As the FCC considers a tiered approach to non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) constellations' regulatory fees, it isn't finding consensus about where to draw the lines. That's according to comments last week in docket 24-85 as the agency solicits input on ideas raised during the FY 2024 space regulatory fee proceeding (see 2502260017).

The House Commerce Committee's Democratic leaders said Monday that they have launched an investigation into FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s “attacks on the First Amendment and his weaponization of the independent agency,” including multiple broadcaster probes he has initiated since taking over Jan. 20 (see 2502130060). Meanwhile, House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Richard Hudson of North Carolina and 72 other Republican lawmakers are urging the FCC to “modernize” its “outdated” broadcast ownership rules to remove “undue constraints on broadcasters’ ability to innovate and invest in local content.”

The FCC made few but potentially significant changes to a Further NPRM on 911 wireless location accuracy that commissioners approved 4-0 on Thursday (see 2503270042). An FNPRM on next-generation 911 was also tweaked, based on a side-by-side comparison of the FNPRMs. Both were posted in Monday’s Daily Digest.

Instead of alternatives to GPS for positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), the GPS Innovation Alliance (GPSIA) prefers discussing “complementary PNT,” Executive Director Lisa Dyer said in an interview. The FCC, meanwhile, released the final version of its notice of inquiry, approved 4-0 by commissioners on Thursday (see 2503270042), adding questions not proposed in the draft.​

Telecom carriers are under pressure from the FCC to end their diversity, equity and inclusion programs, with Chairman Brendan Carr saying last week that the FCC won’t bless mergers by companies that have DEI policies in place. Carr sent a warning letter Friday to Disney on its DEI programs. Industry officials say companies have no choice to comply, though the FCC moves have created regulatory uncertainty. T-Mobile explained in a letter to the FCC how it’s getting rid of DEI.

A White House executive order issued Thursday ends federal employee union bargaining rights at a host of federal agencies, including the FCC, citing national security concerns. Laws that allow for collective bargaining enable “hostile Federal unions to obstruct agency management. This is dangerous in agencies with national security responsibilities,” said a White House fact sheet on the order.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, revealed during a Thursday hearing that multiple commercial aircraft landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) March 1 received false traffic alert collision avoidance system (TCAS) alerts because the Secret Service and U.S. Navy were “improperly testing counter drone technology” in the area on the L-band, “the same spectrum band as TCAS.” The disclosure also factored into Senate Commerce's confirmation hearing for NTIA nominee Arielle Roth (see 2503270065), which examined her spectrum policy views.

FCC commissioners on Thursday approved by 4-0 votes a notice of inquiry on alternatives to GPS, a Further NPRM on 911 wireless location accuracy and an FNPRM on next-generation 911. FCC officials said that while the GPS item saw some tweaks that reflect outreach to the commission (see 2503240043), there were no significant changes to the 911-related items.

A wave of retirements has hit the FCC, likely owing to a combination of early retirement offers, the transition in administrations, return-to-office requirements and increased pressure on federal workers, according to interviews with FCC employees and union officials.

Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Maria Cantwell of Washington and several more panel Democrats indicated Thursday that they are undecided or may vote against NTIA nominee Arielle Roth amid frustration over the nominee's responses to questions about how she plans to revamp the agency’s $42.5 billion BEAD program. Senate Commerce Chairman Ted Cruz of Texas and other committee Republicans signaled during the sparsely attended hearing that they strongly back Roth, who has been their telecom policy director. Republican and Democratic Senate Commerce members used the hearing to sound off on the Biden administration’s handling of BEAD and reemphasize their positions on protracted negotiations on a potential spectrum legislative package, as expected (see 2503250055).