The Office of Foreign Assets Control fined a Cleveland process controls and instrument manufacturer more than $215,000 for violating U.S. sanctions against Iran, OFAC said in a March 15 notice. The company, UniControl, Inc., exported goods to European companies despite knowing they would ultimately be sent to Iran, OFAC said. The agency said the company failed to “act on multiple apparent warning signs.”
Aides to the other three commissioners have been working with the office of acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel Monday on possible changes to a public notice proposing rules for an October auction in the 3.45 GHz band, said FCC and industry officials. The order is expected to be approved 4-0. It could get a few tweaks from the draft, officials said. They expected discussions to continue Tuesday.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, acting at the “direction” of President Donald Trump, had the authority under the 1974 Trade Act to impose the Lists 3 and 4A Section 301 tariffs on Chinese imports, argued a DOJ "master answer" (in Pacer) Friday in one among a series of “anticipated defenses” it plans to mount against the massive litigation inundating the U.S. Court of International Trade. The defenses were layered with a series of fallback arguments, some contradicting others. Lawyers we polled Monday said the tactic was common, based on the proven strategy that DOJ needs only one argument to stick.
Congress clearly didn't mean the National Environmental Policy Act to apply to space, since it refers only to the human environment and biosphere, so Viasat "does not come close" to overcoming FCC categorical exclusion for NEPA, SpaceX told the International Bureau Thursday. It opposed Viasat's petition for the agency do a NEPA review of SpaceX's pending license modification (see 2102050003). SpaceX said it's "striking" Viasat didn't raise NEPA concerns with other mega constellations such as Amazon's or its own pending license modification. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development recognizes that deployment of a mega constellation like SpaceX's Starlink "would be a 'game-changer' negatively impacting space safety," Viasat emailed us. "Aerospace Corporation tells us that the impact on the atmosphere must be evaluated. A UN working group of astronomy experts tells us that the situation has 'taken a perverse turn as indifferent radio spectrum regulators authorize the launch of mega-constellations.' It is clear that the Biden-Harris Administration cannot turn a blind eye to these concerns.” SpaceX said Hughes questions about supposed noncompliance with equivalent power flux density limits (see 2103080033) were brought up months ago by another operator and addressed. It said it doesn't plan to have more than one satellite communicate with a gateway in any frequency at a time in the 19.7-20.2 GHz portion of the Ka-band.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, reintroduced the Global Trade Accountability Act, a bill that would not allow any presidential hike in tariffs, tightening of tariff-rate quotas or other import restrictions without congressional approval. Sens. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., co-sponsored the bill, which was first introduced in 2017. Temporary tariffs or quotas would be allowed under a national emergency but would expire after 90 days without congressional approval. “Congress has ceded far too much of its lawmaking power to the executive branch, including the power to unilaterally raise tariffs,” said Lee Thursday. “Sudden hikes in trade barriers can have real and devastating impacts on American small businesses, farmers, and families, including in my home state of Utah.” Paul said that "as a constitutional republic, tax increases should never be imposed by the whim of one person.”
The Environmental Protection Agency seeks additional comments on five recent final rules it issued under the Toxic Substances Control Act that banned or partially banned five chemicals, it said in a notice released March 15. Part of a review “to determine whether [the final rules] are consistent with the Administration policy to limit exposure to dangerous chemicals (and to determine whether and how these rules should be revised),” EPA’s notice in particular seeks comments on issues raised by industry on the compliance date for a prohibition on one of the five chemicals, phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)). Comments are due May 17.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, reintroduced the Global Trade Accountability Act, a bill that would not allow any presidential hike in tariffs, tightening of tariff-rate quotas or other import restrictions without congressional approval. Sens. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., co-sponsored the bill, which was first introduced in 2017. Temporary tariffs or quotas would be allowed under a national emergency but would expire after 90 days without congressional approval. “Congress has ceded far too much of its lawmaking power to the executive branch, including the power to unilaterally raise tariffs,” said Lee Thursday. “Sudden hikes in trade barriers can have real and devastating impacts on American small businesses, farmers, and families, including in my home state of Utah.” Paul said that "as a constitutional republic, tax increases should never be imposed by the whim of one person.”
The FCC Precision Agriculture Connectivity Task Force unanimously approved an interim report Friday from the Accelerating Broadband Deployment on Unserved Agricultural Lands Working Group. The ag task force heard an update from the commission’s new Broadband Data Task Force (see 2103110050).
It's an “easy” decision to support legislation for giving news outlets power to negotiate with Big Tech, House Antitrust Subcommittee ranking member Ken Buck, R-Colo., told us Friday, despite criticism from fellow Republicans. Legislators and two witnesses at Friday’s hearing said the legislation could enable a big media monopoly when the goal is to check Big Tech power.
It's an “easy” decision to support legislation for giving news outlets power to negotiate with Big Tech, House Antitrust Subcommittee ranking member Ken Buck, R-Colo., told us Friday, despite criticism from fellow Republicans. Legislators and two witnesses at Friday’s hearing said the legislation could enable a big media monopoly when the goal is to check Big Tech power.