The Senate Commerce Committee appears to have the bipartisan support needed to advance two pieces of children’s privacy legislation at markup Wednesday (see 2207140051), Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and bill sponsors told us Thursday.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr raised concerns Thursday about coordination among federal agencies regarding NTIA’s $42.5 billion broadband, equity, access and deployment program and about overbuilding through the program. “We’re going to take areas that have service today and we’re going to put federal dollars on top of private dollars rather than actually connecting people,” Carr said during an American Enterprise Institute event.

The Commerce Department failed to show that it held a fair comparison between the constructed export price for three affiliated steel pipe producers and their home market price, the Court of International Trade ruled in a July 15 opinion. Judge Timothy Stanceu ruled that Commerce did not discuss how a fair comparison was reached in light of evidence showing two levels of trade in the home market, nor did the agency analyze detracting evidence placed on the record by the plaintiffs, led by Universal Tube and Plastic Industries.

As CBP moves toward collecting data from “non-traditional” parties earlier in the supply chain as part of its reimagined 21st Century Customs Framework, major questions include the standard to which that data will be held, as well as how CBP will enforce those standards on supply chain actors beyond the agency’s jurisdiction, CBP and industry officials said during a panel discussion July 18.

The FCC's August meeting will have a vote on establishing an outreach grant for the affordable connectivity program and allowing geostationary orbit (GSO) satellite service downlinks in the 17.3-17.8 GHz band, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel blogged Thursday. Also on the agenda are consideration of a one-year pilot program, -- Your Home, Your Internet -- which aims to boost enrollment among households receiving federal housing assistance, and the possible launch of an inquiry into in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing, plus an Enforcement Bureau item and a Media Bureau adjudication, she said. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act gave the FCC authority to allocate ACP funding for outreach, a change from the emergency broadband benefit program that many advocacy groups sought. The FCC sought comment on how it should establish the grant program earlier this year. Many groups sought flexibility in eligibility and how awards would be made (see 2206130052). “We’re making sure people know about affordable ways to get connected," Rosenworcel said. The FCC unanimously approved an NPRM on GSO downlinks in the 17 GHz band (see 2011180043) in 2020, though wireless interests raised concerns about proposed co-primary operations in the band (see 2103040041). Rosenworcel said the item would also seek comment on opening this opportunity to more satellites. People receiving federal housing assistance too often "find themselves on the wrong side of the digital divide," she said, and the Your Home, Your Internet pilot “offers a unique opportunity to help them get online.” Commissioner Geoffrey Starks led the initiative to establish the pilot.

Advocates of a proposal to use the 12 GHz band for 5G told us they expect SpaceX to launch a late campaign opposing the change and think the FCC is still on a path to authorizing operations in coming months. Leaders of the 5G for 12 GHz Coalition say all signs are that the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology is fully engaged in working through the engineering and whether the band can be used for 5G without causing harmful interference to incumbents. OneWeb also raised concerns (see 2207120058).

Advocates of a proposal to use the 12 GHz band for 5G told us they expect SpaceX to launch a late campaign opposing the change and think the FCC is still on a path to authorizing operations in coming months. Leaders of the 5G for 12 GHz Coalition say all signs are that the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology is fully engaged in working through the engineering and whether the band can be used for 5G without causing harmful interference to incumbents. OneWeb also raised concerns (see 2207120058).

Industry experts raised concerns about the amount of work states have to do to participate in NTIA’s broadband, equity, access and deployment program (see 2201190057), during a Fiber Broadband Association webinar Tuesday. “We are operating still … with a lot of uncertainty,” said Kelley Drye 's Tom Cohen, FBA counsel, since NTIA “tossed in a lot of issues” in its notice of funding opportunity (see 2205130054).

A coalition of consumer advocacy organizations told the FCC it was concerned about ISPs "refuting the existence of digital discrimination" in the commission's proceeding addressing the issue (see 2207050057). Said Common Cause, Communications Workers of America, Engine, The Greenlining Institute, MediaJustice, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, the National Hispanic Media Coalition, Next Century Cities, Public Knowledge and the Utility Reform Network: the FCC "must use a discriminatory impact standard" to "rectify current and past discrimination," in a meeting with aides to Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, per an ex parte filing posted Monday in docket 22-69. The groups also asked the FCC to define the term "given area" as a "wide service area" and "granular enforcement area so that all instances of discrimination can be found." The FCC should update its consumer complaint process and "complaints must be acted upon," the groups said, suggesting the commission also engage in "proactive" outreach to determine if discrimination exists in certain areas.

In the July 6 Customs Bulletin (Vol. 56, No. 26), CBP published a proposal to revoke a ruling on wooden paint mixing sticks and composite portable storage batteries.