NTIA released Friday its long-awaited plan for awarding $42.45 billion in BEAD program money, reversing much of what the Biden administration developed in the initial rules. Delaware, Louisiana and Nevada, which have completed state plans, will have to relaunch the process. Fiber will no longer get priority under the plan. NTIA called the guidance a “BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice,” rather than a new notice of funding opportunity.

FCC commissioners may end up deciding on a single item at their June 26 meeting -- text telephone-based telecom relay service rules -- the only NPRM teed up for a vote (see 2506050056). The other items, addressing cable regulation and broadband data collection, may likely wait until the Senate confirms Olivia Trusty and restores a quorum lost with the departures of Commissioners Nathan Simington and Geoffrey Starks. The situation raises interesting issues for Chairman Brendan Carr and Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez, officials noted.

Republican lawmakers have begun taking sides publicly and behind the scenes in favor of a range of contenders to succeed departing GOP FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington as he prepared to exit the agency Friday afternoon (see 2506040073). Former Breitbart executive Steve Bannon, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump, publicly endorsed Gavin Wax, Simington's chief of staff, for the role. Other officials and GOP insiders are eyeing different candidates as the agency enters an indefinite period with only two commissioners. Democratic FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks was also set to leave Friday, leaving the commission with a 1-1 partisan tie.

Senate Commerce Committee Republicans released the panel's portion of a budget reconciliation bill Thursday night with language that proposes mandating that the FCC sell at least 800 MHz of reallocated spectrum, as expected (see 2506050064). Some communications industry groups praised the measure, but observers said they expect other stakeholders to criticize it. Lobbyists said they expect that Senate Commerce Democrats will likely vote against the proposal, as party-affiliated House Commerce Committee members did last month when that panel marked up its part (see 2505140062) of what became the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (HR-1).

Increased crowding of low earth orbit and greater competition for lunar resources could drive multinational agreements on approaching space and assets there -- but not imminently -- according to a China space program expert. Kevin Pollpeter, the China Aerospace Studies Institute's research director, told the American Bar Association's space law symposium in Washington Thursday that such space resource agreements are a long way off. Space law experts said international harmonization of space regulations faces growing hurdles.

The FCC on Thursday posted the three items set for votes at the commission’s June 26 meeting, all of which are aimed at cutting regulations. It will consider cutting cable TV rules and an engineering requirement tied to the agency’s broadband data collection, as well as addressing text telephone-based telecom relay service rules.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told members of the House Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Subcommittee (CJS) on Thursday that NTIA will likely issue a promised notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for its $42.5 billion BEAD program on Friday. It will require all states to resubmit their applications. Meanwhile, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., who chairs the Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee, told us she remains on the fence about President Donald Trump’s proposal to claw back $1.1 billion in advance CPB funding as part of a rescission package that congressional GOP leaders want expedited (see 2506030065).

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, insisted in a brief interview Thursday that a deal he reached Wednesday with top Armed Services Committee Republicans for spectrum language in the chamber’s budget reconciliation package (see 2506040078) remains in place, despite panel member Mike Rounds, R-S.D., indicating new wrinkles emerged. Senate Commerce planned to release its reconciliation language Thursday but hadn’t by our deadline. Meanwhile, the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, National Emergency Number Association and other groups urged Senate Commerce to allocate some future auction proceeds in its reconciliation proposal for next-generation 911 tech upgrades.

Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said during a Senate hearing Wednesday that NTIA will issue a new notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for its $42.5 billion BEAD program and will require all states to resubmit their applications. But the agency would still be able to dole out much of the money before year-end, he told the Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Subcommittee. Meanwhile, Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., expressed reservations about President Donald Trump’s proposal to claw back $1.1 billion in advance CPB funding as part of a rescission package that congressional GOP leaders want expedited (see 2506030065).