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.”

House Republicans reached an agreement Thursday afternoon on the American Relief Act, a legislative package combining a continuing resolution that extends appropriations through March 14 with a two-year suspension of the debt ceiling. The new CR came a day after some GOP-affiliated lawmakers tanked an earlier proposal that included language from the NTIA Reauthorization Act (HR-4510) and several telecom and tech bills (see 2412180033). The new CR omits those measures' language but includes an extension of some temporary rules changes around Medicare recipients’ eligibility for telehealth services, which Congress enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic (see 2006150032). Federal appropriations are set to lapse Friday night unless Congress approves a CR. GOP opposition to the earlier CR deal arose Wednesday afternoon after President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance criticized the proposal and urged Congress to pass a “streamlined” measure “WITHOUT DEMOCRAT GIVEAWAYS combined with an increase in the debt ceiling.” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, co-lead of Trump's Department of Government Efficiency advisory group, also repeatedly slammed the earlier CR. It’s unclear whether congressional Democrats back the new GOP-led CR deal. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York earlier indicated congressional Democrats would be unlikely to support a clean CR and said Thursday that party members were a “hard pass” on moving to address the debt ceiling in conjunction with extending appropriations. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit advised Thursday that it will "continue normal operations" if there is a federal government shutdown, with cases calendared for oral argument in January proceeding as scheduled. It said the U.S. Courts' Administrative Office would use carryover funds and fees to keep the courts running for several weeks.

The Senate voted 83-12 Monday night to invoke cloture on the House-passed 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 2412110067). The chamber hadn't scheduled a final vote on the measure as of Tuesday afternoon, but it's expected to happen Wednesday. Meanwhile, House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., hailed the chamber's passage Monday (see 2412160062) of the Promoting U.S. Wireless Leadership Act (HR-1377), an amended version of the Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act (HR-3293) and Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act (HR-3343). “Bureaucracy and red tape have stopped too many Americans from accessing high-speed broadband,” Rodgers said. “I am proud of the work" of House Commerce members “to advance bipartisan priorities to speed up broadband deployment and close America’s digital divide. I want to thank these members for their commitment to these bills that will promote innovation and support American technological leadership in years to come.”

The House approved the Promoting U.S. Wireless Leadership Act (HR-1377), an amended version of the Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act (HR-3293) and Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act (HR-3343) Monday on voice votes. The Senate, meanwhile, was set to vote Monday night to invoke cloture on the House-passed 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 2412110067). HR-1377 lead sponsor Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., said on the floor that the measure “strengthens American leadership in 5G and future wireless communications” by directing NTIA to encourage U.S. companies and others to participate in international standards-setting bodies (see 2303240065). “China and other adversaries are investing heavily in 5G deployment and are actively working to shape these standard-setting processes to serve their interests,” he said: “If they succeed in skewing future standards toward their own priorities, the U.S. risks being placed at a significant economic and strategic disadvantage.” HR-3293 lead sponsor Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., said his legislation “takes a crucial step towards bridging this divide and streamlining the process for deploying broadband infrastructure” by directing NTIA to lead an interagency strike force to help prioritize reviews for communications use authorization requests to deploy on federal land (see 2305240069). “Faster broadband deployment will create jobs, stimulate economic development and improve quality of life for all Americans,” he said: “Students will have access to online reading resources, telehealth services will become more accessible and rural communities will be better connected to the global economy.” HR-3343 lead sponsor Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, said the bill “will help close the digital divide for rural Americans” requiring NTIA to submit a plan to Congress for tracking the acceptance and processing of communications use authorizations on federal property. “By enhancing government accountability and accelerating broadband deployment, we're not just improving a process,” he said: “We're investing in our future as a nation. This will help ensure investments in broadband expansion reach Americans more quickly and effectively.”

The House plans votes this week under suspension of the rules on the Promoting U.S. Wireless Leadership Act (HR-1377), an amended version of the Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act (HR-3293) and Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act (HR-3343). The House Commerce Committee advanced the three measures last year. HR-1377 would direct NTIA to encourage U.S. companies and others to participate in international standards-setting bodies (see 2303240065). HR-3293 would direct NTIA to lead an interagency strike force to help prioritize reviews for communications use authorization requests to deploy on federal land (see 2305240069). HR-3343 would require NTIA to submit a plan to Congress for tracking acceptance and processing of communications use authorizations on federal property. In addition, it would require that NTIA identify any barriers to that plan and how to increase transparency for authorization applicants.

Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Thursday the panel will “swiftly” go through the vetting and confirmation process for Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick, President-elect Donald Trump’s planned commerce secretary nominee, and other current and potential picks once Cruz becomes chairman in January. Trump said Wednesday night he plans to name former Arizona Senate and gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake (R) to lead Voice of America. In addition, he said he would nominate a new head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, who will technically be the one to appoint Lake to the VOA role. Current VOA Director Michael Abramowitz took office over the summer (see 2404190020). “We will both thoroughly vet new nominees and … swiftly confirm them, responsibly carrying out the Senate’s advice and consent role,” Cruz said ahead of Senate Commerce votes to advance a raft of Biden nominees. Senate Commerce in part advanced CPB board nominees Felix Sanchez and Adam White (see 2412060051). Senate Commerce and “others have often even held nomination hearings prior to the inauguration” of a president, including in the lead-up to when President Joe Biden took office in 2021, Cruz said. The panel has also “voted on cabinet nominees … within a week of their hearings.” He intends “to follow a similar practice for nominations next Congress and to work to move qualified and competent nominees expeditiously.”

