506030052).
Rural telco groups working to develop an industry plan to overhaul rate-of-return USF have reached agreement on a basic "two-path" framework and "major elements" but are still trying to narrow their differences, according to an ITTA ex parte filing Wednesday and an industry official with another group. The FCC had set Wednesday as the deadline for the telco groups to hammer out an industry accord.
Industry stakeholders universally praised the FCC Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council (CSRIC) report on communications sector cybersecurity risk management for recommending voluntary processes and assurances, with Motorola Solutions saying in comments posted Monday that those recommendations “strike an appropriate balance” between assuring cybersecurity protection and reflecting the interests of all stakeholders. The CSRIC report, adopted in March, was meant to adapt the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cybersecurity Framework for communications sector use (see 1503180056). Industry groups CTIA and TIA similarly praised the CSRIC report for providing important guidance to the sector (see 1505290042). A separate Department of Commerce Internet Policy Task Force (IPTF) proceeding (see 1504090049 and 1503160059) on possible cybersecurity topics the IPTF should address through multistakeholder work drew multiple filings urging the IPTF to factor the NIST framework into its process.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler voiced concern that rural telco groups haven't reached agreement on an industry plan for overhauling rate-of-return USF mechanisms. Though he was hopeful rural representatives could still address their differences, industry talks “cannot drag on,” Wheeler said in a letter that circulated Monday responding to a previous letter from Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., who had urged the FCC to “reform” USF mechanisms to support rural broadband deployment. Telco parties negotiating a possible industry plan face a Wednesday FCC deadline for reaching agreement.