Lawmakers and communications sector officials lauded Senate passage Thursday of six long-stalled telecom bills, including the Mobile Now Act (S-19) spectrum bill. The Senate approved the legislation as part of a deal to confirm Jessica Rosenworcel and Brendan Carr as FCC commissioners (see 1708030060). The other telecom bills approved were the Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things Act (S-88), Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act (S-96), Kari’s Law Act (S-123), Spoofing Prevention Act (S-134) and FCC Consolidated Reporting Act (S-174). The bills’ passage “brings us a step closer to increasing access to spectrum that powers our 21st century tech economy, improving the quality and reliability of phone calls in rural communities, removing barriers to dialing 911 in emergencies, and cutting inefficiencies in federal bureaucracy,” said Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D. CTA President Gary Shapiro urged the House to “swiftly pass” S-19, saying it would “create better mobile broadband for us all, spurring developments in cellular 5G technologies and securing our wireless future.” S-19 “will help ensure more spectrum is made available,” said Competitive Carriers Association President Steve Berry. The bill “recognizes the importance of deploying wireless broadband services in rural areas and endeavors to streamline deployment challenges, particularly on federal lands, which unfortunately have oftentimes plagued competitive carriers.” FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Deb Fischer, R-Neb., praised passage of S-123, which addresses direct dialing to 911. S-123 and House companion HR-582, which passed the House in January (see 1701230071), mean "Americans will one day be able to call 911 and reach first responders without having to dial an access code,” said Pai. S-123 “would ensure families can call for the help they need,” said Fischer, who was a main sponsor of that bill, S-88 and S-134.
The Senate approved the nominations of Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel as FCC commissioners, as part of a deal among Senate leaders on a package of President Donald Trump's nominees. The Thursday deal that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., reached covered only Carr's first abbreviated term set to end next year, with the Senate holding over votes on Carr's nomination to a second full term through 2023 and on FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's renomination. The deal also included passage under unanimous consent of several long-stalled telecom bills, including the Mobile Now Act (S-19) spectrum bill.
The Senate approved the nominations of Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel as FCC commissioners, as part of a deal among Senate leaders on a package of President Donald Trump's nominees. The Thursday deal that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., reached covered only Carr's first abbreviated term set to end next year, with the Senate holding over votes on Carr's nomination to a second full term through 2023 and on FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's renomination. The deal also included passage under unanimous consent of several long-stalled telecom bills, including the Mobile Now Act (S-19) spectrum bill.
The Senate Commerce Committee voted Wednesday to advance confirmations of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioner nominees Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel, while negotiations to include them in a nominations package for a floor vote hadn't concluded. The committee again delayed a vote on NTIA Administrator nominee David Redl because of Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz's concerns about responses to his queries on last October's Internet Assigned Numbers Authority oversight transition (see 1610030042 and 1708010071).
The Senate Commerce Committee voted Wednesday to advance confirmations of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioner nominees Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel, while negotiations to include them in a nominations package for a floor vote hadn't concluded. The committee again delayed a vote on NTIA Administrator nominee David Redl because of Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz's concerns about responses to his queries on last October's Internet Assigned Numbers Authority oversight transition (see 1610030042 and 1708010071).
A bid by Senate Democrats to get Republican leaders' assurance that a possible successor to FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn will get a confirmation vote at a later date appears to be part of negotiations aimed at including FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and two other commission nominees in a package of nominees up for a full Senate vote before August recess, lobbyists told us. Should Clyburn leave, lobbyists and government officials said Joey Wender, an aide to Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., is among those who has been under consideration. There's no clear frontrunner.
A bid by Senate Democrats to get Republican leaders' assurance that a possible successor to FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn will get a confirmation vote at a later date appears to be part of negotiations aimed at including FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and two other commission nominees in a package of nominees up for a full Senate vote before August recess, lobbyists told us. Should Clyburn leave, lobbyists and government officials said Joey Wender, an aide to Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., is among those who has been under consideration. There's no clear frontrunner.
The Senate Commerce Committee tentatively plans an Aug. 2 markup on nominations of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, commissioner nominees Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel and other nominees, committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told us Wednesday. Meanwhile, Committee Democrats seek some deal on the FCC nominees that would assuage their concerns about how Senate Commerce would handle a possible Democratic nominee to replace current Commissioner Mignon Clyburn.
The Senate Commerce Committee tentatively plans an Aug. 2 markup on nominations of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, commissioner nominees Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel and other nominees, committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told us Wednesday. Meanwhile, Committee Democrats seek some deal on the FCC nominees that would assuage their concerns about how Senate Commerce would handle a possible Democratic nominee to replace current Commissioner Mignon Clyburn.
With more robocall regulatory steps initiated at Thursday's commissioners' meeting and the agency setting a $2.88 million fine against a robocall technology company, the FCC is sending clear signals about trying to eliminate "this scourge" of robocalls, Chairman Ajit Pai said. "Relief from robocalls is getting closer," he said, voicing support for a do-not-originate system for calls, saying that would be "pretty significant." Mike O'Rielly dissented on levying the fine, saying as precedent it could affect other technology platforms.