Capitol Hill Democrats pledged massive pushback to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s NPRM to roll back the 2015 open internet order's classification of broadband as a Communications Act Title II service, set for a May 18 commission vote. GOP lawmakers presented a largely united front in praise of Pai and Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told us Tuesday this should kick off legislative negotiation (see 1704250062). Little bipartisan negotiation has seemed underway, and Republicans disagreed among themselves on what’s the basis for open internet legislation. Pai will go to a bipartisan member briefing Friday for House Commerce members, an aide said.
Lawmakers are bracing for FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s possible rulemaking notice on the commission’s 2015 open internet order, which some believe will target Communications Act Title II for rollback and may be unveiled Wednesday (see 1704240049). The agency may be contacting some Capitol Hill offices on the matter, though Democrats say they're in the dark. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., is hopeful this possible pending action will spur bipartisan legislative negotiation that he has sought this year and in 2015, interests he has discussed with the FCC before this action.
CTIA is ready with asks for Congress on how to go beyond the Senate’s Mobile Now spectrum bill, Vice President-Regulatory Affairs Scott Bergmann plans to testify before the House Communications Subcommittee Wednesday. Chairman Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., also will outline ambitions to move spectrum legislation beyond what is in Mobile Now. This is the first time the lower chamber will directly consider S-19, a bipartisan package on both spectrum and broadband deployment. It has no precise House companion, and Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., is developing follow-up legislation that builds off the bill, putting together what one staffer called “Mobile Now Plus” ideas (see 1702210051).
Lifeline advocates knocked FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's plans to roll back the agency's process for designating Lifeline broadband providers (LBPs), which he said usurped state authority. Senior House Democrats blasted the decision and Commissioner Mignon Clyburn voiced disappointment. Some said Pai wasn't living up to his rhetoric to close the "digital divide," but others praised him, including a key Republican senator. Although Commissioner Mike O'Rielly didn't comment, he previously said he didn't believe the FCC could bypass state authority to designate USF-eligible telecom carriers (ETCs) for Lifeline. Pai announced he would begin a proceeding to scrap the LBP process and said he didn't believe staff in the meantime should approve pending LBP applications (see 1703290025).
Providing a clear and common language for different levels of automation in vehicles is needed to help consumers understand the different technologies they can expect to use as automakers develop self-driving cars, said suppliers of advanced transportation systems at Tuesday's House Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee hearing, as expected (see 1703270026). "Is it just [a system] warning that my vehicle will provide or is it actually an actual intervention like an active braking situation, or can I take my hands and my feet off the controls and the car will drive by itself?" asked Kay Stepper, Bosch vice president-automated driving and driver assistance systems, on why it's important to educate consumers.
Questioning from House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Tuesday focused on whether and how Congress channels broadband infrastructure funding. She asked if money should go through USF or elsewhere -- or if it should be “expanded to include a grant-making operation?” President Donald Trump pressed for a $1 trillion infrastructure package this Congress. Blackburn and others said broadband must be a part of this vehicle and debated details of legislative tools available, during Tuesday’s hearing (see 1703200067).
House Commerce Committee Democrats introduced five broadband-focused bills Thursday, with one already sparking praise from the Competitive Carriers Association. “These bills from Democratic members of our committee will provide a better chance for those who need [broadband] most,” said Commerce Committee ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., in a statement. He laid out his vision for the year’s agenda in January. Committee Democrats unveiled a mix of cybersecurity-focused measures earlier this month (see 1703020035).
Hacking autonomous vehicles is a threat the auto industry is taking very seriously, and a computer scientist told House lawmakers that terrorists could take control of such vehicles. Tuesday's House Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee hearing (see 1702130013) also touched on safety technology and testing, deployment and state and federal regulations.
Capitol Hill Republicans and Democrats are staking out net neutrality positions at odds with core bipartisan consensus, expected to make the task of legislating more challenging. House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said last week she wouldn’t be content with the paid prioritization ban that multiple senior Republicans previously backed in draft legislation. Hill Democrats staked out a deep defense of the open internet order, including its GOP-opposed Communications Act Title II provisions.
Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., led a letter of six House Commerce Committee Democrats congratulating FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on his new leadership and his creation of the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee. “The FCC’s efforts to close this digital divide in rural areas should be well defined with a targeted and clear goal,” the six Democrats said in the letter, dated Tuesday and not publicly released. “We therefore urge you to task the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee to establish this goal and to define successful broadband deployment in rural America before moving on to more detailed policies. Without first setting a clearly defined goal, we would be concerned the Committee may miss an opportunity to comprehensively address this issue.” Others signing the letter were Reps. Jerry McNerney of California; Anna Eshoo of California, former ranking member of the Communications Subcommittee; Dave Loebsack of Iowa; Doris Matsui of California; and G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina. Welch co-chairs the Rural Broadband Caucus. The FCC received and is reviewing the letter, a spokesman said. Matsui wrote an opinion piece for The Hill Wednesday highlighting what she dubbed a “digital deficit,” including in rural areas. The tools to compete “require infrastructure,” Matsui said. “We must make sustained federal investments in the high-speed broadband that allows everyone to participate in the innovation economy. … As we plan to rebuild our roads and bridges, we also need to consider the invisible airwaves that not only connect us to each other, but also fuel driverless cars, keep smart grids running and expand access to telemedicine in our communities.” She called for “continued leadership” on spectrum policy, noting the needs of a transition to 5G.