House Commerce Committee leaders are pressing AT&T, Lumen and Verizon for answers on Chinese government-affiliated hackers’ breach of their networks. Reports indicate the breach focused on intelligence collection and may have accessed U.S. government wiretapping requests. “These types of breaches are increasing in frequency and severity, and there is a growing concern regarding the cybersecurity vulnerabilities embedded in U.S. telecommunications networks,” said House Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash.; ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J.; and Communications Subcommittee leaders in letters to Lumen CEO Kate Johnson, AT&T CEO John Stankey and Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg released Friday. House Commerce “needs to understand better how this incident occurred and what steps your company is taking to prevent future service disruptions and secure your customers’ data.” The panel leaders want the CEOs to provide a briefing by Oct. 18 covering when they detected the breach, how they addressed network vulnerabilities and details on information the hackers may have accessed. “In an age where Americans rely heavily on your services for communication and connectivity, the integrity of your networks is paramount,” the lawmakers said: “It is vital that cybersecurity protocols are enhanced to better protect American’s data against increasingly sophisticated attacks especially from our foreign adversaries.” AT&T, Lumen and Verizon didn’t comment.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., urged the FCC Wednesday night to close its Further NPRM eyeing dynamic sharing in the 12.2-12.7 GHz band and “adopt final rules authorizing high-powered two-way fixed broadband service” on the frequency. “The FCC updating its rules to authorize” fixed broadband service on the lower 12 GHz band “will allow for more continuous spectrum, especially in tribal and rural communities,” said Cole, whose congressional district includes a significant tribal population, in a letter to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “Ensuring that tribal communities are connected is a key priority for me. This expanded broadband service will help close the longstanding digital divide for underserved and hard to reach areas and foster economic development.” Incompas CEO Chip Pickering praised Cole for backing fixed wireless use of the lower 12 GHz band. “Our nation is at a pivotal moment in its work to connect every community, and [Cole] sees a clear opportunity to use this mid-band spectrum to bridge the digital divide, including in tribal areas in Oklahoma,” Pickering said: “We encourage the FCC to build on this momentum and act soon so we can continue delivering on the promise of Internet for all.” Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Commerce committees, urged the FCC in July to adopt dynamic sharing on the lower 12 GHz band if it finds that use won’t cause harmful interference for incumbent users (see 2407160066). SpaceX is urging the FCC against dynamic sharing, while EchoStar supports it (see 2409050040).

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is taking aim again at the FCC and FTC with less than a month left before the Nov. 5 presidential election. Comer said Tuesday he’s expanding his probe of FTC actions under Chair Lina Khan (see 2306010053) to examine her attendance at upcoming policy events as a way to campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrats’ presidential nominee, and congressional candidates. House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and GOP former FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly have criticized Khan’s pro-Harris activities in recent days (see 2410020046).

House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington and 40 other Republicans pressed FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel Monday about why the commission approved radio broadcaster Audacy’s request for a temporary waiver of foreign-ownership requirements to complete a bankruptcy restructuring that includes George Soros-affiliated entities purchasing its stock. The FCC voted 3-2 to approve the waiver, with both Republican commissioners claiming the agency deviated from normal procedure (see 2409300046). “It is highly concerning," Rodgers and other GOP lawmakers said in a letter to Rosenworcel, "that the FCC did not follow regular order for a transaction of this magnitude.” The timing of the FCC’s approval “just before a Presidential election … seems suspect” given Soros is a “Democrat mega-donor.” Licensees  “and investors need certainty that the FCC will follow its rules and procedures when approving transactions so that the broadcast industry can have the resources it needs to continue serving the public,” the Republican lawmakers said. They seek a briefing by Oct. 18 “to understand the FCC’s process for granting waivers of the foreign ownership rule, and the decision to grant Audacy’s request, in particular.” The lawmakers in part want to know why the FCC voted on the Audacy waiver at the full commission level. Rosenworcel has said the full vote was taken because of pressure from Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz, R-Texas (see 2408150047). An FCC spokesperson referred us to Rosenworcel’s statement on the Audacy decision, in which she said claims that the broadcaster received special treatment are “cynical and wrong.” House Oversight Committee Republicans launched a probe of the Audacy matter in late September (see 2409270053).

