The FCC Wireline Bureau extended through June 30 its waiver of Lifeline program document requirements for reverification, recertification, general de-enrollment, and income for subscribers in rural areas on tribal lands, said an order Friday in docket 11-42 (see 2203170030). The order noted this "will likely be the bureau's final extension of these waivers."

Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC) asked the FCC to ignore objections by Haystack Observatory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to its proposed use of 92-95.5 GHz spectrum for enhanced flight vision systems (EFVS) on aircraft. “EFVS with 95 GHz radar will provide great public benefits in assisting pilots with landing aircraft during degraded visual situations where aircraft otherwise may be unable to land,” SNC said in a filing posted Friday in docket 19-140. Haystack raised objections twice, most recently in a filing dated June 2019. “It has come to our attention that the proposed use of airborne radars at 92-95.5 GHz as laid out in the Docket is likely to cause harmful interference to radio astronomy observations at our facility,” the observatory said. “Haystack’s statement is highly overblown, and it would be draconian to deny authority for EFVS radar everywhere in the U.S. solely to protect one site,” SNC said.

The Interagency Steering Group on Native American Voting Rights said Thursday “more could be done” by the FCC and other policymakers to promote voting on Tribal lands. The FCC auctioned off spectrum licenses and USF support “to build out broadband capacity to millions of unserved locations, but could do more to integrate Tribal governments into the process, to ensure better communication and relationships between the auction winners and the Tribal communities they serve,” the report said. To the extent states deploy federal funding or funding of their own to promote broadband in Tribal areas “it would be advisable to similarly incorporate Tribal governments into the process of assessing needs and selection procedures, as well as bid evaluation and contract approval.” When the FCC issues spectrum licenses to Tribal governments it should offer “the technical and grantmaking assistance necessary for Tribal governments to capitalize effectively on the spectrum availability,” the report said. Information designed for viewing on desktop computers “may not be effective for eligible voters who are primarily online through smartphones, no matter how robust their connectivity or capacity,” it said: State and local officials should ensure “their election-related applications and information are also optimized (and translated) for mobile, in order to reach Native American voters where they are.”

Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with the top stories from last week in case you missed them. You can find any article by searching the title or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.

The Senate Commerce Committee passed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act by a voice vote March 22. The bill would shift the burden of proof on unreasonable detention and demurrage to carriers and forbid them from unreasonably declining export shipments. A recent panel at the Capitol revealed that before the COVID-19 pandemic-related supply chain crunch, 20% of containers went back to Asia empty, and now it's 80% (see 2203180050).

Liquid Avatar Technologies launched what it called the first payment card and loyalty program created specifically for the metaverse. The physical Lqid debit/prepaid card is tied to OptimizeFT’s Engage360 payment card and digital banking platform in the U.S., the company said Monday. Cardholders can earn cash back by shopping at Liquidshopz, while earning points when participating in its Aftermath Islands Metaverse activities, it said. Liquid Avatar believes combining familiar functionality with metaverse activity will lead to more widespread participation in metaverse experiences. Customers will be able to buy digital land, products and games in a way “that reflects our real-world behaviors, preferences and protocols,” the company said, saying its approach “lowers barriers to entry and will set Aftermath Islands apart from other metaverse experiences that only accept cryptocurrency.” On whether the company’s plans are to offer a transition path to cryptocurrency, a spokesperson said that's in “consideration mode.” In addition to Aftermath Islands, Liquid Avatar developed other associated themed islands, utilitarian nonfungible tokens, customizable 3D Meta Avatars as part of the Meta Hero Project, verifiable credential-backed digital identity tech, and a partnership with Game Credits for the Multiverse Collective, which allows interoperability between two or more metaverses.

The Senate Commerce Committee passed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act by a voice vote March 22. The bill would shift the burden of proof on unreasonable detention and demurrage to carriers and forbid them from unreasonably declining export shipments. A recent panel at the Capitol revealed that before the COVID-19 pandemic-related supply chain crunch, 20% of containers went back to Asia empty, and now it's 80% (see 2203180050).

The FCC Precision Ag Task Force met virtually Monday to hear updates from the FCC, NTIA and the Rural Utilities Service on some of the upcoming federal broadband programs funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The group also heard from the working group leaders about items they plan to address during this term.

Smith Bagley asked the FCC for a three-month extension of its Lifeline waivers, set to expire March 31, “as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to pose challenges for both consumers and providers.” The company and its service area “continue to face significant obstacles associated with being located on remote Tribal lands,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 11-42: The Tribal areas the company serves in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah “are sparsely populated with limited access to transportation, water, electricity, and Internet access. … These challenges make it extremely difficult to make timely contact with subscribers to request that necessary documents for reverification and recertification be brought to” a company store.

Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, have reintroduced a bill, the Securing America’s Ports of Entry Act, that would hire at least 600 additional CBP officers a year until airports, seaports and land ports of entry are fully staffed.