The two top Republicans on the Senate and House foreign affairs committees urged President Joe Biden to immediately impose a second round of sanctions against Russia under the U.S. Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act. In a June 16 letter, Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said the administration was required to impose a second round of sanctions under the CBW Act unless it certified to Congress by June 2 that the Vladimir Putin regime was “no longer using chemical weapons in violation of international law” and agreed to on-site inspections. The Biden administration had imposed the first round of sanctions against Russia in March (see 2103020067).
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., and Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., filed a House version of the Secure Equipment Act (S-1790) Tuesday in a bid to bar the FCC from issuing new equipment licenses to Huawei and other companies the commission determines to be a national security risk. Commissioners earlier this month approved 4-0 an NPRM proposing a similar ban (see 2106090063). “For far too long, we’ve allowed manufacturers like Huawei and ZTE … to have access to American networks,” Scalise said. “China must be stopped from doing further damage to our telecommunications network.” Commissioner Brendan Carr said the measure “would close a glaring loophole that Huawei and other entities are exploiting today to place their insecure gear into our networks.” Also Tuesday, Sens. Michael Bennet, D-Colo.; Angus King, I-Maine; and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, refiled their Broadband Reform and Investment to Drive Growth in the Economy (Bridge) Act. First filed last year, it would allocate $40 billion for broadband deployments and affordability programs. “Our bipartisan bill puts states in the driver’s seat,” Bennet said. “It empowers communities to deploy their own networks to promote choice and competition. And it significantly raises the standard for any new broadband networks.”
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., and Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., filed a House version of the Secure Equipment Act (S-1790) Tuesday in a bid to bar the FCC from issuing new equipment licenses to Huawei and other companies the commission determines to be a national security risk. Commissioners earlier this month approved 4-0 an NPRM proposing a similar ban (see 2106090063). “For far too long, we’ve allowed manufacturers like Huawei and ZTE … to have access to American networks,” Scalise said. “China must be stopped from doing further damage to our telecommunications network.” Commissioner Brendan Carr said the measure “would close a glaring loophole that Huawei and other entities are exploiting today to place their insecure gear into our networks.” Also Tuesday, Sens. Michael Bennet, D-Colo.; Angus King, I-Maine; and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, refiled their Broadband Reform and Investment to Drive Growth in the Economy (Bridge) Act. First filed last year, it would allocate $40 billion for broadband deployments and affordability programs. “Our bipartisan bill puts states in the driver’s seat,” Bennet said. “It empowers communities to deploy their own networks to promote choice and competition. And it significantly raises the standard for any new broadband networks.”
Coinciding with an increased use of CBP's Enforce and Protect Act process for investigating possible antidumping and/or countervailing duty evasion is a feeling among importers that EAPA action is largely skewed toward the alleger. “Typically, the first notice the importer receives is after the agency has already accepted the allegation and imposed draconian ‘Interim Measures’ that treat the importers’ goods as subject to anti-dumping and countervailing duties, a process" that "has proven to be massively unjust,” Mary Hodgins, a lawyer at Morris Manning, said by email. The process is facing increased scrutiny, with several lawsuits that raise due process questions making their way through the courts.
Coinciding with an increased use of CBP's Enforce and Protect Act process for investigating possible antidumping and/or countervailing duty evasion is a feeling among importers that EAPA action is largely skewed toward the alleger. “Typically, the first notice the importer receives is after the agency has already accepted the allegation and imposed draconian ‘Interim Measures’ that treat the importers’ goods as subject to anti-dumping and countervailing duties, a process" that "has proven to be massively unjust,” Mary Hodgins, a lawyer at Morris Manning, said by email. The process is facing increased scrutiny, with several lawsuits that raise due process questions making their way through the courts.
The Senate got the necessary "yes" votes to pass the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act Tuesday, as expected (see 2106080008). The vote was 68-32. S-1260, previously known as the Endless Frontier Act, includes $52 billion for U.S. chipmaking and $1.5 billion to implement the Utilizing Strategic Allied Telecom Act. The semiconductor money includes $49.5 billion to implement the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors for America Act. Senate passage of S-1260 "is a pivotal step toward strengthening U.S. semiconductor production and innovation and an indication of the strong, bipartisan support in Washington for ensuring sustained American leadership in science and technology,” said Semiconductor Industry Association President John Neuffer Tuesday. The "content on China" in S-1260 "distorts facts" and "denigrates China's development path," said a Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Wednesday. "How the U.S. intends to develop and strengthen its competitiveness is its own business, but we are firmly against the U.S. making an issue out of China and perceiving it as an imaginary enemy." Prospects for House passage of S-1260 remain unclear when it returns from recess Monday. The Science Committee plans to vote Tuesday on the rival National Science Foundation for the Future Act (HR-2225), a House aide said. Committee Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, raised objections about S-1260’s proposal to create a Technology Directorate within NSF.
The Senate achieved the necessary "yes" votes to pass the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act Tuesday, as expected (see 2106040063). The vote was 68-31, with voting continuing, at approximately 6:25 p.m. EDT. S-1260, previously known as the Endless Frontier Act, includes $52 billion for U.S. chipmaking and $1.5 billion to implement the Utilizing Strategic Allied Telecom Act. The semiconductor money includes $49.5 billion to implement the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors for America Act (see 2105210056).
The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals repeatedly pressed Maine during oral argument Monday on the state's assertion that its cable TV charges prorating law isn't rate regulation. Judge Rogeriee Thompson challenged plaintiff-appellee Charter Communications to explain how the state law supposedly runs afoul of the Cable Act bars on regulating rates for provision of cable service if the law is about requiring prorated refunds when cable service is no longer provided. Maine is appealing a lower court's summary judgment in November supporting Charter's challenge (see 2010290039).
Balance Group, Dish Network and Viasat lawsuits challenging the FCC's April SpaceX license modification (see 2104260077) are considered a long shot, experts told us. They cited an environmental law, among other reasons why the commission's ruling may be judicially upheld. The appellants didn't comment Thursday.
Brian Schatz of Hawaii led a letter Thursday with 20 other Senate Democrats urging the departments of Agriculture and Housing and Urban Development to “share data” with the FCC on programs to improve broadband connectivity and “collaborate with each other to better promote" Lifeline. HUD and USDA should “use their resources to help promote the Lifeline program through existing outreach to public housing agencies and schools,” the lawmakers wrote HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “HUD, USDA and the FCC should also collaborate on what additional information they could share with each other to make enrollment in the Lifeline program easier.” Others signing included Communications Subcommittee Chairman Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico and Appropriations Financial Services Subcommittee Chairman Chris Van Hollen of Maryland. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., earlier this week wrote Rosenworcel to again raise concerns about FCC plans to improve broadband coverage map accuracy. He cited a Competitive Carriers Association study that found “pervasive errors” on Rural Digital Opportunity Fund data (see 2105060072).