If T-Mobile could turn itself around at the start of this decade, why not Sprint now, Judge Victor Marrero asked T-Mobile CEO John Legere at trial Friday at U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. After states grilled Legere, Marrero also asked if T-Mobile would be like ’60s "flower children" who turned into corporate bankers. Legere declined to answer our questions after leaving the courtroom in lower Manhattan.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., set a Monday cloture vote on the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (S-1790), which includes language targeting Chinese telecom equipment manufacturers Huawei and ZTE. The House approved the measure Wednesday 377-48. The House and Senate Armed Services committees released the conference text earlier this week after months of work to blend (see 1907220053) the Senate and House-passed (HR-2500) measures. The conference NDAA includes a modified version of House-side anti-Huawei language originally sought by Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., that would modify conditions for the Commerce Department to lift the Bureau of Industry and Security’s addition of Huawei to its entity list (see 1906190054). It would require Huawei to prove it “sufficiently resolved or settled” supply chain security issues that led to its inclusion on the BIS entity list (see 1905160081). Commerce has since approved export licenses (see 1911210027) for U.S. companies to have their products included in Huawei's equipment. The bill also includes Gallagher’s proposal to direct the president to report to Congress on ZTE's compliance with a 2018 agreement that lifted Commerce's ban on U.S. companies selling telecom software and equipment to ZTE (see 1807130048). The measure includes a Senate-cleared proposal from Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., and Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., that would require the director of national intelligence report the extent “global and regional adoption” of foreign-made 5G technology affects U.S. national security. The study would look at how the nation's “strategy to reduce foreign influence and political pressure in international standard-setting bodies” could help mitigate the threat. The NDAA includes language from the Authenticating Local Emergencies and Real Threats (Alert) Act, which would give the federal government sole authority to issue missile threat alerts and preempt state and local governments' role (see 1802070052). Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, filed the bill in response to the January 2018 false missile emergency alert in Hawaii (see 1801160054). NDAA conferees agreed to remove Senate-cleared language telling DOD to work with the FCC and NTIA to establish a spectrum sharing R&D program. House Commerce Committee ranking member Greg Walden, R-Ore., and others raised concerns about the language because they believe it could undermine NTIA’s role in making spectrum allocation decisions for the federal government (see 1909180048). The conference text also doesn’t include House-cleared language from the 911 Supporting Accurate Views of Emergency Services (Saves) Act. HR-1629/S-1015 would change the federal government's classification of public safety call-takers and dispatchers to "protective service occupations" (see 1904050054).

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., set a Monday cloture vote on the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (S-1790), which includes language targeting Chinese telecom equipment manufacturers Huawei and ZTE. The House approved the measure Wednesday 377-48. The House and Senate Armed Services committees released the conference text earlier this week after months of work to blend (see 1907220053) the Senate and House-passed (HR-2500) measures. The conference NDAA includes a modified version of House-side anti-Huawei language originally sought by Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., that would modify conditions for the Commerce Department to lift the Bureau of Industry and Security’s addition of Huawei to its entity list (see 1906190054). It would require Huawei to prove it “sufficiently resolved or settled” supply chain security issues that led to its inclusion on the BIS entity list (see 1905160081). Commerce has since approved export licenses (see 1911210027) for U.S. companies to have their products included in Huawei's equipment. The bill also includes Gallagher’s proposal to direct the president to report to Congress on ZTE's compliance with a 2018 agreement that lifted Commerce's ban on U.S. companies selling telecom software and equipment to ZTE (see 1807130048). The measure includes a Senate-cleared proposal from Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., and Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., that would require the director of national intelligence report the extent “global and regional adoption” of foreign-made 5G technology affects U.S. national security. The study would look at how the nation's “strategy to reduce foreign influence and political pressure in international standard-setting bodies” could help mitigate the threat. The NDAA includes language from the Authenticating Local Emergencies and Real Threats (Alert) Act, which would give the federal government sole authority to issue missile threat alerts and preempt state and local governments' role (see 1802070052). Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, filed the bill in response to the January 2018 false missile emergency alert in Hawaii (see 1801160054). NDAA conferees agreed to remove Senate-cleared language telling DOD to work with the FCC and NTIA to establish a spectrum sharing R&D program. House Commerce Committee ranking member Greg Walden, R-Ore., and others raised concerns about the language because they believe it could undermine NTIA’s role in making spectrum allocation decisions for the federal government (see 1909180048). The conference text also doesn’t include House-cleared language from the 911 Supporting Accurate Views of Emergency Services (Saves) Act. HR-1629/S-1015 would change the federal government's classification of public safety call-takers and dispatchers to "protective service occupations" (see 1904050054).

