The House voted 220-211 Wednesday to approve Senate-passed changes to the American Rescue Plan Act COVID-19 budget reconciliation package (HR-1319), paving the way for emergency E-rate remote learning money. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill Friday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters. It includes $7.17 billion for E-rate, $10 billion for state-level broadband and other infrastructure projects, and $175 million for CPB (see 2103080057). Deputy commerce secretary nominee Don Graves, meanwhile, cited his interest in increasing rural broadband deployments during a Senate Commerce Committee confirmation hearing.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, introduced legislation Thursday meant to protect state rights for restricting drone activity. The Drone Integration and Zoning Act would protect states’ authority to issue “time, place, and manner restrictions, while not unreasonably prohibiting access to the federal ‘navigable airspace,’” Lee announced. It would allow “the local zoning authority of state, local, or tribal governments to designate commercial drone take-off and landing zones, while still allowing for interstate commerce,” he said. FAA can’t “feasibly or efficiently oversee millions of drones in every locality throughout the country,” Lee said. The agency’s current “legal position” to regulate “every cubic inch of air in the United States ... is both unsustainable and unlawful.”
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, introduced legislation Thursday meant to protect state rights for restricting drone activity. The Drone Integration and Zoning Act would protect states’ authority to issue “time, place, and manner restrictions, while not unreasonably prohibiting access to the federal ‘navigable airspace,’” Lee announced. It would allow “the local zoning authority of state, local, or tribal governments to designate commercial drone take-off and landing zones, while still allowing for interstate commerce,” he said. FAA can’t “feasibly or efficiently oversee millions of drones in every locality throughout the country,” Lee said. The agency’s current “legal position” to regulate “every cubic inch of air in the United States ... is both unsustainable and unlawful.”
Senators began sparring Wednesday over the American Rescue Plan Act COVID-19 budget reconciliation package (HR-1319), including whether to increase or retain proposed broadband funding. Formal debate on HR-1319 was expected to have begun after a vote to proceed on the measure that may happen Thursday. Lawmakers and communications officials are, meanwhile, looking at whether coming infrastructure legislation should include further funding for E-rate. The House passed HR-1319 last week with $7.6 billion for E-rate remote learning use (see 2103010050).
Senators began sparring Wednesday over the American Rescue Plan Act COVID-19 budget reconciliation package (HR-1319), including whether to increase or retain proposed broadband funding. Formal debate on HR-1319 was expected to have begun after a vote to proceed on the measure that may happen Thursday. Lawmakers and communications officials are, meanwhile, looking at whether coming infrastructure legislation should include further funding for E-rate. The House passed HR-1319 last week with $7.6 billion for E-rate remote learning use (see 2103010050).
The FCC Wireless Bureau approved waivers sought by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians for tribal licenses to use the 2.5 GHz band. The three parcels of land are held in trust by the tribe and don’t qualify under the tribal window for a license, absent a waiver, the bureau said Monday. The tribe demonstrated the parcels are “either held for the specific benefit of the Tribe or are directly owned by the Tribe,” the bureau said: “The Tribe’s authority over the lands is adequately demonstrated by the fact that the Santa Ynez have built Tribal housing and other Tribal facilities in these areas.”
Newly named Democratic chairmen of the Senate Communications Subcommittee and Appropriations Financial Services Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over the FCC budget, set their sights on influencing the broadband-focused legislation expected to be an early priority for President Joe Biden’s administration (see 2101150001). Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., chairs the Senate Commerce Committee's Communications Subcommittee (see 2102190056). Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., leads the Appropriations Committee's Financial Services Subcommittee, which oversees the FCC and FTC budgets (see 2102120067).
Agencies offered to assist with the FCC's $3.2 billion emergency broadband benefit program, said a letter posted Thursday. Each agency emphasized "interest in being of service to this important effort to aid Americans who have found themselves on the wrong side of the digital divide" during the pandemic, the letter said. Terms like "connected device," "standard rate" and "tablet" need to be defined, said NTIA. The Education Department proposed temporarily making the FCC a "designated entity" to award "aid" through the program so Pell Grant recipients can be notified they may be eligible. Expand the definition of "tribal lands" so households near Indian reservations are eligible, said the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Allow public housing authorities to participate in the program because many sign bulk purchase agreements with ISPs, Department of Housing and Urban Development officials said. The National Economic Council and Health Resources and Services Administration also participated in a discussion with front office officials of the Wireline Bureau and Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau.
The FCC Wireless Bureau granted 21 more licenses in the 2.5 GHz band to tribal communities, mostly in Alaska, it said Wednesday. That brings to 205 the number granted so far. “Tribal communities should have the same access to the opportunities of the digital age as other Americans,” said acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “Tribal communities in New Mexico and Arizona are already using this part of our wireless spectrum to provide the only reliable high-speed wireless signal available in their communities.”
Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel circulated proposed rules for the $3.2 billion emergency broadband benefit program, she said Monday. EBB is “open to all types of broadband providers, not only those designated as eligible telecommunications carriers," emailed a spokesperson. Whether non-ETCs were allowed was a major point of interest, including in recent comments and replies (see 2102170028). One area generating heat now is that the draft doesn’t include a subsidy for smartphones.