The FCC, asked by the Commerce Department to pause its orbital debris proceeding (see 1904080033), is expected to comply. With Commerce also talking about interagency discussions on one federal authority for all things orbital debris related, some experts said single-agency oversight makes sense.
FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly warned the newly reconstituted Disability Advisory Committee that the cost of FCC disability-related programs is growing too quickly. The agency needs to consider other options, such as reverse auctions, to determine funding levels, he said Wednesday. “Draconian” measures are likely unless costs are contained, he said.
Senate Constitution Subcommittee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, expects a follow-up hearing to focus exclusively on Google, he said Wednesday during a hearing before which he rejected the company’s witness. Google didn’t provide a witness with seniority comparable to representatives sent by Facebook and Twitter, Cruz said. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., rejected a Google witness for the same reason in 2018 (see 1809050057).
There was bipartisan agreement among Senate Commerce Committee members Wednesday that the federal government's practices for collecting broadband coverage data remain deficient and that Capitol Hill needs to begin taking action. Senate Commerce and others on the Hill repeatedly have raised those issues in recent years. NTIA's increased role in coordinating federal work on broadband mapping got scrutiny earlier this month at a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on the Commerce Department's fiscal year 2020 budget request (see 1904020070). Deficiencies in the FCC's data collection practices was a central issue at a Senate Communications Subcommittee hearing last month on rural broadband (see 1903120069).
State senators cleared a bill to tighten enforcement of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) after fierce debate over possible consequences of adding a private right of action to the 2018 measure. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 6-2 Tuesday after several members voiced reservations and industry trade groups lined up against the first draft (see 1902250067) of SB-561 by Chair Hannah-Beth Jackson (D) and Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D). "There is grave concern about the condition that it is in," said Sen. Anna Caballero (D), voting yes but warning she will later vote no without changes.
LAS VEGAS -- There are “great things going on at ATSC,” besides 3.0 “implementation stuff,” but Mark Richer plans no role once he retires as president in mid-May, he told us at the NAB Show. “My little toe will be available to be put in the water if ATSC needs my advice or counsel,” but “I’m really, truly retiring,” he said.
RLEC groups expect the FCC will adopt the rural telco rate floor elimination order on Friday's agenda, the only question mark being Commissioner Mike O'Rielly's vote. ITTA Vice President-Regulatory Affairs Mike Jacobs said he would be surprised if O'Rielly supports the order, given past support of the rate floor concept. O'Rielly's office didn't comment Wednesday. The other commissioners' approvals were seen likely. The FCC didn't comment.
LAS VEGAS -- FCC Chairman Ajit Pai circulated draft FM translator rules to the other eighth-floor offices to be voted on at the May 9 commissioners' meeting, he told a crowded auditorium at the NAB Show Tuesday. Pai said long-awaited forms to allow broadcasters to transition to ATSC 3.0 (see 1904100043) will be ready “by the end of Q2” and urged broadcasters to increasingly think of themselves as digital media companies. “You find yourselves in a war for attention with well-funded media giants, internet companies, and telecom companies,” he said. The show had 91,460 attendees, down from 92,912 in 2018.
The FCC is considering a revised position offered by NTIA on future use of the 37 GHz band. NTIA offered new language after carriers complained that under the proposed rules, coordination zones with the department change even after the band is auctioned, industry and government officials said this week.
Supporters of the Save the Internet Act net neutrality bill (HR-1644/S-682) were looking beyond House passage Wednesday, despite dim prospects (see 1904100014). The House passed HR-1644 on an almost uniformly party-line 232-190 vote, as expected (see 1904090045). One House Republican voted for the bill -- Bill Posey of Florida. No Democrats defected to vote against it. Ten lawmakers didn't vote. HR-1644/S-682 would add a new title to the Communications Act that reverses the FCC order rescinding its 2015 net neutrality rules and restores reclassification of broadband as a Communications Act Title II service (see 1903060077).