Some lawmakers and advocates believe Capitol Hill’s inability to agree on an additional COVID-19 aid bill that includes broadband funding presents an opening for the issue to become a focus during the presidential and congressional campaigns this fall, they told us. Congress provided some related funding in March via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (see 2003250046).

House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa., urged the FCC to extend the priority window for tribes to apply for 2.5 GHz licenses by another 150 days. The commission agreed in July to extend the tribal window until Sept. 2, drawing criticism from Democratic Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks (see 2007310027). Tribal groups sought a six-month extension of the window beyond the earlier Aug. 3 deadline. “We are concerned that the FCC’s failure to provide” an “adequate” extension “means fewer tribes will be connected to lifesaving internet service,” Pallone and Doyle said in a Wednesday letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. “Tribes have been hit particularly hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, and high-speed internet service helps governments better succeed when it comes to public health interventions. The Rural Tribal Priority Window is one important remedy to the digital divide for Indian Country, but without more time, it will not succeed.” The FCC didn’t comment.

The FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Pilot Program, which ends in October, has been a success and led to “some of the most advanced drone operations in the world,” Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said Wednesday during a virtual conference sponsored by the agency and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. An FAA official downplayed the need for more spectrum for drones, which is being examined by the FCC.

The FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Pilot Program, which ends in October, has been a success and led to “some of the most advanced drone operations in the world,” Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said Wednesday during a virtual conference sponsored by the agency and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. An FAA official downplayed the need for more spectrum for drones, which is being examined by the FCC.

The FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Pilot Program, which ends in October, has been a success and led to “some of the most advanced drone operations in the world,” Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said Wednesday during a virtual conference sponsored by the agency and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. An FAA official downplayed the need for more spectrum for drones, which is being examined by the FCC.

The FCC Wireline Bureau again extended waivers of Lifeline recertification, reverification, general de-enrollment, documentation and usage requirements for rural areas on tribal lands because of COVID-19, this time until Nov. 30, said an order in docket 11-42 Monday. After the previous extension, waivers were to expire Aug. 31 (see 2006010027). “We will continue to monitor the situation to determine whether any additional extension of these waivers is appropriate,” the new order said.

The FCC Wireline Bureau again extended waivers of Lifeline recertification, reverification, general de-enrollment, documentation and usage requirements for rural areas on tribal lands because of COVID-19, this time until Nov. 30, said an order in docket 11-42 Monday. After the previous extension, waivers were to expire Aug. 31 (see 2006010027). “We will continue to monitor the situation to determine whether any additional extension of these waivers is appropriate,” the new order said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will continue export restrictions on an amended list of personal protective equipment through Dec. 31, the agency said in a notice released Aug. 6. The restrictions, which were scheduled to expire this month, now cover four categories of items, including certain respirators, masks, gloves and surgical gowns -- a decrease from the six categories FEMA has restricted since April. The changes take effect Aug. 10.

The Tanana Chiefs Conference of Fairbanks, Alaska, urged the FCC Tuesday to take “expedited action" to review a Universal Service Administrative Co. decision denying its request to file three FCC Form 466 USF Rural Health Care Program funding applications outside the FY 2016 filing window. TCC cited President Donald Trump’s Monday executive order, which made permanent for rural communities an expansion of Medicare recipients’ eligibility to receive 135 types of services via telehealth (see 2008040068). The White House “tasked” the FCC “to work with other government agencies to ‘develop and implement a strategy to improve rural health by improving the physical and communications healthcare infrastructure available to rural Americans,’” TCC counsel Ronald Quirk said in a filing in docket 02-60. “Granting TCC’s Waiver Request comports with” the EO since “failure to grant … would result in the communities served by TCC suffering serious hardships if funding for the subject health clinics is denied.”

The Tanana Chiefs Conference of Fairbanks, Alaska, urged the FCC Tuesday to take “expedited action" to review a Universal Service Administrative Co. decision denying its request to file three FCC Form 466 USF Rural Health Care Program funding applications outside the FY 2016 filing window. TCC cited President Donald Trump’s Monday executive order, which made permanent for rural communities an expansion of Medicare recipients’ eligibility to receive 135 types of services via telehealth (see 2008040068). The White House “tasked” the FCC “to work with other government agencies to ‘develop and implement a strategy to improve rural health by improving the physical and communications healthcare infrastructure available to rural Americans,’” TCC counsel Ronald Quirk said in a filing in docket 02-60. “Granting TCC’s Waiver Request comports with” the EO since “failure to grant … would result in the communities served by TCC suffering serious hardships if funding for the subject health clinics is denied.”