House Communications Subcommittee members of both parties largely agreed during a Wednesday hearing that to secure U.S. leadership on 5G technology, Congress must fully fund work on speeding adoption of open radio access networks, and that agencies should return to a unified spectrum policy approach during President Joe Biden’s administration. Tech policy bipartisanship was also evident as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and others of both parties introduced, as promised, a revised version of the Endless Frontier Act. It appears to be back on track (see 2104140069) for swift action after earlier GOP misgivings.
The Senate Commerce Committee expects to vote on advancing Lina Khan’s nomination to the FTC in a “few weeks,” Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., told us Wednesday after Khan’s confirmation hearing (see 2103290061). Republicans we interviewed remain neutral. And Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., had worries.
A Pennsylvania bill meant to spur broadband by waiving Public Utility Commission ILEC rules “is not full deregulation,” stressed sponsor and Senate Communications Committee Chair Kristin Phillips-Hill (R) at a livestreamed meeting. The panel voted 7-3 for SB-341 and the same for SB-442 ordering an inventory of state-owned broadband assets. Also Tuesday and in California, a Senate panel supported a bill to increase PUC authority to check if state video franchisees are deploying enough broadband.
President Joe Biden’s administration isn’t ruling out technologies or ISP models as it looks to implement $100 billion in broadband money in its $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan (see 2103310064), Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told Senate Appropriations Committee members Tuesday. Some Appropriations Republicans said during a Tuesday hearing they favor addressing broadband affordability in an infrastructure package. Senate GOP leaders noted their interest in a bid by Public Works Committee ranking member Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and others to craft a counterproposal to the Biden plan (see 2104140069).
Congress needs to protect FTC Act Section 13(b) authority, all four current commissioners told the Senate Commerce Committee Tuesday. Acting Chairwoman Rebecca Kelly Slaughter asked not to wait for a Supreme Court decision (see 2104190059). Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., said he’s open to engaging in bipartisan legislative discussions with committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.
A tide of late opposition to the FCC draft order on foreign-sponsored content identification is considered unlikely to shift the item enough to fully assuage broadcasters' concerns (see 2104190044), industry officials told us. A draft item establishing a 10-application cap for the upcoming noncommercial educational (NCE) auction window is viewed as relatively uncontroversial at the FCC and is unlikely to change before Thursday’s commissioners’ meeting, industry and agency officials said.
The NPRM proposing to allow the use of new wireless multichannel audio system (WMAS) technology by wireless mics is expected to be approved 4-0 Thursday, though a few tweaks are possible based on ex parte filings, FCC officials told us. The NPRM hasn’t faced opposition since circulation by acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. A few questions were raised on implications for the 6 GHz band, which the FCC reallocated for Wi-Fi a year ago. An order terminating the 800 MHz rebanding proceeding is also expected to get unanimous approval.
State legislators are proposing bills to rein in social media, amid the federal debate about Communications Decency Act Section 230. Reasons and approaches differ by party. Left- and right-leaning advocacy organization officials told us they see possible constitutional problems and voiced discomfort with states acting. The Florida Senate Appropriations Committee narrowly passed a bill at a Monday hearing despite GOP and Democratic objections.
Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., is exploring legislation to protect FTC Section 13(b) authority if the agency gets an adverse decision from the Supreme Court in AMG Capital Management v. FTC (see 2102040049), she told us last week. Cantwell wants to discuss the agency’s authority Tuesday when the commission testifies before her committee (see 2104140046). Section 13(b) authority allows the agency to seek an injunction against FTC Act violations and obtain restitution for consumers simultaneously.
New York state will require all ISPs to sell a $15 monthly internet plan to low-income households. Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed a budget Friday including the affordable broadband program and spending $1 million on a statewide map measuring broadband availability, reliability and cost. The plan got praise from the state’s consumer advocate, but the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation said it might foreshadow more price regulation.