Jimm Phillips

The office of Republican FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to become chairman, said Thursday night he doesn’t oppose Senate Commerce Committee GOP Telecom Policy Director Arielle Roth as a potential nominee to fill the commission seat Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel will vacate Jan. 20. Carr Chief of Staff Greg Watson pushed back against reports framing Carr as opposing a Roth nomination, a position that would put him in conflict with Senate Commerce Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas. Cruz is strongly backing Roth behind the scenes, leading some to see her as the front-runner for Rosenworcel's seat, communications sector lobbyists told us (see 2412110046).

Lawmakers and officials expect that long-standing DOD objections to repurposing the 3.1-3.45 GHz band and other military-controlled frequencies will remain a flashpoint in negotiations during the new Congress as GOP leaders eye using an upcoming budget reconciliation package to move on spectrum legislation. Observers eyed potential friction from Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., if she succeeds in her bid to become Senate Communications Subcommittee chair (see 2412180052) given her well-known disagreement with new Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on DOD spectrum issues.

Two top Republican lawmakers who will have leading roles during the next Congress told us this month they're open to clawing back the $42.5 billion allocated to the BEAD program amid their party’s vocal opposition to NTIA's implementation of it during the Biden administration. Some stakeholders told us funding rescission would be difficult to execute. They insist congressional Republicans and President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration will see a revamp of BEAD’s rules and practices as much more feasible (see 2410210043).

Incoming House Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., said Friday he selected Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., as Communications Subcommittee chairman for the next Congress, as expected (see 2412170053). Rep. Rick Allen, R-Ga., will be the subcommittee’s vice chairman, Guthrie said. Hudson was a House Communications member during the last Congress but moved off in 2023. He is a Next-Generation 911 Caucus co-chair and last year championed allocating $14.8 billion in future FCC auction proceeds to pay for NG-911 tech upgrades (see 2305240069) as part of House Commerce’s Spectrum Auction Reauthorization Act (HR-3565). Hudson's “expertise will help propel our country into the next generation economy,” Guthrie said. Hudson “will close the digital divide for rural America, affirm U.S. leadership in next generation telecommunication networks, and protect our critical communications infrastructure from adversarial attacks.” Hudson said he plans to work with Guthrie, President-elect Donald Trump and other House Commerce members “to advance strong, commonsense policies that promote innovation, streamline federal regulations, and bridge the digital divide.” He will replace current Communications Chairman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, who was term-limited from seeking the gavel again and will instead lead the Energy Subcommittee. Guthrie said House Innovation Subcommittee Chairman Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., will continue leading what will be renamed next Congress the Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee. Several communications industry groups released brief statements congratulating Hudson on his selection as the Communications chairman. Hudson and Allen “understand the importance of ubiquitous connectivity, especially in service of rural, un-served and under-resourced communities; and the need for balanced spectrum and light touch regulatory policies which boost broad-based innovation while also being small-business friendly,” said Wireless ISP Association Vice President-Government Affairs Matt Mandel. USTelecom CEO Jonathan Spalter said the broadband industry is “excited to work with [Hudson], his team and his subcommittee to turbocharge the next phase of American connectivity, innovation and technology leadership.” NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield said the group “and its members, including those who live in and serve communities in Rep. Hudson’s district, look forward to working with him to ensure that rural Americans have access to high-quality, affordable and sustainable broadband networks.”

The House voted 366-34 Friday evening to pass a revised version of the American Relief Act (HR-10545), likely averting a government shutdown that was otherwise set to occur at midnight. The Senate was viewed as likely to pass the measure later Friday, and the White House said President Joe Biden would sign it. The House had voted 174-235 Thursday night against the previous HR-10515, which combined a stripped-down CR and two-year debt ceiling suspension (see 2412190070), receiving President-elect Donald Trump’s endorsement. HR. The approved measure jettisons the debt-ceiling suspension but preserves a farm bill extension through Sept. 30, 2025, and disaster relief funding. Trump had demanded immediate debt ceiling action, along with his criticism of congressional leaders’ initial, more expansive CR proposal earlier last week (see 2412170081).

Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., confirmed to us Wednesday she has changed her mind and now wants Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to pick her as Communications Subcommittee chair when he takes over the panel in January. Fischer previously said she wasn’t interested in taking over as lead Communications Republican from current ranking member John Thune, R-S.D. (see 2402290057), who will become Senate majority leader in January. Fischer didn’t explain why she now wants to lead the subcommittee but indicated “we’re working it out” now with Cruz. “Obviously, I’m the senior” Republican on Senate Commerce after Cruz, Thune and Armed Services Committee ranking member Roger Wicker of Mississippi and therefore would traditionally get the Communications gavel because “I’ve asked to have it,” Fischer said. “That’s how it works.” Fischer is senior to Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., whose presence as a fill-in for Thune during a Senate Communications hearing last week provoked discussion conversation about whether he was in line for the subpanel gavel (see 2412170053). A Fischer elevation to Senate Communications chair could put her in conflict with Cruz on some spectrum legislative issues. Fischer, who's also a senior Armed Services member, opposes using a spectrum package to mandate an FCC sale of any portion of the DOD-controlled 3.1-3.45 GHz band (see 2403210063). Cruz favors a lower 3 GHz sale.

Backers of the revised AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (HR-8449) signaled Wednesday they want to move swiftly on the proposal next year after congressional leaders didn't reach a deal to include it in a continuing resolution that extends federal appropriations through March 14. The CR released Tuesday night includes language from the NTIA Reauthorization Act (HR-4510) and several other telecom and tech bills. Meanwhile, the Senate voted 85-15 Wednesday to pass the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (HR-5009) with language that would authorize the AWS-3 reauction to offset $3.08 billion in funding for the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program (see 2412070001).

The Senate voted 85-15 Wednesday to pass the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (HR-5009) with language that would authorize the AWS-3 reauction to offset $3.08 billion in funding for the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program. The measure now goes to President Joe Biden, who's expected to sign it.

Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., clarified that he hasn’t yet been selected as Senate Communications Subcommittee chairman for the next Congress despite filling in during a subpanel hearing last week (see 2412110067) for current ranking member John Thune, R-S.D. Current Communications Chairman Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico is hopeful but not certain that he will remain the subpanel’s lead Democrat next year. Rep. Brett Guthrie of Kentucky, who will be House Commerce Committee chairman in the next Congress, said he’s adding 10 current and incoming Republican lawmakers to the panel.

A continuing resolution to extend federal appropriations through March 14 released Tuesday night includes language from the NTIA Reauthorization Act (HR-4510), Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks Act (HR-8989/S-4569) and several other telecom bills. The CR meanwhile omits the revised AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (HR-8449) despite its backers’ push to pass the measure before year’s end.