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released a draft version of his Secure American Communications Act Tuesday in a bid to strengthen U.S. networks’ cybersecurity amid the fallout from the Chinese government-led Salt Typhoon hack (see 2411190073). The measure would require that the FCC implement security conditions for telecom carriers that Congress originally mandated in the 1994 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act. Lawmakers called in CALEA Section 105 for the FCC to require that telecom companies secure their systems against unauthorized intrusions, but the commission has never fully implemented this provision, Wyden’s office said. The draft bill would, in part, require carriers to annually test whether their networks and systems are vulnerable to cyberattack or other unauthorized intrusions. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel circulated a draft declaratory ruling last week to commissioners finding that Section 105 requires that telecom carriers secure their networks against cyberattacks (see 2412050044). “It was inevitable that foreign hackers would burrow deep into the American communications system the moment the FCC decided to let phone companies write their own cybersecurity rules,” Wyden said. “Telecom companies and federal regulators were asleep on the job and as a result, Americans’ calls, messages, and phone records have been accessed by foreign spies intent on undermining our national security. Congress needs to step up and pass mandatory security rules to finally secure our telecom system against an infestation of hackers and spies.” Wyden’s release of the draft came hours before Rosenworcel and federal intelligence officials were scheduled to brief House lawmakers on the Salt Typhoon hack. They briefed senators last week.

House Health Subcommittee Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., cited work to “beat China” and “protect our children online” Monday night as among his Commerce Committee priorities for the next Congress after the House Republican Steering Committee said earlier in the afternoon it selected him as the panel's next chairman (see 2412090072). Guthrie prevailed in the Commerce gavel race over current Communications Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, who is term-limited out of that role at the end of this Congress. The full House GOP conference still must sign off on Guthrie’s selection, but this is typically a formality. Guthrie said Monday night he is “honored that my colleagues have selected me to serve as” the next Commerce chairman. He plans to “work alongside” President-elect Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana and other GOP leaders to “deliver on our America First agenda.” A Congressional Spectrum Caucus co-chair and a past House Communications member, Guthrie said earlier this year an airwaves legislative package would be a top priority if he became Commerce chairman, and it didn't already pass this year (see 2404110059). Guthrie also backs a Universal Service Fund revamp (see 2411270060). Retiring House Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., praised Guthrie's “leadership, determination, and policy acumen.” She is “confident that he will rise to this historic moment of unified Republican control of government to deliver on issues and policies at the forefront of powering our economy,” including on tech issues. Latta also applauded Guthrie, as did several communications industry groups. USTelecom CEO Jonathan Spalter said Guthrie’s “leadership and dedication to expanding broadband access have been instrumental in connecting communities across the nation.” As Commerce chairman, Guthrie “will bring focus and common sense leadership as we work together to advance our shared goal of universal connectivity,” Spalter said. NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield said Guthrie “understands firsthand the needs of rural communities and the benefits of connectivity for commerce, education and healthcare in these areas.” In a statement, Competitive Carriers Association CEO Tim Donovan praised Guthrie for being “a longtime leader on spectrum, security and rural connectivity issues.”

The Senate Commerce Committee plans Dec. 12 votes on CPB board nominees Felix Sanchez and Adam White, the panel said Thursday night. President Joe Biden nominated Sanchez, the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts chairman, to the CPB board last year for a term expiring Jan. 31, 2028 (see 2303060056). Biden nominated White, an American Enterprise Institute senior fellow, in November (see 2411140012). Senate Commerce’s meeting will begin at 10 a.m. in 253 Russell.

A Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) official said Thursday that Congress and President-elect Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency advisory commission should consider consolidating what it said are 133 federal broadband programs into a single initiative. DOGE leads Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy met with a range of GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill Thursday as they continued eyeing how to trim up to $2 trillion in federal spending. In late November, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, urged Musk and Ramaswamy to recommend that lawmakers “pull the plug” on the $42.5 billion NTIA-led BEAD program (see 2412030050). Continued existence of “133 broadband programs across 15 agencies is clearly excessive and wasteful,” Deborah Collier, CAGW vice president-policy and government affairs, said in a blog post. “It is time for these programs to be scrutinized, so taxpayers are no longer forced to pay for those that are inefficient and ineffective and support the few that will not only work as intended but also deploy broadband to every remaining unserved and underserved business and household across the country that wishes to be connected to the internet.” Ernst urged that DOGE and Congress assess each broadband program “by determining if it is operating as intended; if it duplicates or overlaps with another program or another agency; if the program’s administrators are requiring the money to be spent to achieve goals that are outside of the statute establishing the program; if the program’s goals are still current in today’s market; whether the program’s objectives can be achieved by the private sector; and if it can be consolidated with a better managed program in another agency.”