Disruptive Analysis Director Dean Bubley said Sunday that President Donald Trump’s high-profile promise of a Golden Dome that will protect the U.S. from missile attacks, similar to Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, “should lead policymakers to rethink the wisdom or feasibility of clearing” the DOD-controlled 3.1-3.45 GHz band for commercial 5G use. DOD supporters’ concerns about repurposing the lower 3 GHz band are the main sticking point in talks to mandate a spectrum pipeline as part of a coming budget reconciliation package (see 2505020047). DOD in March proposed making 420 MHz from current military-controlled frequencies available for FCC auction while maintaining the Pentagon’s grip on the lower 3 GHz band (see 2504040068).
House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Doris Matsui, D-Calif., and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., criticized President Donald Trump on Friday for issuing an executive order instructing CPB to cease funding NPR and PBS (see 2505020044).
The House voted 415-9 Tuesday night to pass the Informing Consumers About Smart Devices Act (HR-859), which would require manufacturers to inform consumers about cameras or microphones on internet-connected devices. House leaders included a previous version of the measure in a scuttled December continuing resolution (see 2412180033). The chamber earlier this week approved the Senate-passed Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks Act (S-146) and seven other tech and telecom bills (see 2504290032).
The House voted 409-2 Monday night to approve the Senate-passed Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks Act (S-146), which President Donald Trump is likely to sign into law. In addition, the House cleared five other tech and telecom bills Monday night on voice votes: the Removing Our Unsecure Technologies to Ensure Reliability and Security Act (HR-866), Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act (HR-906), Rural Broadband Protection Act (HR-2399), Future Uses of Technology Upholding Reliable and Enhanced Networks Act (HR-2449) and the Secure Space Act (HR-2458). The chamber earlier Monday passed two other measures (see 2504280055): the Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act (HR-2480) and NTIA Reauthorization Act (HR-2482).
The House passed the Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act (HR-2480) and NTIA Reauthorization Act (HR-2482) Monday on voice votes. HR-2480 and its Senate Commerce Committee-approved companion (S-97) would direct the Commerce Department’s SelectUSA program to work with state-level economic development organizations on strategies to attract investment in U.S. semiconductor manufacturers and supply chains (see 2503120069). HR-2482 would renew NTIA's mandate through the end of FY 2026 and elevate the NTIA administrator's role to also be a Commerce Department undersecretary. Rep. April McClain Delaney, D-Md., a deputy NTIA administrator during the Biden administration, was among the lawmakers who backed HR-2482 on the floor Monday.
The House plans to vote as soon as Monday night on the NTIA Reauthorization Act (HR-2482) and eight other telecom and tech bills that the Commerce Committee advanced earlier this month (see 2504080070), the office of Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said Friday. Also on the House’s agenda: the Senate-passed Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks Act (S-146), Informing Consumers About Smart Devices Act (HR-859), Removing Our Unsecure Technologies to Ensure Reliability and Security Act (HR-866), Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act (HR-906), Rural Broadband Protection Act (HR-2399), Future Uses of Technology Upholding Reliable and Enhanced Networks Act (HR-2449), Secure Space Act (HR-2458) and Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act (HR-2480). The House Commerce Committee advanced S-146’s identical House companion (HR-633) earlier this month. Previous versions of all nine measures on the House agenda were part of a scuttled December continuing resolution (see 2412180033).
The Senate Commerce Committee said Wednesday night that it will mark up two telecom measures during an April 30 meeting that will also consider Republican FCC nominee Olivia Trusty (see 2504230051). Lawmakers will vote on the Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act (S-259) and Enhancing First Response Act (S-725). The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. in 253 Russell. S-259 and its House companion (HR-906), which was advanced by that chamber's Commerce Committee, would require the FCC to publish a list of communications companies with FCC licenses or other authorizations in which China or other foreign adversaries’ governments hold at least a 10% ownership stake. Congressional leaders included an earlier version of the measure in a scuttled December continuing resolution (see 2412180033). S-725 and the similar 911 Supporting Accurate Views of Emergency Services Act (HR-637) would reclassify public safety call takers and dispatchers as a protective service.
The House Communications Subcommittee plans an April 30 hearing examining telecom infrastructure security, as expected (see 2504020078), the Commerce Committee said Wednesday. The subpanel previously planned to hold the panel April 8. “Our adversaries continually seek to exploit vulnerabilities in our communications infrastructure to jeopardize our national security, disrupt critical services, and steal Americans’ data,” said House Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., and Communications Chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C.
House Judiciary Committee Democrats on Wednesday decried reports that Bill Owens, the longtime executive producer of CBS’ 60 Minutes, is resigning (see 2504220070) as the network faces Trump administration pressure over the program’s interview last fall of former Vice President Kamala Harris. CBS faces a $10 billion lawsuit from President Donald Trump, as well as an FCC news distortion proceeding (see 2504140044 and 2502050063). CBS’ parent company, Paramount Global, also needs FCC approval to finalize its $8 billion purchase by Skydance (see 2503210049).
The Senate confirmed Republican Mark Meador as an FTC commissioner Thursday on a party-line 50-46 vote amid fierce opposition from chamber Democrats over President Donald Trump’s disputed March firing of Democratic Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter (see 2503190057). Bedoya and Slaughter are suing to overturn their dismissal. Democrats are concerned that Trump may seek to fire the FCC’s two Democrats or refuse to name someone to replace party-affiliated Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, who plans to resign this spring (see 2503180067).