Congressional Telehealth Caucus Co-chair Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., and four other caucus members jointly filed the Protecting Access to Post-Covid-19 Telehealth Act Thursday to make permanent Congress’ temporary lifting of some telehealth restrictions during the pandemic. Lawmakers lifted some limits on telehealth eligibility for Medicare, among other rules, in March via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and other laws (see 2003250046). Senate Health Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., is among the lawmakers who backed making those rule changes permanent rather than letting them expire at the end of the pandemic (see 2006170065). “Telehealth is a proven and cost-effective way to get care out to patients, particularly during a crisis,” Thompson said. “Many patients who need routine care have been using telehealth to see their doctors without increasing the risk of spreading Coronavirus and many face an abrupt end to this practice after the crisis is over.” Co-sponsors include CTC co-Chairs Reps. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio; David Schweikert, R-Ariz.; and Peter Welch, D-Vt. Caucus member House Communications Subcommittee Vice Chair Doris Matsui, D-Calif., is also a co-sponsor. American Telemedicine Association CEO Ann Mond Johnson said the bill would “keep patients and healthcare providers from falling off the telehealth ‘cliff.’”
The House Armed Services Committee voted Wednesday to include in its FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (HR-6395) two amendments aimed at hindering the FCC’s approval of Ligado’s L-band plan, as expected (see 2006260051). The Senate continued to consider its Armed Services Committee-cleared NDAA version (S-4049) with anti-Ligado language intact (see 2006110026). Senate Armed Services Chairman Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., attempted but failed to advance by unanimous consent a manager’s amendment to S-4049 containing additional telecom and tech language.
A House Communications Subcommittee briefing on Ligado’s L-band plan Thursday appears to have been a bid by Commerce Committee leaders to warn the chamber's Armed Services panel against attempting to advance language aimed at scuttling the FCC’s April approval, Capitol Hill aides and lobbyists told us. The company told members of the House and Senate Commerce panels Thursday it obtained emails showing the L-band plan previously had the backing of NTIA’s technical staff and the DOD Chief Information Office (see 2006180034).
The FCC increased efforts to promote Lifeline during the pandemic, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai told Democratic lawmakers in mid-May in letters posted Friday. The agency distributed information on how to qualify for and enroll in the Lifeline program to food banks, homeless shelters and other direct service organizations; provided materials to state government agencies responsible for administering programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that qualify residents for Lifeline; did online training for consumer advocates; and provided additional access to the Lifeline national eligibility verifier for states to help consumers apply, Pai said. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Conn.; Edward Markey, Mass.; Michael Bennet, Colo.; and Brian Schatz, Hawaii, jointly wrote Pai in March. Rep. Doris Matsui, Calif., also wrote this spring.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology should develop metrics and measurements to guide the cybersecurity framework (see 1909270056), said Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., Tuesday. The framework has helped organizations assess cyber risks, but it must be a “living document,” she told the Information Technology Industry Council. NIST didn’t comment.
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota led a Tuesday push with 142 other congressional Democrats for the FCC to “work directly” with the departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services to ensure millions of people who “are newly eligible” for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Medicaid amid the COVID-19 pandemic “are informed of their eligibility” for Lifeline. SNAP and Medicaid had surges in applications because of “financial hardships” caused by the epidemic, and people are dependent on the internet “to access public benefits, search for employment, learn from home, or access telehealth services,” the lawmakers wrote FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. Before the pandemic, 7 million of the 38 million eligible for Lifeline services “were enrolled,” the Democrats said. “The FCC has traditionally issued guidelines for states and telecommunications providers to advertise the Lifeline program,” but direct coordination with USDA and HHS, plus states and stakeholders, is needed “to help ensure people in need are informed” about eligibility. Others who signed include Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member Brian Schatz of Hawaii, House Communications Subcommittee Vice Chair Doris Matsui of California and Rep. Anna Eshoo of California. The FCC didn’t comment.
