Thune Still Hopes to Bow 5G Broadband Barriers Bill by End of December

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters Wednesday he still hopes the bill he and Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, are drafting to ease barriers to 5G and other broadband deployments will be “ready to drop before the end of the year,” though later than expected. Schatz and communications lobbyists anticipated introduction soon after Thanksgiving recess (see 1711240024). The senators circulated a draft in October (see 1710310057). It has since received criticism from local and municipal government stakeholders over language that would seek to pre-empt state, local and tribal laws seen as barriers to deployments. “We're getting closer” to the bill being ready for formal introduction, but it's “not likely” Senate Commerce will be able to mark it up this year, Thune said.