Kennedy Speaks With Trump, Meets With FCC Staff on C-Band Concerns
Senate Appropriations Financial Services Subcommittee Chairman John Kennedy, R-La., spoke with President Donald Trump recently about his concerns about a potential private auction of spectrum on the 3.7-4.2 GHz C band, as expected (see 1910290037), a White House spokesperson and…
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Kennedy aide confirmed. Trump and Kennedy “have discussed 5G, and the Trump administration will continue to hear input from stakeholders and” lawmakers amid work “to ensure the United States dominates 5G,” the White House spokesperson emailed Friday. The Kennedy aide described his conversation with Trump as “positive.” The aide also confirmed Kennedy met with FCC auction staff about the C-band process. The FCC didn't comment. Kennedy has been strongly critical about the C-Band Alliance's private auction plan, leading to pushback from group consultant Preston Padden (see 1910310067). Kennedy has been working to retain Senate Appropriations Committee-backed pro-public auction language (see 1909190079) in the chamber's version of the FY 2020 FCC-FTC budget bill (S-2524) despite opposition from Senate Commerce Committee GOP leaders. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., is backing Kennedy. “An FCC-led public auction best supports free enterprise, competition, and transparency while fully protecting the American Taxpayer,” Biggs tweeted in response to video Kennedy posted of his recent Senate floor speech on the C-band issue.