The House Rules Committee will consider HR-4660, the...

The House Rules Committee will consider HR-4660, the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY2015 (http://1.usa.gov/1iT4f6q), Monday at 5 p.m. in H-313 the Capitol. It was cleared from appropriations committee earlier this year. That bill would provide $36.7 million for NTIA, below the $51 million the executive branch requested. The funding would not include money for NTIA’s plan to transition the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, which Republicans have slammed, the appropriations committee has said. A Thursday Appropriations Committee report confirmed its objections to the transition. “Any such transition represents a significant public policy change and should be preceded by an open and transparent process,” the report said (http://1.usa.gov/1oyaJzC). “In order for this issue to be considered more fully by the Congress, the recommendation for NTIA does not include any funds to carry out a transition of these functions.” The report also mentions that the appropriations bill includes up to $12 million devoted to closeout activities of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program. “The Committee directs NTIA to continue submitting quarterly reports on BTOP,” it added. “NTIA shall provide a report no later than 90 days after enactment of this Act regarding the status of the seven projects that were awarded to support deployment of 700 MHz public safety broadband networks and whether these projects are being deployed in coordination with FirstNet as established under Public Law 112-96.” There’s also $3 million for NTIA “to maintain its ability to provide technical assistance to communities across the country as they implement or expand broadband connectivity,” it said.