House to Vote on Extending FCC Spectrum Auction Authority Through May 19

The House is set to vote as soon as Monday under suspension of the rules on a bill to extend the FCC’s spectrum auction authority through May 19 (HR-1108), Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said Friday. Lawmakers had been expected to seek a short-term reauthorization of the FCC’s mandate past the current March 9 deadline due to Congress’ slow pace in restarting talks on a broader spectrum package (see 2302220063). A deal to attach spectrum legislative language to the FY 2023 appropriations omnibus package fell through in December (see 2212300046). Also on the docket: the Informing Consumers about Smart Devices Act (HR-538) and Understanding Cybersecurity of Mobile Networks Act (HR-1123). HR-538, first filed in 2020 (see 2007130063), would require manufacturers to inform consumers about cameras or microphones on internet-connected devices. HR-1123 would require NTIA to report on cybersecurity of wireless networks and vulnerabilities to cyberattacks and surveillance by adversaries. The House previously passed the measure in 2021 (see 2112020050).