Doyle Sees Telecom Progress Before House Communications Markup

Doyle also noted more progress on House-Senate negotiations on anti-robocall legislation, though a final compromise bill isn't on the House Communications roster. “I think we have agreement” on the details of a compromise measure and “there's no reason why we shouldn't see it” before the end of November, he said. Lawmakers have held informal conference negotiations for months (see 1909120056) to combine parts of the House-passed Stopping Bad Robocalls Act (HR-3375) and the Senate-passed Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (Traced) Act (S-151).

Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., also noted progress on a robocall compromise, telling us last week talks were “winding down.” He believed “we might be able to get a bill passed by the Thanksgiving holiday.” Thune cautioned “everything always takes longer around here than it should.”

Stakeholders' attention Wednesday was mostly focused on the planned markup of the HR-5035, which would reauthorize much of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act, given the Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., postponed a vote on his renewal measure (see 1911130055). The House Communications markup will address other policy priorities Doyle has highlighted, including a package of broadband mapping legislation and bills aimed at addressing telecom supply chain security and spectrum policy.

House Communications will also mark up the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (Broadband Data) Act broadband mapping legislative package (HR-4229). The package, as expected (see 1909100064), includes language from several other bills, including the Broadband Mapping After Public Scrutiny (Maps) Act (HR-2643), Broadband Data Improvement Act (HR-3162) and Map Improvement Act (HR-4128). The subcommittee will separately consider the Mapping Accuracy Promotes Services Act (HR-4227), which would explicitly forbid knowingly giving the FCC inaccurate coverage data (see 1909110071).

The markup includes six supply chain security and spectrum bills, including a refiled version of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act (HR-4998). That bill would require the FCC provide $1 billion to help small carriers remove equipment from companies that may pose a security risk (see 1909240065). The markup also includes a refiled version of the Studying How to Harness Airwave Resources Efficiently (Share) Act (HR-5000), which is aimed at reasserting existing FCC and NTIA roles in managing and sharing federal spectrum. It would direct them to develop a R&D program for sharing frequencies between federal incumbents and commercial users. The bill would authorize $50 million for NTIA to establish a spectrum sharing prototyping and test bed program.

Also on the docket: H.Res. 575, the Secure 5G and Beyond Act (HR-2881), the Network Security Information Sharing Act (HR-4461) and the Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act (HR-4500). H.Res. 575 would express the sense of the House that 5G development stakeholders should consider adhering to proposals adopted at the May Prague 5G Security Conference on a cooperative approach to security, with each nation free to develop its own policies (see 1905030052). HR-2881 and Senate version S-893 would require the president develop a strategy for ensuring security of 5G networks and infrastructure (see 1903270065). HR-4461 would direct the Homeland Security secretary create a “program to share information regarding supply chain security risks with trusted providers.” HR-4500 would direct NTIA to encourage U.S. companies and others to participate in international standards-setting bodies.