Jimm Phillips

The House Science Committee advanced the National Institute of Standards and Technology for the Future Act (HR-4609) on a voice vote Tuesday despite some lawmakers' misgivings about how the agency’s proposed role in spectrum and telecom tech research could clash with NTIA. Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, was awaiting feedback from the Department of Commerce. House Science also advanced the National Science and Technology Strategy Act (HR-3858) and other measures that mirror elements of the Senate-passed U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (S-1260).

Broadband-focused lawmakers and industry supporters are wary about the trajectory of a bipartisan infrastructure package, amid widespread perceptions that talks are falling apart. A framework that President Joe Biden backed in June allocates $65 billion for broadband (see 2106240070). The House Rules Committee was, meanwhile, considering broadband-focused amendments to an FY 2022 appropriations “minibus” (HR-4502) Monday, before a likely floor vote later this week. The committee was eyeing a proposal to zero out CPB. The underlying HR-4502 includes $388 million for the FCC, almost $390 million for the FTC (see 2106300028), more than $907 million for Department of Agriculture rural broadband programs and $565 million for CPB in FY 2024.

Satellite Industry Association President Tom Stroup and others urged lawmakers to establish a civil space situational awareness (SSA) operation and update the framework for mitigating orbital debris amid proliferation of low earth orbit satellites (see 2106150034), during a Thursday Senate Commerce hearing. “Potential for catastrophic accidents if we continue with the status quo is real,” said Senate Space Subcommittee Chairman John Hickenlooper, D-Colo. “We can’t wait for the next collision to occur before taking action,” including enacting the Senate-passed U.S. Innovation and Competition Act. S-1260 would shift responsibility for handling commercial SSA issues to the Commerce Department and includes $20 million for an elevated Office of Space Commerce (see 2106080074). “The space around Earth is becoming congested and the problem is only going to grow,” said ranking member Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo. “Government must take the lead” on SSA and to “prevent and remove orbital debris.” The federal government should “act now to implement a more modern” SSA environment, “including leveraging both commercial and government capabilities to yield a U.S.-developed cutting-edge space sustainability model,” Stroup said. Any revised space safety framework shouldn’t dictate “specific technologies to meet requirements.” A “successful, modern and sustainable space traffic management system will include all of the types of space activities,” Stroup said. “The U.S. cannot accomplish this on its own and, if regulations are not appropriate, satellite operators will continue to ‘forum shop’ and license systems in foreign administrations.” Other witnesses supported further empowering Commerce’s OSC. Commercial Spaceflight Federation President Karina Drees recommended the FCC “modify its rules to require that any company that serves the U.S. market must comply with U.S. orbital debris rules. This requirement would significantly improve global orbital debris activities, while leveling the playing field for companies licensed in” the U.S. An FCC revisit of its orbital debris rules could happen once the commission gets a Democratic majority (see 2105070004).

The Senate failed to invoke cloture Wednesday on the shell bill (HR-3684) for a bipartisan infrastructure package under negotiation. Republican members of the group working on the measure believe the legislation will be ready next week with enough GOP support to proceed. A 157-page draft of part of the bipartisan measure’s broadband language gives NTIA responsibility to define low-cost broadband service options for grantees. It would set a minimum speed threshold below what fiber advocates are seeking for projects receiving money from a $40 billion pot slated for NTIA-administered state-level grants. The overall proposal, which President Joe Biden backed last month, allocates $65 billion for broadband (see 2106240070).

Amazon again supplanted Facebook in Q2 as top lobbying spender in tech and telecom, with NCTA and Comcast rounding out the top four. Huawei, Twitter, the Information Technology Industry Council and Telecommunications Industry Association had the sectors' largest percentage increases compared with the same period last year. Broadcom, BSA|The Software Alliance and the Computer and Communications Industry Association had large decreases. Amazon spent $4.86 million in Q2, up almost 11%. Facebook paid $4.77 million, down 1%. NCTA disbursed $3.26 million, down more than 10%. Comcast spent $3.25 million, down almost 11%. AT&T spent just over $3 million, down more than 10%. Verizon expended $2.76 million, up almost 9%. Charter Communications was little changed at $2.57 million, and CTIA at $2.5 million was also flat. Microsoft spent $2.47 million, a 15% decrease. T-Mobile spent $2.4 million, down 8%. NAB fell 5% to $2.18 million. Qualcomm gained 8% to $2.13 million. Google reported $2 million, a more than 23% increase. Apple had $1.64 million, an almost 11% increase. ViacomCBS paid $1.6 million, up 39%. Dell's $1.12 million was a 23% increase. Huawei spent just over $1 million, a 523% increase. IBM was $980,000, down more than 5%. Disney spent $830,000, down more than 6%. Cox's $810,000 was down almost 13%. Twitter spent $660,000, a 69% increase. ITI spent $600,000, rising 43%. USTelecom was relatively unchanged at $570,000. Lumen had $520,000, an almost 9% increase. The Internet Association disclosed $390,000, up more than 14%. Broadcom posted $360,000, down 40%. BSA was $290,000, down almost 31%. ACA Connects was level at $160,000. NTCA also spent $160,000, an 11% decrease. ICANN spent $85,000, similar to Q2 2020. TIA spent $70,000, a 40% increase. CCIA's $30,000 was down 25%.

House Science Committee Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, told us she’s still deciding whether to pursue spectrum legislation, after a Tuesday committee hearing in which lawmakers and witnesses offered a mixed assessment about whether Congress needs to intervene now. The panel, as expected, focused on the interagency spectrum policy fracas among the FCC, NTIA and other entities, and specifically the disagreement over possible 24 GHz band interference risks to weather data collected by federal satellites in the adjacent 23.8 GHz band (see 2107190067).

GAO urged the FCC and NTIA to strengthen their collaboration on spectrum policymaking and management, including a long-sought update to those agencies’ memorandum of understanding, ahead of a Tuesday House Science Committee hearing. House Science leaders are expected to again register their ire during the Tuesday hearing over the FCC’s disagreement with NASA and NOAA on possible 24 GHz band interference risks to weather data collected by federal satellites in the adjacent 23.8 GHz band. The lawmakers sought the GAO study in 2019 (see 1912110068). The partly virtual panel will begin at 10 a.m. in 2318 Rayburn.

Stakeholders divided in comments Friday on a Treasury Department-proposed final rule allowing only broadband projects in areas without 25/3 Mbps to be eligible for the $350 billion in state and local funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (see 2105100060).

The House Appropriations Committee advanced increased CPB funding Thursday along party lines. The committee was considering legislation early Thursday evening that would boost NTIA, Patent and Trademark Office and other Commerce Department agencies' appropriations. The committee advanced its FY 2022 Department of Homeland Security funding bill earlier this week, which included $2.13 billion for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (see 2107130056).

The House Agriculture Committee voted unanimously to advance the Broadband Internet Connections for Rural America Act (HR-4374) that committee leaders hope to attach to the coming infrastructure spending package. President Joe Biden rallied Senate Democrats Wednesday to back a $3.5 trillion package party leaders aim to pass via budget reconciliation along with a bipartisan infrastructure plan he supports with $65 billion for broadband (see 2106240070).