House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and three other committee leaders Friday filed a companion version of the Utilizing Strategic Allied (USA) Telecommunications Act (S-3189). The bill would require the FCC to direct at least $750 million, or up to 5 percent of annual spectrum auction proceeds, to create an NTIA-managed open radio access network R&D fund to spur movement to open-architecture, software-based wireless technologies. Senate Intelligence Committee leaders filed S-3189 in January (see 2001140067). Congress “took strong action to protect our communications networks against foreign interference from dangerous companies like Huawei and ZTE” last month via the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act (HR-4998), said Pallone and the other three leaders: House Commerce Oversight Subcommittee ranking member Brett Guthrie, R-Ky.; House Commerce ranking member Greg Walden, R-Ore.; and House Communications Subcommittee Vice Chair Doris Matsui, D-Calif. “Now, we must follow that up by promoting equipment and technologies that can ensure a more diverse, sustainable, and competitive supply chain for America’s 5G networks.” HR-4998 allocates at least $1 billion to help U.S. communications providers remove from their networks Chinese equipment determined to threaten national security (see 2003040056). Mavenir CEO Pardeep Kohli praised the USA Telecommunications Act, saying in a statement that “advancing the deployment of OpenRAN technology is key to ensuring American leadership in building next-generation networks and creating a more competitive and innovative wireless marketplace.” Dish Network Senior Vice President-Public Policy and Government Affairs Jeff Blum said the bill's proposed grants "will enhance mobile access, spur job creation, and boost American efforts to lead the global race to 5G.”
The 1 dB standard for determining harmful interference to GPS, pushed by the GPS industry and others opposed to Ligado's planned low-power terrestrial L-band network plans, doesn't assess harmful interference and isn't directly correlated with it, the FCC said in its 74-page Ligado order adopted Sunday (see 2004200011) and released Wednesday.
Four Senate Democrats and House Communications Subcommittee Vice Chair Doris Matsui, D-Calif., pressed the FCC on Lifeline access matters amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Three other Senate Commerce Committee Democrats urged the FCC Thursday to create a “consumer-friendly web portal” to help Americans find Wi-Fi hotspots, telecom companies’ contact information and federal assistance information. “The coronavirus and resulting public safety measures taken by states, municipalities, and vigilant citizens are a resounding demonstration of the importance of Lifeline and other FCC assistance programs," Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and the others said Thursday in a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. “We strongly urge the FCC to commit that no one loses access to Lifeline at this time of crisis.” The commission should “take swift steps to provide information about Lifeline to the public and ensure carriers more aggressively advertise their Lifeline services to all eligible individuals,” the senators said. “Americans must know that help is available.” The other three senators who signed were Communications Subcommittee ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii; Michael Bennet, D-Colo.; and Ed Markey, D-Mass. Matsui wrote Pai Wednesday to “take immediate steps to provide any Americans that become eligible for Lifeline due to effects of COVID-19 access to the support they need as quickly as possible.” She’s “pleased to see that recertification and reverification activity will be put on hold for the immediate future to prevent unnecessary service interruptions for current Lifeline subscribers. However, these steps will not do anything to assist Americans that become eligible for Lifeline or other qualifying assistance programs due to a loss in work or drop in income.” An FCC spokesperson pointed to Pai's success at getting ISPs to keep everyone online for the next 60 days amid the coronavirus (see 2003130066). Pai has also "exhorted those companies with low-income broadband programs like the Connect2Compete program to expand and improve them (for example, by increasing speeds to 25/3 Mbps and expanding eligibility) and those without to adopt such programs," the FCC spokesperson emailed. "He also called on broadband providers to relax their data cap policies in appropriate circumstances and on those that serve schools and libraries to work with them on remote learning opportunities. In the meantime, Commission staff have been busy at work exploring additional ways to keep students and all Americans connected during the coronavirus pandemic."
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai got pledges from top ISPs, including all major carriers and cable operators plus telcos, to keep everyone online for the next 60 days amid the coronavirus. Pai spoke with the companies Thursday, he said Friday; see our report here. Companies and trade associations endorsed the pledge. Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks said that's a good start, but the agency needs to do more.