Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo countered Republicans’ renewed assertions that NTIA’s notice of funding opportunity for the $42.5 billion broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program includes rate regulation requirements and other provisions Congress didn’t mandate via the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, during a Wednesday Senate Appropriations Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee hearing. Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member John Thune of South Dakota, meanwhile, is eyeing potential next steps in Commerce Committee Republicans’ push for NTIA to revise or otherwise strip out language from the NOFO they find objectionable (see 2304200064).
House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Doris Matsui of California and other Democrats opposed many of the 32 bills and legislative drafts aimed at revamping connectivity permitting processes that the subpanel examined during a Wednesday hearing, arguing the current proposals are too broad and suggesting lawmakers gather more input before moving forward. Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta of Ohio and other Republicans framed the measures as a necessary component of the federal government’s push to improve broadband connectivity that Congress failed to include in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Top Republicans on the House and Senate Communications subcommittees told us their recent broadband oversight moves weren't unfairly partisan and they seek a more critical assessment of the Biden administration’s implementation of connectivity programs from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and COVID-19 aid measures to prevent appropriations misuse. The subpanels' top Democrats and other stakeholders told us they’re not particularly concerned so far about the tone of GOP queries but are continuing to monitor how they compare with Congress’ past oversight of the controversial Broadband Technology Opportunities Program and other initiatives.
Republican states are responsible for an unprecedented wave of free speech violations, not the tech industry or Democrats, House Commerce Committee ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., said during a House Communications Subcommittee hearing Tuesday.
Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., got backing from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley Tuesday in his quest to delay congressional action on repurposing parts of the 3.1-3.45 GHz band for commercial use until after a DOD study of its systems on the frequency. The military officials told Rounds during an Armed Services Committee hearing that doing so before that analysis is final would jeopardize national security. Rounds has been holding up Senate leaders’ bid to pass a House-cleared renewal of the FCC’s spectrum auction authority through May 19 (HR-1108), which led to the mandate lapsing earlier this month (see 2303090074), because he’s concerned about lawmakers reaching a deal on a spectrum package that would address the lower 3 GHz band.
The House Commerce Committee unanimously advanced the Satellite and Telecommunications Streamlining Act (HR-1338), Secure Space Act (HR-675), Launch Communications Act (HR-682), Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity Act (HR-1339) and Advanced, Local Emergency Response Telecommunications Parity Act (HR-1353) to the chamber floor Thursday. The panel was on track to move nine other communications policy-related measures, including the Spectrum Coordination Act (HR-1341). The markup session was delayed more than an hour following an extended hearing with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew (see 2303230064).
Senate leaders acknowledged they’re beginning to consider using floor time to pass the House-approved bill to renew the FCC’s spectrum auction authority through May 19 (HR-1108) in case they can’t reach a deal with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., that would pave the way for enacting the measure via unanimous consent, but they insisted such a move isn’t their preference. An accord remained elusive Wednesday, with Rounds saying he's still opposed to the May 19 extension and leaders still resistant to his alternate bid to renew the authority through Sept. 30 (S-650). That impasse led to the FCC’s mandate lapsing just under two weeks ago (see 2303090074).
FCC action on Newsmax's January blackout on DirecTV (see 2301250042) is unlikely, though it generated a brief burst of complaints filed with the FCC plus House GOP lawmaker ire, media industry officials said in interviews. There also have been almost no signals a congressional hearing is likely in the near future, lawmakers and media observers told us. Newsmax and DirecTV didn't comment.
A Friday House Communications Subcommittee hearing intended to jump-start negotiations on a comprehensive spectrum legislative package touched on some of those policy issues, but subpanel members used it as a bully pulpit to blast the Senate for failing to prevent the FCC’s frequency auction authority from expiring Thursday, as expected (see 2303090074). The House gaveled out Friday for a recess scheduled to end March 22. Senate leaders and Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., who disagreed about dueling bills to renew the commission’s mandate (see 2303080081), expect to return to negotiations this week.
The FCC’s spectrum auction authority was careening toward expiration late Thursday night, after the Senate gaveled out for the week without acting on dueling proposals to extend the mandate. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., earlier in the afternoon declared that an impasse between him and congressional leaders over the extension bills would continue into next week. Rounds failed Wednesday in his bid to pass his bill to lengthen a new renewal to last through Sept. 30 (S-650) by unanimous consent, as expected (see 2303080081). He also formally objected to advancing a House-passed measure to reauthorize the statute through May 19 (HR-1108). The deadlock will likely influence debate during a Friday House Communications Subcommittee hearing on spectrum legislative issues, lawmakers and lobbyists said in interviews.