Congressional Democratic leaders remain intent on attaching funding to restore the FCC’s lapsed affordable connectivity program to a year-end legislative package (see 2409170066). Some lawmakers acknowledge the push faces long odds in what’s likely to be a fraught lame-duck session. Some ACP boosters believe Capitol Hill’s lame-duck dynamics could change depending on the outcome of the Nov. 5 election. GOP lawmakers aren’t enthusiastic about attaching ACP money to a legislative vehicle this year, in part citing their longstanding demand for a major overhaul of the program in conjunction with additional funding.

Government officials should disclose their schedules except in limited circumstances when doing so might compromise their safety, former FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly said Thursday, responding to criticism of FTC Chair Lina Khan. “Why aren't public officials' schedules made publicly available?” he said. “I asked and advocated long ago that they be, especially travel. Except in limited instances of security, make officials post them to the Internet!” FTC spokesman Douglas Farrar on Wednesday defended Khan’s upcoming appearances with Democratic lawmakers. She regularly attends “official events at the request of Members of Congress” and abides by the rules governing her role as chair, he said. House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., on Wednesday claimed Khan is improperly campaigning on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris (see 2410020046). Farrar noted Khan in 2024 attended “at least a dozen official events where Members of Congress invited her to listen to their constituents, because every community has a stake in fair competition.” Khan “speaks often about the importance of hearing from Americans across the country, because that’s how to best understand the way markets actually work,” he said.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and 11 other Republican states’ attorneys general urged congressional leadership Thursday to “prioritize” the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (HR-8449) before year’s end given that “many of our States continue to suffer devastating effects from Hurricane Helene” (see 2410030051). The measure would mandate that automakers include receiver technology in future electric automobiles. House Commerce approved HR-8449 in September (see 2409180047), while the Senate Commerce Committee cleared a different version (S-1669) last year. “Each of our States experience natural disasters and other public safety emergencies” and “AM radio is the constant support network that provides life-saving information to our citizens,” the AGs said in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and their minority leaders. “AM radio signals travel greater distances as compared to FM, and citizens can receive information via AM radio even when phone lines, electricity, and cell phones are inoperable. In fact, during Hurricane Helene, local radio became a ‘lifeline for hard-hit North Carolina communities’ after ‘communications across the region [were] severed.’” Moody announced the legislative push during a Thursday news conference that included HR-8449 lead sponsor House Innovation Subcommittee Chairman Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla.

It’s “unacceptable” for FTC Chair Lina Khan to appear at upcoming policy events and use her position to “campaign” for Vice President Kamala Harris, House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., said Wednesday. The lawmaker cited a report about Khan’s upcoming appearance with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, at a policy event focused on “corporate power.” Khan is also reportedly set to appear at three other events with Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill.; Mark Pocan, D-Wis.; and Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., in their respective states. Gallego is running for a Senate seat. Civil-service employees at federal agencies are prohibited from participating in political activity under the Hatch Act. Rodgers said Khan should “release her upcoming public schedule immediately. Using her position—at an independent agency—to campaign for @VP is unacceptable and furthers my serious concerns that the @FTC is heading in the wrong direction & losing independence.” The agency declined comment. Khan’s three-year term as chair expired on Sept. 25. Khan can remain in her position until she steps down or is replaced.

DOJ said current laws are sufficient to prosecute child sexual abuse material (CSAM) crimes, including AI-generated deep fakes, a federal prosecutor said Wednesday.

U.S. ISPs face a bigger cybersecurity threat today because nations representing that threat work together like never before, Wilkinson Barker’s Clete Johnson said Wednesday. Other experts said cybersecurity plans are rightly a requirement of receiving funding under the $42.5 billion broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program.