A Tuesday House Communications Subcommittee FCC oversight teleconference was far tamer than the subpanel’s other examinations of commission business during this Congress (see 1912050043). Most subcommittee members focused on telecom-related COVID-19 legislative proposals. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai emphasized his requests for additional funding. Pai also got additional support from House Communications Republicans for the commission’s recent approval of Ligado’s L-band plan (see 2004200039).

President Donald Trump's administration is in a "wait-and-see mode" on whether it will back an additional COVID-19 aid bill, senior adviser Kevin Hassett told reporters Monday. The House voted 208-199 Friday to pass the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (Heroes) Act (HR-6800), which includes emergency broadband funding. The chamber divided largely along party lines, with only one Republican -- Rep. Peter King of New York -- voting yes. Fourteen Democrats opposed the bill. HR-6800’s broadband funding includes an $8.8 billion Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund and $5 billion for E-rate (see 2005130059). The measure would raise minimum service standards for Lifeline service and includes language to make broadcasters and other local outlets eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program. It would repeal the 2012 spectrum law's mandate for public safety to move off the 470-512 MHz T band by 2021, which FCC Chairman Ajit Pai again urged Congress Friday to do (see 2005150053). "If the economy continues the momentum that we’re beginning to see over the last couple weeks of data, I think one might conclude the stimulus we already passed is enough," Hassett said. "It’s appropriate to at least wait until we see how those go and check on the state of economy before we spend taxpayers’ money" given the March enactment of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, which also contained broadband funding (see 2003260063).

President Donald Trump's administration is in a "wait-and-see mode" on whether it will back an additional COVID-19 aid bill, senior adviser Kevin Hassett told reporters Monday. The House voted 208-199 Friday to pass the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (Heroes) Act (HR-6800), which includes emergency broadband funding. The chamber divided largely along party lines, with only one Republican -- Rep. Peter King of New York -- voting yes. Fourteen Democrats opposed the bill. HR-6800’s broadband funding includes an $8.8 billion Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund and $5 billion for E-rate (see 2005130059). The measure would raise minimum service standards for Lifeline service and includes language to make broadcasters and other local outlets eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program. It would repeal the 2012 spectrum law's mandate for public safety to move off the 470-512 MHz T band by 2021, which FCC Chairman Ajit Pai again urged Congress Friday to do (see 2005150053). "If the economy continues the momentum that we’re beginning to see over the last couple weeks of data, I think one might conclude the stimulus we already passed is enough," Hassett said. "It’s appropriate to at least wait until we see how those go and check on the state of economy before we spend taxpayers’ money" given the March enactment of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, which also contained broadband funding (see 2003260063).

Countries should be coordinating how drugs will be distributed once they are proven to work, drug industry representatives say. Senior officials at the trade group for biologic drugs and the trade group for generics, along with the head of Pfizer's global trade policy, were speaking on a Washington International Trade Association webinar May 14 about the global supply chain for pharmaceuticals and the search for a COVID-19 cure.

Senate Commerce Committee members signaled interest in including further emergency broadband funding in the next COVID-19 package. Some senators urged their colleagues to think beyond the crisis. The Wednesday hearing featured few references to House Democrats' Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (Heroes) Act (HR-6800), which contains substantial broadband funding. The bill also includes language to make broadcasters and other local outlets eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program. Both issues drew increasing support since the March enactment of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (see 2004300058). The House is expected to vote on HR-6800 as soon as Friday.

The FCC approved 5-0 allowing broadband in 900 MHz, reallocating a 6 MHz swath while keeping 4 MHz for narrowband. Commissioners voted electronically (see 2005130008) before Wednesday's abbreviated virtual meeting, as expected (see 2005070054). Anterix executives said the spectrum could help utilities across the U.S. update operations and move to a smart grid.

Facebook should take a hands-off approach to content moderation, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr told us in arguing the company's new oversight board injects political bias and lets the platform avoid responsibility. Carr criticized the board in a series of tweets, calling it Facebook "speech police" and arguing most members have left-leaning bias. Facebook and several board members didn’t comment Tuesday.

Facebook should take a hands-off approach to content moderation, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr told us in arguing the company's new oversight board injects political bias and lets the platform avoid responsibility. Carr criticized the board in a series of tweets, calling it Facebook "speech police" and arguing most members have left-leaning bias. Facebook and several board members didn’t comment Tuesday.

Chairman Joe Simons suggested the FTC is examining Zoom’s privacy practices in light of COVID-19 concerns (see 2005070044). During a Monday teleconference with the House Consumer Protection Subcommittee, Simons didn’t directly link the company to any specific agency effort but said the agency monitors major events in the news media. “If you’re reading about it in the press, then you can be assured that either we’re looking at it already, or if we’re not, we will as a result of that media attention,” he responded to questions from Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., about Zoom. The company didn’t comment.

Chairman Joe Simons suggested the FTC is examining Zoom’s privacy practices in light of COVID-19 concerns (see 2005070044). During a Monday teleconference with the House Consumer Protection Subcommittee, Simons didn’t directly link the company to any specific agency effort but said the agency monitors major events in the news media. “If you’re reading about it in the press, then you can be assured that either we’re looking at it already, or if we’re not, we will as a result of that media attention,” he responded to questions from Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., about Zoom. The company didn’t comment.