Theoretical analysis and actual testing make clear that the FCC can ease the spectral mask for wireless communications service (WCS) spectrum in the 2.3 GHz band without hurting satellite radio, the WCS Coalition told the FCC in a filing. The group accused Sirius of seeking rules that would kill wireless broadband in the band.
Retroactive immunity for phone companies is a priority that House Democrats blocked, Bush administration officials said Friday. Most House members left town Friday after Democratic leaders made clear they wouldn’t take up a Senate bill (S-2248) incorporating the immunity provision, a course pushed by Republicans and conservative Democrats. “We are already losing capability due to the failure to address liability protection,” Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell said in a Washington Post op-ed Friday, citing a Senate Intelligence Committee report. S-2248 would extend the current law, set to expire Saturday, but House Republicans fought off efforts to pass a similar bill (CD Feb14 p2). The White House said it would oppose any extension, a strategy aimed at forcing Democrats to yield on immunity, Hill sources said. Opinions differ on whether expiration imperils spy work. The current law, passed in August 2007, temporarily revised the underlying Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. That becomes the law of the land if no deal emerges before Saturday. Democratic leaders, who oppose retroactive immunity for carriers, say Republicans try to scare people by claiming that intelligence efforts are hurt until immunity is enacted. “Fortunately, this law’s expiration does not threaten the safety of Americans,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. “Existing surveillance orders are very broad and remain in effect for one year, and the 1978 FISA law itself remains in effect should new surveillance orders for some reason be necessary.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., blamed Bush for the law’s expiration. “Having guaranteed the lapse of the August law, the President should now work in a cooperative way with Congress to pass a strong FISA modernization bill,” she said.
Retroactive immunity for telcos is a priority that House Democrats blocked, Bush administration officials said Friday. Most House members left town Friday after Democratic leaders made clear they wouldn’t take up a Senate bill (S-2248) incorporating the immunity provision, a course pushed by Republicans and conservative Democrats. “We are already losing capability due to the failure to address liability protection,” Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell said in a Washington Post op-ed Friday, citing a Senate Intelligence Committee report. S-2248 would extend the current law, set to expire Saturday, but House Republicans fought off efforts to pass a similar bill (WID Feb 14 p9). The White House said it would oppose any extension, a strategy aimed at forcing Democrats to yield on immunity, Hill sources said. Opinions differ on whether expiration imperils spy work. The current law, passed in August 2007, temporarily revised the underlying Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. That becomes the law of the land if no deal emerges before Saturday. Democratic leaders, who oppose retroactive immunity for carriers, say Republicans try to scare people by claiming that intelligence efforts are hurt until immunity is enacted. “Fortunately, this law’s expiration does not threaten the safety of Americans,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. “Existing surveillance orders are very broad and remain in effect for one year, and the 1978 FISA law itself remains in effect should new surveillance orders for some reason be necessary.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., blamed Bush for the law’s expiration. “Having guaranteed the lapse of the August law, the President should now work in a cooperative way with Congress to pass a strong FISA modernization bill,” she said.
Net neutrality proponents praised a bill (HR-5353) introduced late Tuesday by House Telecom Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey, D-Mass., that orders an FCC study of broadband access (CD Feb 13 p2). “The bill contains no requirements for regulations on the Internet,” Markey said, but it suggests that principles that have “guided the Internet’s development and expansion are highly worthy of retention.” Markey announced the bill’s introduction Wednesday at a hearing on the digital transition.
Net neutrality proponents praised a bill (HR-5353) introduced late Tuesday by House Telecom Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey, D-Mass., that orders an FCC study of broadband access (WID Feb 13 p3). “The bill contains no requirements for regulations on the Internet,” Markey said, but it suggests that principles that have “guided the Internet’s development and expansion are highly worthy of retention.” Markey announced the bill’s introduction Wednesday at a hearing on the digital transition.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted its agenda for the 2008 Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism Supply Chain Security Training Seminar for C-TPAT members that will be held February 26th through February 29th in New Orleans, Louisiana.
On February 4, 2008, President Bush transmitted to Congress his fiscal year 2009 budget request which includes $50.5 billion for the Department of Homeland Security, some of which is for U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Transportaion Security Administration.
New Motorola technology lets Sprint Nextel push-to-talk users talk directly to a first responder who uses a Project 25 land mobile radio, Sprint Nextel said Tuesday. The Motobridge gateway creates interoperability for disparate networks using different bands, system types or vendors, Sprint said. It can be scaled to support “numerous agencies, users and dispatch locations” and supports group calls, emergency alerts and other Nextel features, the carrier said.
The Florida Public Service Commission stripped competitive landline reseller Vilaire Communications of its state operating authority, saying it filed false claims for universal service subsidies. Vilaire was an AT&T reseller specializing in service to low-income customers who qualified for Lifeline and Link Up service. The PSC said it acted because routine audits discovered the Washington-based company"falsely obtained” $1.3 million in federal Lifeline and Link Up subsidies since August 2006 through double- dipping in the federal universal service fund, and was charging customers an E-911 fee 50 percent higher than state law allowed. The PSC said Vilaire would receive resale universal service credit from AT&T for each Lifeline and Link Up customer. The PSC said Vilaire then submitted claims directly to the federal USF for those same customers, in effect getting paid twice for each customer. The PSC said Vilaire also filed subsidy claims for access lines that didn’t exist, and charged a 75 cent E-911 fee when state law caps such fees at 50 cents. The PSC assigned Vilaire’s customers to AT&T until they choose another local provider and said it would refer its universal service findings to federal authorities.
Leases for 327 Movie Gallery and Hollywood Entertainment stores will go to auction March 7, said Keen Consultants, which will handle the sale, if a bankruptcy judge approves it. Movie Gallery, which operates more than 3,000 stores, filed for bankruptcy in October. March 4 is the bid deadline for leases in 44 states, Keen said. The stores vary from an 11,720-square-foot location in Sacramento, Calif., with a lease that runs to 2010, to a 2,173-square-foot outlet in Richmond, Va., according to a listing of the available stores on Keen’s Web site. Thirty- two leases are in Florida, 28 in Texas. There are single stores in Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska and North Dakota. Some leases expire this year, but others run to 2016. Movie Gallery has moved to close more than 400 stores since filing for bankruptcy. The chain also announced plans to shut 520 outlets in late September. Six plots of land in Dothan, Ala., where Movie Gallery is based, are being sold, too.