“Good cause exists” for the Court of International Trade to grant Section 301 sample-case plaintiffs HMTX Industries and Jasco Products leave to reply to DOJ’s opposition to the preliminary injunction plaintiffs seek to freeze liquidation of unliquidated customs entries from China with lists 3 and 4A tariff exposure, said Akin Gump’s motion filed late May 20 in docket 1:21-cv-52.

Citing the impact of COVID-19 on incarcerated people and their families, FCC commissioners unanimously approved an order and Further NPRM Thursday to cut interstate rates for inmate calling services (see 2105120031). It’s “not the last action we will take because there is more that needs to be done,” said acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel during Thursday’s meeting.

Texas legislators' attempt to stabilize state USF is nearing the finish. The Senate Rural Affairs Committee voted 8-0 Tuesday for HB-2667 to expand the TUSF contribution base to include VoIP providers, while redefining high-cost areas. RLECs had sued the Public Utility Commission for not acting to prevent insolvency (see 2103290060).

The FCC should investigate the availability of alternative UHF channels for KTUL Licensee's KTUL Tulsa’s proposal to switch channels from 10 to 14, said the Land Mobile Communications Council Thursday. The group raised similar objections in an ex parte filing in docket 21-9 last month. “Contrary to KTUL’s proposed interference mitigation solutions, LMCC stated that land mobile receiver filtering was not a practical solution given the number of fixed and mobile devices that would be involved,” it said now. If the FCC grants KTUL’s request, the station “should be required to address the land mobile interference concerns through on-air testing and should not be granted programming authority until the land mobile interference concerns are fully resolved,” the group said.

The 5-0 November order splitting the 5.9 GHz band between Wi-Fi and auto safety (see 2011180043) will be “the first real test” for the current FCC, Commissioner Brendan Carr said during an Internet Innovation Alliance webinar Thursday. Carr noted concerns raised by the auto industry and some congressional Democrats (see 2104270090). “Do we stick with the hard decision, the right decision, only hard in the sense that there was political pressure, … or are we going to cave to political pressure” on 5.9, he asked. Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel stresses her focus on working with other federal agencies on spectrum, Carr said, saying cooperation isn’t enough: “At the end of the day, those of us in leadership at the FCC are called upon to make hard decisions and stick by them.” The FCC didn't comment. Carr said he’s standing his ground on the 3-2 order making broad changes to how the 4.9 GHz band is regulated, giving control to the states. Rosenworcel recently sought a stay (see 2105030062). Carr hasn’t made decisions on 5G in the 12 GHz band, saying he's watching engineering studies. “If we can get a win-win and do all of it, then obviously that’s what we should do,” he said. Carr said the FCC needs to provide more clarity on broadband maps, after Rosenworcel said in March the first would be available this summer (see 2103220050). “We’ve got to clean that up and provide some clarity as to when we’re going to land the mapping process,” he said. The FCC has about $40 billion “sitting in the pipeline” for broadband deployment, he said. “Let’s get that $40 billion out the door,” he said: “Mapping is going to be a big piece.” Carr is a “little worried” about the current pace on making more spectrum available. The U.S. was in danger of falling behind in the race to lead the world on 5G during the last years of the Barack Obama administration, Carr said. That changed under Donald Trump, he said. “We were first to commercial 5G and have the strongest 5G network in the world,” he said. Carr said he hopes that FCC won’t backtrack on the changes to wireless infrastructure rules made under then-Chairman Ajit Pai. The current 2-2 FCC won’t “reverse those wins,” he said. “We’ve made it easier to build and connect people over the four last years,” he said: “I really don’t know why we would make it more expensive and harder.” Short of being in the majority, being at a split commission is “second best,” he joked. “We’ll see what it’s like when I make my eventual move fully into the minority.” There are still lots of discussions between commissioners on various issues, he said.

