The FCC issued the 224-page text of its Lifeline modernization order and commissioner statements Wednesday. The item was adopted 3-2 March 31 after an attempted bipartisan budget deal collapsed (see 1603310056). The order extends Lifeline low-income USF support to broadband service and updates program administration. It creates minimum service standards for broadband and mobile voice services while allowing "an exception in areas where fixed broadband providers do not meet the minimum standards." The FCC mandated a "five-and-one-half-year transition, during which we will gradually increase mobile voice and data requirements and gradually decrease voice support levels." It shifts responsibility for verifying consumer Lifeline eligibility from carriers to a national entity, creates a streamlined national Lifeline broadband provider designation process and requires participating providers to make Wi-Fi functionality available when providing devices for Lifeline use. The FCC established a $2.25 billion annual Lifeline budget that can be adjusted if spending reaches 90 percent of that level. Democratic commissioners issued their statements March 31 but the full statements of the dissenting Republicans weren't available until Wednesday's order. "I cannot support this Order," said Commissioner Ajit Pai in a 16-page statement. "It is not fiscally responsible. It does not clean up the waste, fraud, and abuse. And it consigns Lifeline consumers to second-class broadband services for the foreseeable future. On top of this, the Order does not comply with federal law." Pai said that the agency did "practically nothing" to fix Lifeline's "fiscal nightmare." He said the order didn't set a "meaningful," enforceable budget, doesn't target funding to households lacking broadband, doesn't curb excessive spending on urban tribal lands and doesn't address loopholes that invite carrier abuse, but does "cut state commissions out of the Lifeline designation process." He said Chairman Tom Wheeler worked to unwind a budget compromise between Pai and Commissioners Mike O'Rielly and Mignon Clyburn. O'Rielly said the most disappointing aspect was that the budget deal was "attacked for all the wrong reasons." The compromise budget "would not have harmed the program or recipients" but instead would have allowed support to reach "all eligible households that lack sufficient broadband while staying within reasonable fiscal limits," he said, noting he would have backed a $2 billion cap. Instead, the order adopted a "phony" budget mechanism, he said.

The Congressional Budget Office said enacting the Email Privacy Act (HR-699), which updates the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, "would have no significant cost to the federal government." CBO said in a one-page report Monday that "enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply." It said HR-699, which is set for a House floor vote Wednesday, "would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027." CBO said the bill includes no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates, nor would it impose costs on state, local or tribal governments. The legislation would close a loophole that allowed law enforcement agencies to access an American's private emails and other stored electronic content -- if the content is more than six months old -- without a warrant during criminal investigations. The bill would require a warrant in all instances. HR-699 has more than 300 co-sponsors and was unanimously approved by the House Judiciary Committee April 13 (see 1604130036).

The Congressional Budget Office said enacting the Email Privacy Act (HR-699), which updates the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, "would have no significant cost to the federal government." CBO said in a one-page report Monday that "enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply." It said HR-699, which is set for a House floor vote Wednesday, "would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027." CBO said the bill includes no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates, nor would it impose costs on state, local or tribal governments. The legislation would close a loophole that allowed law enforcement agencies to access an American's private emails and other stored electronic content -- if the content is more than six months old -- without a warrant during criminal investigations. The bill would require a warrant in all instances. HR-699 has more than 300 co-sponsors and was unanimously approved by the House Judiciary Committee April 13 (see 1604130036).

The Congressional Budget Office said enacting the Email Privacy Act (HR-699), which updates the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, "would have no significant cost to the federal government." CBO said in a one-page report Monday that "enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply." It said HR-699, which is set for a House floor vote Wednesday, "would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027." CBO said the bill includes no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates, nor would it impose costs on state, local or tribal governments. The legislation would close a loophole that allowed law enforcement agencies to access an American's private emails and other stored electronic content -- if the content is more than six months old -- without a warrant during criminal investigations. The bill would require a warrant in all instances. HR-699 has more than 300 co-sponsors and was unanimously approved by the House Judiciary Committee April 13 (see 1604130036).

Facebook spent $2.78 million on lobbying spending in Q1, about 14 percent more than what it spent in the same period last year, while Oracle increased outlays for lobbying the federal government for Q1, spending $1.72 million. Both companies lobbied on similar issues, including cybersecurity and intellectual property as well as on House (HR-699) and Senate (S-356) legislation focused on updating the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) (see 1604140010), which the technology industry strongly favors.

Facebook spent $2.78 million on lobbying spending in Q1, about 14 percent more than what it spent in the same period last year, while Oracle increased outlays for lobbying the federal government for Q1, spending $1.72 million. Both companies lobbied on similar issues, including cybersecurity and intellectual property as well as on House (HR-699) and Senate (S-356) legislation focused on updating the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) (see 1604140010), which the technology industry strongly favors.

Facebook spent $2.78 million on lobbying spending in Q1, about 14 percent more than what it spent in the same period last year, while Oracle increased outlays for lobbying the federal government for Q1, spending $1.72 million. Both companies lobbied on similar issues, including cybersecurity and intellectual property as well as on House (HR-699) and Senate (S-356) legislation focused on updating the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) (see 1604140010), which the technology industry strongly favors.

A Senate Republican appropriator questioned how the FCC handled its recent rate of return USF overhaul and is pressing for inquiries, he told NTCA members Tuesday. Scores of NTCA members flew to Washington this week for a meeting and to lobby congressional offices Tuesday.

A Senate Republican appropriator questioned how the FCC handled its recent rate of return USF overhaul and is pressing for inquiries, he told NTCA members Tuesday. Scores of NTCA members flew to Washington this week for a meeting and to lobby congressional offices Tuesday.

Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, raised concerns about coordination between the FCC and U.S. Department of Agriculture during a House Oversight Committee hearing last week on GAO’s 2016 duplication report. “The GAO report on tribal Internet access noted a lack of coordination between the FCC and USDA in their efforts to increase Internet access on tribal lands,” Hurd told witnesses, asking about the risk of duplication. “One of the challenges we saw there was they were not doing coordinated training,” replied GAO Managing Director-Physical Infrastructure Phillip Herr. He said the FCC had concurred with the report, which GAO issued last year. “We’ll be following up with them this year,” Herr said. “Hopefully, they’re taking some steps forward.” But he saw potential for problems. “Is this lack of coordination creating a risk” that FCC and USDA are “going to offer conflicting advice to folks seeking to increase the access on their lands?” Hurd asked Herr. Herr didn’t rule it out: “I think it’s possible, yes.”