The House Commerce Committee said Tuesday it plans to vote Wednesday on the newly refiled NTIA Reauthorization Act (HR-2482) and 10 other tech and telecom bills. The markup session will begin at 10 a.m. in 2123 Rayburn. Also on the docket: the Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks Act (HR-633), 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), Communications Security Act (HR-1717), OpenRAN Outreach Act (HR-2037), 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). House leaders included previous versions of all the bills except HR-1717 and HR-2037 in a scuttled December continuing resolution package (see 2412170081).
Senate Communications Subcommittee Chair Deb Fischer, R-Neb., pressed the nominee for Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, retired Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, during his Armed Services Committee confirmation Tuesday on whether he thinks DOD should have a “meaningful co-leadership” role “in any interagency determinations about the future use of federal spectrum.” A leading opponent of efforts to use a coming budget reconciliation package to repurpose any DOD-controlled spectrum for commercial wireless use, Fischer has repeatedly brought up the matter during other military nominees’ confirmation hearings (see 2502270064). Her views on DOD spectrum put Fischer in conflict with Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas (see 2502190068).
House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Doris Matsui, D-Calif., said Monday that she, Vice Chairman Rick Allen, R-Ga., and Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., refiled the Future Uses of Technology Upholding Reliable and Enhanced Networks Act. The measure, which passed the House in past Congresses (see 2409180049), would direct the FCC to establish a 6G task force that provides recommendations about ensuring U.S. leadership in developing that technology’s standards. House leaders included the Future Networks Act in an ultimately scuttled December continuing resolution, which would have also enacted several other telecom measures (see 2412170081).
The Senate voted 74-25 Tuesday to confirm Michael Kratsios as White House Office of Science and Technology Policy director, as expected (see 2503170057). Earlier Tuesday, the chamber invoked cloture on Kratsios by a similarly lopsided 73-25 margin. Eight Senate Commerce Committee Democrats, including ranking member Maria Cantwell of Washington, were among the 21 caucus members who backed Kratsios. Cantwell and the other seven panel Democrats who supported Kratsios on the floor, including Communications Subcommittee ranking member Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico, voted to advance him during a panel meeting earlier this month (see 2503120069). CTIA and USTelecom CEO Jonathan Spalter hailed Kratsios' confirmation.
Deregulation of the telecom industry “is key” to making the industry more competitive and reducing the price of service, House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C., told a Free State Foundation conference Tuesday. Hudson said his goals are to also “modernize and streamline rules so that the telecom industry in America can thrive.” BEAD and other federal programs were supposed to help close the digital divide, “but they’re being slow-rolled over onerous requirements and regulations.”
The Fraternal Order of Police said Monday that it, the National League of Cities and 15 other public safety and local government groups are urging House and Senate leaders to permanently renew the FirstNet Authority before its current mandate sunsets in 2027. The Government Accountability Office recommended last year that Congress reauthorize FirstNet, saying failure to renew would result in significant disruption to first responders (see 2405200035).
WISPA CEO David Zumwalt wrote Senate Commerce Committee leaders Friday in “strong support” of NTIA administrator nominee Arielle Roth ahead of her planned Thursday confirmation hearing (see 2503200066). Roth, who is Senate Commerce Republicans’ telecom policy director, “has demonstrated a strong commitment to enhancing U.S. economic growth and technological leadership,” Zumwalt said in a letter to panel Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and ranking member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. “She has played a leading role in crafting policies to address spectrum demand, among other matters, which are essential to the development and innovation of the broadband marketplace.”
The Senate Commerce Committee plans to hold a confirmation hearing March 27 for NTIA nominee Arielle Roth, as expected (see 2503070065). The panel will begin at 2:15 p.m. in 253 Russell. Senate Commerce leaders previously eyed a mid-March hearing for Roth in tandem with Republican FCC nominee Olivia Trusty (see 2503060066). President Donald Trump nominated Roth, Senate Commerce Republicans’ telecom policy director, in early February (see 2502040056).
The House Oversight Delivering on Government Efficiency Subcommittee said Wednesday it plans a March 26 hearing to examine conservatives' claims that public broadcasters’ content has a pro-Democratic bias, as expected (see 2502270071). PBS CEO Paula Kerger and NPR CEO Katherine Maher will testify starting at 10 a.m. in HVC-210. Republican lawmakers have filed several measures this year to end funding for NPR, PBS and CPB and claw back advance appropriations to the broadcasting entities (see 2502110072 and 2502120044), in part for alleged bias. PBS and other U.S. broadcasters are also facing scrutiny from the FCC via investigations that Chairman Brendan Carr has launched since taking over Jan. 20 (see 2502130060).
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., filed cloture Friday night on White House Office of Science and Technology Policy director nominee Michael Kratsios, setting up likely votes on him the week of March 24. The Senate Commerce Committee advanced Kratsios last week on a bipartisan 24-4 vote (see 2503120069).