Outgoing Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told us Thursday he “most likely” will seek the Communications Subcommittee chairmanship, confirming earlier information from a Senate GOP aide (see 1811150019). Thune, elected Wednesday as the chamber's majority whip, had been debating whether to seek the gavel of the Communications or Surface Transportation sub (see 1811020048 and 1811140055). Thune is relinquishing the Senate Commerce chairmanship at the end of this Congress. Senate Communications Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., is likely to succeed him. Thune emphasized Wicker, if selected to lead Senate Commerce, ultimately will decide who leads the subcommittees. Lobbyists said Thune is likely a lock to take the Communications gavel given his seniority within the GOP caucus. Commerce policymaking in the Senate is largely conducted at the full committee level, but the Communications gavel would give Thune a continuing substantial influence on telecom and tech measures, lobbyists said. Communications ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, lauded Thune's interest in chairing the subcommittee. Thune “likes to get things done, and he and I have a good working relationship,” Schatz told us. "I look forward to continuing that partnership." The two senators have been working for more than a year to advance the Streamlining the Rapid Evolution and Modernization of Leading-Edge Infrastructure Necessary to Enhance Small Cell Deployment Act (S-3157), among other matters. The bill aims to implement a “reasonable process and timeframe guidelines” for state and local small-cell consideration (see 1806290063). S-3157 faces headwinds because of opposition from state and local governments (see 1810040055). “I think we can do something meaningful” on privacy legislation given momentum there, but “I'm not too sure” about the potential for progress on net neutrality, Schatz said. Thune, Wicker and other lawmakers also see privacy legislation as a 2019 priority (see 1811140053). “The first order of business needs to be” work on “ambitious” privacy legislation, but Senate Communications also should continue focusing on rural broadband deployments, the push for improvements to FCC broadband coverage maps and telehealth, Schatz said.
Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, told reporters he will meet Thursday with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on the senator's concerns with commission handling of the USF Rural Health Care Program that led him to place a hold on Senate confirmation of Commissioner Brendan Carr to a term ending in 2023, as expected (see 1809120056). A planned October meeting between Sullivan and Pai was postponed after the Senate moved to adjourn early for campaigning (see 1810110062). “Hopefully, we'll get to a spot” where concerns about FCC handling of RHC are “resolved,” Sullivan said. Alaska-based GCI Communications appealed this week Wireline Bureau's reduction in its FY 2017 RHC support by 26 percent to $77.8 million (see 1811130040). “This isn't just about” GCI, Sullivan said. “This is about broader issues of predictability, transparency, how we're going to move forward on this writ large.” Sullivan's hold means the Senate must wait to confirm Democratic FCC nominee Geoffrey Starks because the intent is to advance the two as a pair (see 1809130059). Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters he's “trying to work with” Sullivan and the FCC “to see if there's some arrangement that can be worked out or some way that we can get this resolved” to allow confirmation of Carr and Starks this year. The agency didn't comment.
Outgoing Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., and House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Mike Doyle, D-Pa., haven't locked down the gavels of the Senate and House telecom subcommittees, but they outlined to reporters some potential policy priorities for the 116th Congress they would pursue. Thune, elected by Senate Republicans Wednesday as majority whip, is deciding whether he will pursue chairing the Communications Subcommittee or Surface Transportation Subcommittee next session (see 1811020048). Doyle, a likely lock for House Communications chairman under the incoming Democratic majority (see 1811070054), cited FCC oversight and net neutrality legislation as top priorities.
Outgoing Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., has decided to seek the chairmanship of the Communications Subcommittee, a Senate GOP aide told us Thursday. Thune, who was elected Wednesday as the chamber's majority whip, had been debating whether to seek the gavel of Senate Communications or Senate Surface Transportation.
Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Harold Furchtgott-Roth and telecom officials raised concerns during a Tuesday Hudson event about the threat of Chinese dominance over global 5G development. China, Huawei and ZTE loomed over U.S. telecom policy this year, beginning with the January leak of a draft National Security Council official memo proposing the U.S. build a national 5G network (see 1801290034).
Telecom interests view the shift to split partisan control next Congress as improving prospects for compromise on a broadband title in a likely revisit of an infrastructure package. President Donald Trump and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said after the Democrats gained control of the House in last week's elections that they believe a deal is possible on infrastructure (see 1811070054). Democrats as of Tuesday won 228 House seats to the Republicans' 199, with eight races undecided. The GOP held a 51-47 Senate edge, with two races undecided.
House Digital Commerce Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, confirmed Thursday he “would be interested” in taking over as Communications Subcommittee ranking member in the 116th Congress, as expected (see 1811020048). “I have led on a number of [communications and technology] issues including rural broadband access, spectrum, and precision agriculture” via the House-passed Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act (HR-4881), Latta said in a statement to us. “I’m proud of the work [House Digital Commerce] has gotten done this Congress including passing landmark self-driving car legislation, addressing the future of policies that affect [IoT], and holding a number of key oversight hearings.” Latta cited his past role as Communications vice chairman under now-House Commerce Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore. Latta was considered a potential candidate to replace retiring Communications Chairman Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who was elected Tuesday to the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Bob Corker (see 1710050058). Reps. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., and John Shimkus, R-Ill., are also seen as potential candidates for House Communications ranking member. Ranking member Mike Doyle, D-Pa., said Wednesday he will seek the chairmanship, after his party won majority control in the chamber (see 1811070054). House composition for the next Congress stood Thursday at 226 Democrats and 198 Republicans, with the outcome in 11 races undecided. Republican candidates led in seven such contests, including Communications' Rep. Mimi Walters of California. Democrats led four.
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Bill Nelson, D-Fla., continued to narrow the vote gap Thursday in his re-election bid against Republican Gov. Rick Scott as ballot counting continued. Nelson’s campaign expressed confidence in the need for a manual recount of ballots once an initial result is complete. All counties must submit preliminary results to the state by Saturday. Nelson “is going to prevail,” said campaign lawyer Marc Elias on a call with reporters. "I am very measured in how I treat what I say. When I say it is currently a jump ball … I mean that.” The Scott campaign countered that “when Elias says ‘win,’ he means ‘steal.’” Scott led by more than 17,000 votes Thursday, down from a 30,000-vote margin Wednesday. Remaining votes left to be counted were concentrated in two South Florida counties that favored Nelson in earlier tallies, though most counties also were still counting provisional ballots. The contest has the attention of many in the telecom sector because a Nelson loss would mean an open contest for lead Democrat on Senate Commerce with no clear front-runner (see 1811020048). The Senate’s composition in the next Congress stood Thursday at 51 Republicans and 46 Democrats, with the outcome in the Nelson-Scott race and two other contests undecided.
Voters delivered a split decision Tuesday in elections to Congress, as expected (see 1811050050 and 1811070002). The division between a Democratic House and Republican Senate reduces the likelihood for legislative progress on some divisive telecom issues but possibly opens up opportunities for compromise on others, officials and lobbyists said in interviews. The election resulted in turnovers to leadership of House and Senate telecom-focused committees. Many said they are now watching the tight race between Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Bill Nelson, D-Fla., and Republican Gov. Rick Scott.
At least four leaders of telecom and tech-focused congressional committees and subcommittees lost in Tuesday’s elections, which resulted in split control of Capitol Hill. Democrats had a net gain of at least 26 seats in the House and had won at least 220 seats. Republicans expanded their Senate majority, seeing a net gain of at least two seats. Three other seats remained undecided Wednesday morning, but the GOP will have at least 51 seats. Results are according to at least two major media outlets for each race.