The March expiration of the FCC’s spectrum auction authority threatens U.S. competitiveness with China, Clete Johnson, Center for Strategic and International Studies senior fellow-strategic technologies, warned during a Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy webcast Wednesday. Johnson is the author of a new CSIS paper arguing for reallocating more federal airwaves for commercial use.

The House was set to begin considering the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act FAA reauthorization bill (HR-3935) Wednesday night without four proposed satellite and spectrum amendments that the Rules Committee decided not to allow floor votes on attaching to the measure. One from Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, was specifically aimed at preventing repeats of the public conflict in 2022 between wireless carriers rolling out commercial operations on the C band and the aviation industry over potential altimeter interference (see 2201180065). Carriers agreed earlier this year to extend protection for flight operations from some C-band deployments until Jan. 1 (see 2304030070).

AUSTIN -- New NARUC Telecom Committee Chair Tim Schram praised NTIA efforts making broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) allocations, in a Wednesday interview. Also, Schram and another Republican committee member, South Dakota Commissioner Chris Nelson, told us they’re glad the FCC may soon finally have all five seats filled.

Congress should pass federal right-to-repair legislation to supersede ill-equipped state laws that will soon become obsolete, advocates told House Judiciary Committee members Tuesday.

AUSTIN – State commissioners softened a draft resolution meant to discipline telecom providers still using network equipment that might pose a national security risk. At NARUC’s conference here Tuesday, the Telecom Committee unanimously supported a measure that would recommend lower scoring for grant applications by providers with equipment on the FCC’s covered list.

Library groups and E-rate participants welcomed a draft FCC order and Further NPRM that would modify program rules for tribal colleges and university libraries and seek additional updates for all participants. Commissioners will consider the item during their open meeting Thursday (see 2306290056). Some sought clarifying language in the draft FNPRM.

An FCC draft order on FM6 low-power TV stations is expected to change little from the draft version and to be unanimously approved Thursday, FCC and industry officials said. The stations -- sometimes called “Franken FMs”-- broadcast primarily audio content that can be picked up with FM radio receivers and “will get to stay on the air and continue serving the public,” said Wiley broadcast attorney Ari Melzer, who represents several FM6 broadcasters.

AUSTIN – NARUC's Telecom Committee supported permanent annual funding for the affordable connectivity program (ACP) in a nearly unanimous vote at the association’s conference Tuesday. Congress will fear ending ACP if enough people sign up, Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council CEO Robert Branson told state commissioners on a diversity panel Monday. Panelists said it’s important for digital equity efforts to keep the program that’s meant to help low-income communities afford broadband.

NTIA is fully engaged in the development of a national spectrum strategy (see 2301090035) and intends to release it this year, NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson told the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee Tuesday. “We’re deep into it,” he said, noting that NTIA is working closely with the White House and at the other federal agencies, including the FCC. “People are deeply engaged right now,” he said. The meeting was CSMAC's first to include an in-person option since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.

Senate leaders are facing continued pressure to use floor time to confirm a trio of FCC nominees, or at least new Democratic pick Anna Gomez, before Congress leaves on the month-plus August recess at the end of July amid apparent Republican holds that would prevent approving her via unanimous consent. A GOP-led proposal to hold back either Gomez or incumbent Democratic Commissioner Geoffrey Starks for pairing with two Republican FTC picks, meanwhile, continues to draw at best a tepid reception from supporters of ending the FCC’s two-year 2-2 partisan tie. The Commerce Committee advanced Gomez, Starks and Republican Commissioner Brendan Carr last week on voice votes tinged with partisan opposition (see 2307120073).