Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member John Thune, R-S.D., and panel Chairman Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., led filing Tuesday of the Rural Internet Improvement Act in a bid to bolster Agriculture Department broadband programs’ funding for rural areas. The measure would combine USDA’s traditional broadband loan and grant program and the ReConnect program. It would also mandate that ReConnect funding goes only to areas in which 90% of households are unserved, and would make changes to the program’s challenge process. Thune’s office suggested the legislation is among his proposals for inclusion in the 2023 farm bill process. “Access to these broadband services is typically determined by where you live, which often leaves rural communities in the dust,” Thune said. “Our bipartisan legislation would help bridge the digital divide by improving” ReConnect “to ensure its funding goes to truly unserved areas.” The bill would “make USDA programs more efficient and ensure that unserved communities receive the investments they need,” Lujan said. Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Deb Fischer, R-Neb., signed on as original co-sponsors. Thune’s office cited support from the American Farm Bureau Federation, NCTA, NTCA and other agriculture groups.

Fifty state and territorial broadcasters' associations urged Senate leaders to bring up the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (S-673) for a floor vote during the lame-duck session. The measure, which the Senate Judiciary Committee cleared in September (see 2209220077), would create a limited antitrust exemption to allow news publishers to collectively bargain with tech platforms for the use of their content. The House Judiciary Committee hasn't voted on companion HR-1735. "We understand that there is precious little legislative time left on the Senate calendar before the end of" this Congress "and that there are a number of competing legislative priorities," the groups said in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., released Tuesday. "However," S-673 "is urgently needed by local broadcasters and other news publishers so that they can continue to serve local communities around the country. Therefore, whether on its own or with a package of other legislation addressing other aspects of Big Tech market dominance, we urge you to bring this bipartisan bill before the full Senate before the end of the year." Broadcasters "provide an invaluable resource to local communities around the country," but "the major tech behemoths are threatening the survival of local broadcasters and other news publishers throughout American communities," the broadcasters said: "These behemoths have grown to massive sizes, and have gained enormous market power. They have upended the advertising marketplace and, in many cases, have devised anticompetitive practices to protect it." S-673 "is an urgently needed first step toward countering Big Tech’s market dominance," the groups said.

Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and three other lawmakers praised the FCC's approval last week of an order to implement the Secure Equipment Act by banning authorization of gear from companies including Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications, Hikvision and Dahua Technology (see 2211230065). The other three lawmakers who hailed the FCC Monday were House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La.; Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass.; and Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif. "This new rule will help ensure that critical American infrastructure is protected from Chinese exploitation," Rubio said. "In our digitally connected world, these protections are essential to ensuring that our communications networks are safe and secure," Markey said. The action "finally starts to confront the significant threat China poses to Americans’ privacy and data security interests," Scalise said. Eshoo noted her push "for over a decade to address vulnerabilities in our telecommunications infrastructure that directly impact our national security. Equipment made by Huawei and ZTE, companies linked to the Chinese Communist Party, increases the vulnerabilities of our telecommunication systems and puts the privacy and safety of Americans at risk."

Sen. Steve Daines of Montana led a Tuesday letter with Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and five other Senate Republicans urging NTIA to allow states to use their broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program grants to pay for unlicensed wireless service, which the agency’s notice of funding opportunity guidance doesn’t currently allow (see 2205130054). “It is our hope that NTIA will issue further guidance to states and territories so that they have ample flexibility to consider locations with access to broadband services provided exclusively over unlicensed spectrum as served,” the senators wrote NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson. “We encourage NTIA to revise the NOFO’s definition of reliable broadband service to include broadband provided exclusively over unlicensed spectrum.” Different “states, regions, communities and differing terrain will require different solutions” to improve broadband connectivity, the Republicans said: “Removing options off the table will result in communities being left behind. Solutions that work in urban areas may not work in rural America where farms and homes can be miles apart. Likewise, what works in flat terrain, may not work well in mountainous areas. It is important that NTIA allow all broadband providers and technology to compete in order to ensure that we finally close the digital divide.” NTIA didn’t comment.

TikTok may have provided misleading or false information during a bipartisan meeting with House staff in September, House Commerce Committee ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and House Oversight Committee ranking member James Comer, R-Ky., wrote the company in a letter Tuesday. They cited reports (see 2210210072) that TikTok is “actively embedding trackers across the internet to gather Americans’ search data and using the app to track specific location data of designated targets.” The company provided “potentially false or misleading information with bipartisan Committee staff” during a Sep. 7 briefing, they wrote: That includes claims that TikTok doesn’t track users across the internet while they’re not using the app and that China-based employees don’t have access to specific location data for U.S. users. It’s unclear if the company’s reported plans included “tracking U.S. government officials, journalists, or other public figures,” they wrote. “If true, these reports are deeply concerning and provide significant evidence that TikTok may have made misleading statements during its briefing with bipartisan Committee staff.”

