Legislative and Regulatory Activity E-rate Modernization The FCC adopted a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) during its Open Meeting on July 19, seeking comment on rules to update and modernize the E-rate program in order to support high-speed broadband for digital educational technology in classrooms and libraries. FCC staff indicated that they have three goals … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity EPA Confirmation Hearings On Thursday, July 18, Gina McCarthy was confirmed as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator in a 59-40 Senate vote. Hearings will be held this week on Wednesday, July 24, by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to examine the nominations for additional positions at the EPA including Kenneth … Continue Reading
Legislative and Regulatory Activity Broadcast Incentive Auction Hearing. The U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee is reportedly planning a July 23 hearing to review Federal Communications Commission (FCC) progress on the broadcast incentive auctions mandated by the JOBS Act. The Committee has not publicly announced the hearing and the date is still tentative. Rural Broadband … Continue Reading
Legislative and Regulatory Activity Privacy The World Wide Consortium (W3C), which has led the multistakeholder effort to establish a universal Do Not Track (DNT) standard, will reach its last call deadline next Monday, July 1. In an email to members of the working group last week, W3C co-chairs Peter Swire and Matthias Schunter pledged to … Continue Reading
Legislative Branch Activity National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) The Senate Armed Services Committee filed its bill, S. 1197, on Thursday, June 20. Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) and Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-OK) would like to bring the bill to the Senate floor in July, but that remains uncertain at this time. Defense Appropriations Last week, … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Wheeler Hearing The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will hold a hearing on Tuesday, June 18 on the nomination of Mr. Thomas Wheeler to be Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller’s decision to move forward without a Republican nominee to fill the other vacancy on the … Continue Reading
Legislative Branch Activity Cybersecurity Legislation The House Homeland Security Committee will introduce a new piece of cybersecurity legislation that would codify the cyber roles and responsibilities of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as well as address other key aspects of cybersecurity. The committee has been working with stakeholders for several weeks on its draft … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity This Week’s Hearings: Thursday, June 13: A House Natural Resources Subcommittee will hold an oversight hearing titled “Mining in America: The Administration’s Use of Claim Maintenance Fees and Cleanup of Abandoned Mine Lands.” Regulatory Activity Hydraulic Fracturing The Interior Department will extend the public comment period on the revised proposed rule to regulate … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Pentagon Budget This Wednesday, June 5, the House Armed Services Committee will mark up its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 1960). That same day, the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee will also mark up, in a closed session, a spending bill for the Department of Defense (DOD). It … Continue Reading
