Semiconductor Industry Association CEO John Neuffer is unfazed by criticism that fully funding the Chips Act to promote long-term leadership and resilience in U.S. chipmaking -- as last week’s White House supply chain report recommended (see 2106080008) -- will become a handout to wealthy chip companies, not the incentive the industry seeks to boost U.S. standing in global semiconductors, he told an Information Technology and Innovation Foundation webinar Wednesday.

The House Science Committee unanimously advanced Tuesday the National Science Foundation for the Future Act (HR-2225), setting up a likely showdown on whether the chamber will approve that bill rather than the rival Senate-passed U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (S-1260). Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, prefers HR-2225’s approach to countering Chinese tech R&D. S-1260 would establish an NSF Technology Directorate; HR-2225 would establish a generalized Directorate for Science and Engineering Solutions.

It could take two-to-three years to resolve the massive Section 301 litigation now before the U.S. Court of International Trade, especially since it’s “highly likely” the losing side will appeal the case, Sandler Travis trade expert David Cohen, told his law firm's webinar Tuesday. Roughly 3,800 importers are suing the government to declare the Lists 3 and 4A tariffs on Chinese goods unlawful and get the money refunded.

Draft rules revising equipment certification regulations to allow for presale of new RF devices before they're authorized are expected to be approved 4-0 by commissioners Thursday. A few tweaks are expected, reflecting changes sought by CTA and possibly Garmin, FCC officials said.

Persistently strong consumer demand and rising LCD panel prices were evident in TV imports to the U.S. for April and in the year’s first four months, according to new Census data accessed Monday through the International Trade Commission’s DataWeb tool. Increases in TV unit volume reached well into the double digits for all screen size classifications for January-April, as did spikes in the average customs value of sets shipped from the top countries of origin, except for China.

About a million NextGenTV sets have been sold to date since inception, with an installed base of up to 4 million possible by year-end, Pearl TV Managing Director Anne Schelle told Consumer Electronics Daily Monday. “This really is the year of awareness” for NextGen TV, she said.

Commenters detailed how the chip shortage is creating problems for the tech industry, leading to longer lead times for obtaining network equipment, in response to an FCC public notice. Comments posted Friday in docket 21-195. Most didn’t seek specific action.

FCC Media Bureau approval of a channel 6 TV station’s request for special temporary authority for what some deem Franken FMs could signal to similar stations that the FCC will let them stay on air in analog audio if they follow an ATSC 3.0-based template. The requirement that all low-power TVs cease analog broadcasts by July 13 was considered a threat to the stations that are primarily on audio receivable by FM radios (see 2104300063). Wiley's Ari Meltzer, who represents STA applicant Venture Technologies, said in an interview Thursday’s STA gives at least a temporary nod to a solution.

New York may not start enforcing a state broadband law requiring $15 monthly low-income plans that was to go into effect Tuesday, a federal judge ruled (in Pacer) Friday. ISPs challenging the state’s Affordable Broadband Act (ABA) are likely to succeed on conflict and field preemption arguments, ruled Judge Denis Hurley of U.S. District Court in Central Islip, New York. ISPs showed imminent, irreparable harm, and the balance of equities and public interest favor keeping the status quo, he said. The decision counters recent rulings in California net neutrality and Maine ISP privacy cases where courts said states aren’t preempted.

The consumer tech industry must do a better job of explaining HDR's benefits to consumers, said Tom Doherty, Home Technology Specialists of America director-new technology initiatives, on a Tuesday HDR ecosystem webinar. Consumers are benefiting from the brightness and color gamut improvements made possible by HDR streaming content and TVs, but the industry needs to “do something to increase awareness” so customers ask about the technology “and we can point them in the right direction,” said Doherty.