House Communications Subcommittee Vice Chair Doris Matsui, D-Calif., confirmed she's "looking forward to the opportunity to serve" as subpanel ranking member in the next Congress, as expected (see 2211170089). She would succeed current lead Democrat Chairman Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania, who's retiring at the end of this Congress (see 2111120002). "I’m proud of what Democrats have been able to accomplish" on House Communications over the last four years "and I look forward to building on that progress," Matsui said in a statement to us. "I've fought for policies that create a more inclusive digital economy while encouraging innovation and job growth. That means increasing access to reliable, affordable, high-speed broadband for all families and introducing" the Net Neutrality and Broadband Justice Act (HR-8573/S-4676) to "guarantee a free and open internet through strong net neutrality protections." She has "worked to secure American telecommunications networks" as a co-sponsor of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act "to rip and replace vulnerable Chinese equipment and promoting the deployment of open and interoperable communications technology." Matsui also cited her role as lead House Democratic sponsor of the original Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors for America Act as "lifeline and a down payment on future innovation."

House Commerce Committee ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Communications Subcommittee ranking member Bob Latta, R-Ohio, delivered a muted response Saturday to the FCC’s release of draft updated broadband availability maps (see 2211180062). “While overdue, the draft” maps “are critical,” the lawmakers said. “An unprecedented amount of federal funding has been allocated for broadband deployment” via the infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and other legislation “and having accurate maps for all states and federal agencies to use when making their funding decisions is essential to closing the digital divide. Now it is up to states, broadband providers, and other stakeholders to work diligently to review and build on these maps to improve their accuracy and make sure resources are not being wasted.” Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Public Works Committee ranking member Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., voiced skepticism Friday about the maps’ accuracy. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., had a more positive response, saying in a statement the maps “will provide us with accurate information to help close the digital divide and bring high-speed broadband to every community in our country, regardless of their zip code.”

The Senate passed the House-approved Safe Connections Act (HR-7132) Thursday by unanimous consent, sending the measure on for President Joe Biden’s signature. The measure, which the House cleared in July (see 2207280052), would let domestic abuse survivors separate a mobile phone line from any shared plan involving their abusers without penalties or other requirements and require the FCC to establish rules that ensure calls and texts to domestic abuse hotlines don’t appear on call logs. The Senate previously passed HR-7132 companion S-120 in March (see 2203180070). “Giving domestic violence abusers control over their victims’ cell phones is a terrifying reality for many survivors,” Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, said. “Right now there is no easy way out for these victims -- they’re trapped in by contracts and hefty fees.” HR-7132, “which is now set to become law, will help survivors get out of these shared plans and help victims stay connected with their families and support networks,” Schatz said. Competitive Carriers Association President Steven Berry also hailed the measure, which “will help survivors of domestic violence remain connected.”

The AFL-CIO, Communications Workers of America and six other unions urged Senate Democratic leaders to take “swift action” to confirm FCC nominee Gigi Sohn. The nominee’s backers hope there will be a path forward to approve her during the lame-duck session (see 2209130065), especially now that Democrats will maintain control of the Senate in the next Congress. Sohn’s confirmation process has been stalled more than eight months since the Senate Commerce Committee tied 14-14 on advancing her to the floor (see 2203030070). The FCC “needs a fully seated commission in order to make critical decisions during a period of increased federal investment in broadband networks and digital equity initiatives,” the unions told Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., in a letter released Tuesday. “Sohn’s voice, experience, and expertise are just what the FCC needs. Once confirmed, she will continue to be a staunch champion for workers and consumers. Sohn fully understands our complex telecommunications and media landscape, the importance of diversity and inclusion for all people, and will work diligently to ensure all viewpoints are represented in FCC decisions.” The other signers were the American Federation of Teachers, American Federation for State, County and Municipal Employees, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, National Treasury Employees Union, Service Employees International Union and Writers Guild of America West.

The House planned to vote as soon as Monday night on the Ensuring Phone and Internet Access Through Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program Act (HR-4275) under suspension of the rules, said the office of Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., Friday. HR-4275, previously known as the Ensuring Phone and Internet Access for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Recipients Act, would require the FCC to do a report on the number of SNAP participants enrolled in the Lifeline and affordable connectivity programs. The House Commerce Committee unanimously advanced the measure in July (see 2207130066).