The chair of the fisheries subsidies negotiations at the World Trade Organization said delegations are feeling urgency around these talks, and they should capitalize on that to get a deal done before mid-July. Ambassador Santiago Wills of Colombia, chair of the WTO fisheries subsidies negotiations, released a new document text on May 11 to guide members to a solution on the subsidies dispute ahead of the July 15 ministerial meeting. The text outlines the types of illegal fishing and subsidies that a negotiated agreement would outlaw to prevent overcapacity and overfishing. Beginning May 24, WTO members will have the opportunity to identify other issues on which agreement will be most difficult to obtain, according to a press release from the WTO. Wills said, “This leaves us just two months to finish. The shared sense of urgency is palpable, and we need to harness that sense to finally agree to the compromise landing zones that will represent the ambitious and balanced outcome that ministers in Buenos Aires mandated us to find, to make a substantial and tangible contribution to the health of our shared oceans.”

The chair of the fisheries subsidies negotiations at the World Trade Organization said delegations are feeling urgency around these talks, and they should capitalize on that to get a deal done before mid-July. Ambassador Santiago Wills of Colombia, chair of the WTO fisheries subsidies negotiations, released a new document text on May 11 to guide members to a solution on the subsidies dispute ahead of the July 15 ministerial meeting. The text outlines the types of illegal fishing and subsidies that a negotiated agreement would outlaw to prevent overcapacity and overfishing. Beginning May 24, WTO members will have the opportunity to identify other issues on which agreement will be most difficult to obtain, according to a press release from the WTO. Wills said, “This leaves us just two months to finish. The shared sense of urgency is palpable, and we need to harness that sense to finally agree to the compromise landing zones that will represent the ambitious and balanced outcome that ministers in Buenos Aires mandated us to find, to make a substantial and tangible contribution to the health of our shared oceans.”

Energous’ WattUp PowerHub completed a regulatory review with a European body verifying the wireless charging transmitter complies with European technical requirements for radio equipment, said Energous Tuesday. It said the PowerHub complies with international RF requirements including RF safety (SAR) and has no receiver distance limitation, Energous said. The company believes it’s the first European approval for a wireless power transfer distance charger that transmits more than 1 watt, said Vice President-Regulatory Affairs Daniel Lawless. It establishes Energous’ ability to enable over-the-air wireless 2.0 power transfer beyond 15 feet, said Chief Operating Officer Cesar Johnston. The WattUp PowerHub comprises the DA14682 (Bluetooth low energy 5.0), DA4100 (wireless power transfer), EN3913M (efficient GaN power amplifier) and EN3921 (controller) transmitters alongside the DA2223 (RF-to-DC) and DA14585 (ultralow power Bluetooth low energy) receivers.

Energous’ WattUp PowerHub completed a regulatory review with a European body verifying the wireless charging transmitter complies with European technical requirements for radio equipment, said Energous Tuesday. It said the PowerHub complies with international RF requirements including RF safety (SAR) and has no receiver distance limitation, Energous said. The company believes it’s the first European approval for a wireless power transfer distance charger that transmits more than 1 watt, said Vice President-Regulatory Affairs Daniel Lawless. It establishes Energous’ ability to enable over-the-air wireless 2.0 power transfer beyond 15 feet, said Chief Operating Officer Cesar Johnston. The WattUp PowerHub comprises the DA14682 (Bluetooth low energy 5.0), DA4100 (wireless power transfer), EN3913M (efficient GaN power amplifier) and EN3921 (controller) transmitters alongside the DA2223 (RF-to-DC) and DA14585 (ultralow power Bluetooth low energy) receivers.

CBP will use $46 million "to enhance the security and efficiency of rail cargo inspections," the agency said in a news release. "Under the initiative, CBP will replace aging rail scanning systems at twelve rail ports of entry on the U.S. southern and northern land borders with high energy rail scanners," it said. "The new scanners use linear accelerators to generate X-rays from electricity rather than radioactive isotopes, producing high-quality images that support faster and more secure cargo inspections." The 12 locations "process approximately 60 percent of the rail cargo imported" into the U.S., it said.