Hill lawmakers' communications policy aspirations for a continuing resolution to fund the federal government past Dec. 20 took simultaneous steps forward and back Tuesday and Wednesday. Congressional leaders finalized an expected deal to attach language from two House-side Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act reauthorization bills into the funding extension measure (see 1912090051). A contentious Senate Commerce Committee markup of the 5G Spectrum Act (S-2881) and other factors, meanwhile, raised doubts about the prospects of using the CR to weigh in on a planned FCC auction of spectrum on the 3.7-4.2 GHz C band (see 1912100001).

ICANN should delay the sale of the Public Interest Registry to a private equity firm until concerns about possible censorship, high domain name prices and other issues are addressed, more nonprofits are asking. The transaction, announced Nov. 13 (see 1911130029), involves the sale of PIR's assets to Ethos Capital. Despite assurances from the buyer and the seller, the Internet Society, opposition is growing. ICANN requested more information about the deal and urged the parties to act openly and transparently.

ICANN should delay the sale of the Public Interest Registry to a private equity firm until concerns about possible censorship, high domain name prices and other issues are addressed, more nonprofits are asking. The transaction, announced Nov. 13 (see 1911130029), involves the sale of PIR's assets to Ethos Capital. Despite assurances from the buyer and the seller, the Internet Society, opposition is growing. ICANN requested more information about the deal and urged the parties to act openly and transparently.

Legislative efforts to prevent improper use of “Product of U.S.A.” labeling for imported meats instead create new issues and should be replaced by a mandatory country-of-origin labeling bill, the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund and other trade groups said in a Dec. 9 letter to South Dakota Senate Republicans Mike Rounds and John Thune. The groups said that the U.S. Beef Integrity Act (S. 2744), which limits such labeling to “cattle exclusively born, raised, and slaughtered” in the U.S, doesn't go far enough. “Attempting to correct this single problem with stand-alone legislation, rather than reinstating mandatory COOL in its entirety, will unnecessarily complicate the efforts of U.S. cattle and hog farmers who desire to have their exclusively U.S.-produced beef and pork differentiated in America’s consumer market,” the trade group said.

Hill lawmakers are pushing to insert major telecom priorities into a continuing resolution to fund the federal government past Dec. 20, with some items appearing to be closer to the finish line than others. Leaders are nearing a deal to attach Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act reauthorization language to the CR derived entirely from a pair of House-side measures. The House passed one of those bills, the Television Viewer Protection Act (HR-5035), on a voice vote Tuesday.

Tech companies and advertisers made a last stand, raising concerns about the California Consumer Privacy Act before it takes effect Jan. 1. Comments were due Friday on implementing rules Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) proposed in October and that must be finalized by July 1 when enforcement begins (see 1910100042). The AG office didn’t post the most recent comments online. Some sent theirs to us.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., isn't foreclosing the possibility of a deal to advance Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act reauthorization legislation out of the committee at a coming markup session. Other Senate Commerce members told us they believe it's going to be difficult to reach an agreement soon. Some want to attach short-term renewal language to must-pass legislation in a bid to extend negotiations. Wicker and others are also closely eyeing a pair of House STELA bills that are awaiting formal combination before floor action. The law expires Dec. 31.