Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

NAB and board member Byron Allen appeared to be partially at odds Monday on FCC nominee Gigi Sohn, before her Wednesday Senate Commerce Committee confirmation hearing (see 2111230066). NAB wants Sohn to submit an amended ethics agreement with more information on her association with broadcast programming streaming service Locast, but Allen declared his strong support for her confirmation. Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy and a group of five Republican current and former elected officials said Monday they support Sohn, whose nomination has already drawn strong GOP pushback (see 2111170071). Sohn and NTIA administrator nominee Alan Davidson, who’s also to appear before the Senate Commerce panel, highlighted improving U.S. broadband access and affordability, in responses to prehearing questionnaires.

Senate Commerce Committee Republicans’ questioning of Democratic FCC nominee Gigi Sohn at a planned Wednesday confirmation hearing (see 2111230066) is likely to partially focus on her views on the fairness doctrine in a bid to suggest her joining the commission would increase the chances the agency would seek to bring back the long-rescinded rules, lawmakers and officials told us. Sohn backers question the likely GOP focus on that issue, arguing that while she and others in the past preferred bringing back the rules, such erstwhile supporters see virtually no momentum in its favor under a 3-2 Democratic majority.

State broadband leaders see opportunity for transformational change with at least $100 million coming to each state from the infrastructure law’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. States are in planning stages as NTIA prepares to distribute funding, said officials and other experts in interviews after President Joe Biden signed the bill Nov. 15 (see 2111150074).

House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa., told us he still intends to wait (see 2106300077) to hold an FCC oversight hearing until after the Senate confirms Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Democratic commission nominee Gigi Sohn, amid renewed pressure from House Commerce Committee GOP leaders. Panel ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Communications ranking member Bob Latta, R-Ohio, argue it has “been over one year” since commissioners testified before the subcommittee. The most recent hearing was in September 2020 (see 2009170068).

Senate Commerce Committee Democrats found ample support during a Wednesday confirmation hearing for plans to speed panel and floor consideration of FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s renomination, in part citing Republicans’ expected somewhat supportive reception for the nominee (see 2111160001). Democratic FTC nominee Alvaro Bedoya got stronger criticism. At least two committee Republicans indicated they’re considering placing holds that would delay Bedoya’s progress on the floor (see 2111170059).

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is likely to get a warmer GOP reception at her Wednesday Senate Commerce Committee confirmation hearing than fellow Democratic commission nominee Gigi Sohn will get at a to-be-scheduled December panel, lawmakers and lobbyists told us. Some observers believe FTC nominee Alvaro Bedoya, who’s also to appear Wednesday, will draw more attention because of some of the agency’s recent actions under Chair Lina Khan. The hearing will begin in 253 Russell immediately after a 10 a.m. meeting that will include votes on National Institute of Standards and Technology director nominee Laurie Locascio, the Anti-Spoofing Penalties Modernization Act (S-594) and American Cybersecurity Literacy Act (S-2699).

The FCC and National Treasury Employees Union agreed on reentry plans, per a signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) and an agency email obtained by Communications Daily. The NTEU confirmed that the sides completed collective bargaining over the multiphase reentry plan Friday. They agreed to further evaluate “the post-pandemic workplace environment” after the start of the reentry plan’s final phase, according to the MOU provided to staff Monday.

Broadcasters and their attorneys don’t expect the FCC to complete the 2018 quadrennial review before 2022, and said a substantive order is unlikely even if something is voted on before year’s end.

LOUISVILLE -- Just as states are pursuing a few approaches to shore up their own USFs, state regulators have a similar array of ideas about how the federal government can put its funds for broadband and other telecom services on sounder financial footing. In interviews on the sidelines of NARUC's gathering and in phone interviews for those who didn't travel here for the Sunday-Wednesday event, commissioners generally agreed the path the federal USF is on isn't sustainable because the percentage fee on some telecom services that consumers are levied on their monthly bills has gone up in recent years.

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announces retired Chief Copyright Royalty Judge Suzanne Barnett as interim chief copyright royalty judge and head of the Copyright Royalty Board, replacing Chief Judge Jesse Feder who's stepping down ... Institute for Security and Technology hires Megan Stifel, ex-Global Cyber Alliance, as IST chief strategy officer; tech policy expert Yael Eisenstat to co-lead the new Digitally Influenced Democracy Initiative; and recent Clark University graduate Zoe Brammer and Lauren Pompey, from Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, as full-time staffers to work on cyber and information security.