Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, recommended Friday that states “that have more than adequate funding through” other federal programs to deploy connectivity in unserved areas “should return unused” funding from NTIA’s $42.5 billion broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program. Cruz warned in his report that NTIA has engaged in what he sees as “unnecessary, duplicative spending and anti-competitive, anti-consumer technology bias” in its BEAD implementation. Cruz has actively participated in the review Communications Subcommittee ranking member John Thune, R-S.D., has been conducting into the Biden administration’s handling of broadband money from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (see 2212060067).
House Communications Subcommittee members in both parties used a Wednesday hearing to hammer the current retransmission consent negotiations process, particularly the blackouts when those talks break down, but all sides made clear a legislative solution is likely to take longer than the current Congress to pass. There was strong GOP opposition, meanwhile, to the FCC potentially refreshing its long-dormant docket (14-261) on reclassifying streaming services as virtual MVPDs to fix a perceived disparity in retransmission consent rules, as expected (see 2309120059).
USF revamp matters are expected to come up in both a Wednesday House Communications Subcommittee hearing on the state of the U.S. video marketplace (see 2309070060) and a likely Sept. 21 subpanel discussion on rural broadband funding, communications sector lobbyists told us. NAB CEO Curtis LeGeyt and other officials set to testify at the Wednesday hearing focused their written statements largely on more video-centric issues, including staking a range of positions on a recent push for the FCC to refresh its long-dormant docket (14-261) on reclassifying streaming services as MVPDs to fix a perceived disparity in retransmission consent rules. The hearing will begin at 2 p.m. in 2322 Rayburn.
The Senate's 55-43 confirmation Thursday of Democrat Anna Gomez to the FCC (see 2309070052) will soon end the 2-2 partisan tie at the commission that has lasted more than two years into President Joe Biden's term. Agency watchers and former insiders expect a flurry of activity, with Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel issuing and launching long-bottled-up orders and proceedings once Gomez formally becomes a commissioner.
The Senate voted 55-43 Thursday to invoke cloture on FCC nominee Anna Gomez, clearing procedural hurdle that puts the commission on the precipice of shifting to a Democratic majority for the first time since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021. The commission has been in a 2-2 partisan tie throughout that period. Lobbyists expect the same or a near-identical result when the Senate votes on confirming Gomez. That vote is set to begin at 1:45 p.m. Eastern.
The Senate voted 55-43 Thursday to confirm Anna Gomez to the FCC, paving the way for the commission to soon shift to a Democratic majority for the first time since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021. The commission has been in a 2-2 partisan tie throughout that period. The chamber invoked cloture on Gomez by the same margin earlier in the afternoon.
Senate confirmation of Democratic FCC nominee Anna Gomez is likelier than not to stretch into next week, with the chamber on track to vote on invoking cloture on her Thursday, said Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and other officials in interviews. The Senate's Wednesday schedule didn't include a cloture vote on Gomez that some lobbyists previously thought possible (see 2309050084), though some suggested it could still happen that night.
There's a strong possibility Senate leaders will set a vote to invoke cloture on Democratic FCC nominee Anna Gomez for Wednesday, several communications policy lobbyists told us Tuesday. Those lobbyists and others cautioned that a cloture vote could still happen Thursday instead, an outcome that appeared the likeliest outcome last week. A Thursday cloture vote would mean a final confirmation vote on Gomez would not happen until next week, while holding it Wednesday cloture vote would set the Senate up to approve her earlier. The chamber was expected to vote Tuesday night on President Joe Biden’s nomination of Federal Reserve Board member Philip Jefferson to be the body’s vice chairman, one of a few high-profile administration nominees along with Gomez that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., filed cloture on before the August recess (see 2307280074).
Three telecom policy stakeholder groups urged Senate Communications Subcommittee leaders Friday to include stronger accountability rules in USF revamp legislation but diverged on some other goals. The entities were responding to a late July feedback request from Communications Chairman Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., ranking member John Thune, R-S.D., and other USF working group members for feedback on the path forward on legislation (see 2305110066). FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, meanwhile, is pushing back against criticisms from House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, of the agency's Learning Without Limits proposal to allow E-rate program money to pay for Wi-Fi on school buses and for hot spots (see 2307310063).
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission voted 5-0 Thursday to move forward on an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANOPR) on amending state USF rules. The PUC during a livestreamed meeting approved a bid by Chairman Gladys Brown Dutrieuille to seek comment on what she said are “broad questions about the challenges of supporting voice and internet networks and services” as part of the ANOPR. The PUC postponed considering the rulemaking proposal in early August (see 2308020057). Comments on the ANOPR in docket L-2023-3040646 are due 90 days after its publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, with replies due within 120 days.