Jimm Phillips

Congressional backers of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (HR-3413/S-1669) are eyeing alternate routes to have it pass this year amid continued obstacles that stymied the measure in both chambers in 2023. The legislation would require a Transportation Department mandate for inclusion of AM radio technology in future vehicles. Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, failed to get unanimous consent approval of S-1669 in December (see 2312060073) amid opposition from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. Senate Commerce advanced the measure in July (see 2307270063).

Congress is unlikely to follow up the 5G Spectrum Authority Licensing Enforcement Act (S-2787) with a near-term agreement on a broader spectrum legislative package, certainly not in time to factor into the upcoming debate over funding the federal government once an existing continuing resolution expires Feb. 2, lawmakers and lobbyists told us. President Joe Biden signed the 5G Sale Act last week (see 2312200061), giving the FCC temporary authority to issue 2.5 GHz band licenses that T-Mobile and others won in a 2022 auction. All sides view the measure as a stopgap, required after months of stalled talks on Capitol Hill for a broader legislative package that would renew the FCC’s lapsed general auction authority (see 2312040001).

Lead Republican lawmakers’ recent charge that the FCC was “deeply misleading” about the affordable connectivity program’s efficacy (see 2312150068) has solidified perceptions on and off Capitol Hill that it will be extremely difficult to reach a deal allocating additional money before the initiative's funding runs out next year, lobbyists and observers told us. Estimates peg ACP as likely to exhaust its initial $14.2 billion tranche from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act during the first half of 2024 (see 2309210060). The White House is pushing for Congress to appropriate an additional $6 billion to fully fund the program through the end of 2024 (see 2310250075).

Republican lawmakers are eyeing further action in opposition to FCC data breach notification rules (see 2312130019), but what form this will take is unclear, Capitol Hill aides and lobbyists told us. GOP leaders say the rules sidestep a 2017 Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval that rescinded similar regulations as part of the commission's 2016 ISP privacy order (see 1704030054). Republican FCC Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington raised the CRA in their dissents as the commission approved the rules last week 3-2.

House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, Communications Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta of Ohio and 14 other panel Republicans are charging NTIA with ignoring Congress’ intent in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act by allowing states to regulate broadband rates via rules for participation in the broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program. Rodgers and Latta were among GOP leaders who criticized the FCC Friday for giving Congress “deeply misleading” information about its implementation of IIJA’s affordable connectivity program (see Ref:2312150068]).

President Joe Biden signed off Tuesday on the 5G Spectrum Authority Licensing Enforcement Act (S-2787), as expected, the White House said. The measure, which the House passed last week, gives the FCC authority for 90 days to issue T-Mobile and other winning bidders the licenses they bought in the 2.5 GHz band auction last year. Lawmakers viewed the measure as a stopgap measure, required after months of stalled Capitol Hill talks on a broader legislative package that would renew the FCC’s lapsed general auction authority.

Four lead Republicans on the House and Senate Commerce committees and their Communications subpanels raised major concerns Friday with the FCC’s “deeply misleading” claims about the affordable connectivity program's efficacy. Some lobbyists think this is a problem given the Biden administration’s push for Congress to appropriate an additional $6 billion to fully fund the initiative through the end of 2024 (see 2310250075). Estimates peg ACP as likely to exhaust its initial $14.2 billion tranche from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act during the first half of 2024 (see 2309210060).

The FirstNet Authority verified that AT&T’s initial buildout of the public safety network’s infrastructure on its band 14 spectrum is “fully complete” and the authority has “a big year ahead of us” in 2024, Board Chair Richard Carrizzo said during the group’s quarterly meeting Wednesday. The FCC renewed FirstNet's license for the band in May for a term “not to exceed 10 years” from Nov. 15, 2022 (see 2305260057).

President Joe Biden is expected to sign the 5G Spectrum Authority Licensing Enforcement Act (S-2787), communications policy lobbyists told us. As expected, the House approved the bill by voice vote Monday night (see 2312110062). The measure, which the Senate passed in September, and its House Commerce Committee-cleared companion HR-5677 (see 2312050076) would give the FCC authority for 90 days to issue T-Mobile and other winning bidders the licenses they bought in the 2.5 GHz band auction last year. S-2787’s passage drew praise from some lawmakers and communications sector stakeholders, but they made clear it’s a stopgap measure, required after months of stalled Capitol Hill talks on a broader legislative package that would renew the FCC’s lapsed general auction authority. The White House didn't comment.

The House was expected to vote as soon as Monday night on the Senate-approved version of the 5G Spectrum Authority Licensing Enforcement Act (S-2787), as expected (see 2312060073), amid hopes of salvaging at least incremental progress after months of stalled Capitol Hill talks on a broader legislative package that would renew the FCC’s general auction authority. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr and former commission and State Department officials highlighted during a Center for Strategic and International Studies event the importance of Congress reauthorizing the spectrum auction mandate and reaching a consensus that will allow the U.S. to reclaim a top leadership role in wireless innovation.