The bulk of FCC staff won’t return to the office until the FCC completes negotiations with its employee union, but talks haven’t been scheduled, per the National Treasury Employees Union and an Office of Personnel Management memo. Other agencies said they're trying to figure out their own return to their headquarters.

Reps. Jamaal Bowman and Yvette Clarke, both of New York, led a letter with 26 other House Democrats urging the FCC to examine whether its past programs and policies caused harm to communities of color, “redress” those effects and “identify the affirmative steps the agency commits to taking to break down barriers to just media and telecommunication practices.” The lawmakers cited President Joe Biden’s Jan. 20 executive order encouraging federal agencies to conduct such reviews. “Historic federal policies are a primary reason why structural inequities exist in our nation’s media and telecommunication systems today,” the Democrats wrote acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “FCC policies, license decisions and inaction have had the result of effectively excluding people of color from media ownership opportunities. Our nation’s first radio and TV licenses were awarded ... during an era of Jim Crow segregation. The previous administration's efforts to consolidate the media marketplace limited ownership opportunities for people of color and women.” The “lack of affordable broadband has left too many households of color unable to use the internet to take care of the health and well-being of their families, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic,” the lawmakers said. Rosenworcel “is committed to ensuring that FCC policies are equitable, fair, and transparent,” a spokesperson emailed. “While the FCC is an independent agency, it has been working diligently under her leadership to follow” Biden’s EO. “More work remains to be done,” the spokesperson said. “We are committed to working with those who sent this letter to do so.” The “current media system is unjust and the FCC must begin the process of repair,” said Free Press Senior Director-Strategy and Engagement Joseph Torres. “That starts with a thorough investigation of the history of racism in the agency’s policymaking.”

Wireless power-at-a-distance developer Ossia met with aides to FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioners Brendan Carr and Gregory Starks to stress the U.S. needs a “level regulatory playing field” to compete with Canada, China, Japan and EU on the technology, said a filing posted Friday in docket 19-226. Regulatory authorities of U.S. competitors are “rapidly moving forward” to approve wireless power at a distance, said Ossia. Other countries have taken “significant steps to embrace wireless power transfer,” it said, and China is “particularly active” through innovations from Huawei, Lenovo and Xiaomi. “It is no exaggeration to say that 5G and IoT cannot fully develop” without technology like Ossia's, it said. Billions of new 5G and IoT devices will need power, “and there are not enough batteries or electricians in the world to make that possible,” it said.

Wireless power-at-a-distance developer Ossia met with aides to FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioners Brendan Carr and Gregory Starks to stress the U.S. needs a “level regulatory playing field” to compete with Canada, China, Japan and EU on the technology, said a filing posted Friday in docket 19-226. Regulatory authorities of U.S. competitors are “rapidly moving forward” to approve wireless power at a distance, said Ossia. Other countries have taken “significant steps to embrace wireless power transfer,” it said, and China is “particularly active” through innovations from Huawei, Lenovo and Xiaomi. “It is no exaggeration to say that 5G and IoT cannot fully develop” without technology like Ossia's, it said. Billions of new 5G and IoT devices will need power, “and there are not enough batteries or electricians in the world to make that possible,” it said.

Wireless power-at-a-distance developer Ossia met with aides to FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioners Brendan Carr and Gregory Starks to stress the U.S. needs a “level regulatory playing field” to compete with Canada, China, Japan and EU on the technology, said a filing posted Friday in docket 19-226. Regulatory authorities of U.S. competitors are “rapidly moving forward” to approve wireless power at a distance, said Ossia. Other countries have taken “significant steps to embrace wireless power transfer,” it said, and China is “particularly active” through innovations from Huawei, Lenovo and Xiaomi. “It is no exaggeration to say that 5G and IoT cannot fully develop” without technology like Ossia's, it said. Billions of new 5G and IoT devices will need power, “and there are not enough batteries or electricians in the world to make that possible,” it said.

CTA raised concerns as FCC commissioners approved 4-0 Thursday an NPRM and notice of inquiry that would further clamp down on gear from companies deemed to pose a security risk in U.S. networks. Commissioners said several questions were added since a draft of the item circulated, as expected (see 2106090063).

CTA raised concerns as FCC commissioners approved 4-0 Thursday an NPRM and notice of inquiry that would further clamp down on gear from companies deemed to pose a security risk in U.S. networks. Commissioners said several questions were added since a draft of the item circulated, as expected (see 2106090063).

The FCC is expected to unanimously reject two low-power FM petitions for reconsideration at Thursday's commissioners' meeting (see 2105270085). LPFM advocates said in interviews they view the move as paving the way for an upcoming LPFM application window and believe this FCC could look favorably on the latest effort to increase LPFM power levels. “We aren’t being dismissed. We’re being listened to,” said Caitlin Reading, who advises the LPFM Coalition. “That’s exciting.”

Emergency broadband benefit providers are encountering problems enrolling eligible households in the program through Universal Service Administrative Co.’s national Lifeline accountability database, representatives said in interviews and FCC filings. Industry groups said it prevented some consumers from taking advantage of the temporary benefit when the EBB launched in May.

FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel can force votes on items, a step that needs the vote of at least one Republican commissioner under must-vote rules. With a full commission, the chair needs the votes of only the other members of the majority party to trigger the rules. Rosenworcel hasn't focused on changing the rules. Some experts said in interviews an change is overdue, although many think the rules won't significantly impede her.