Amazon said it’s bumping its minimum wage to $15 an hour for all 250,000-plus full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal employees in the U.S., effective Nov 1, and it will lobby for a hike in the federal minimum wage, locked at $7.25 for nearly a decade. Amazon has come under fire from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, who last month co-wrote with Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., the Stop Bad Employers by Zeroing Out Subsidies Act, which would require compensation to the federal government from companies whose employees have to rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other federal assistance. In a Tuesday statement, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said: “We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead.” Bezos, whose net worth recently passed $150 billion according to reports, nudged "competitors and other large employers to join us.” In March, Target announced a dollar bump in the minimum wage to $12 an hour (see 1803060025), saying the rate would extend to $15 an hour by 2020. Walmart said in January, it was raising its minimum wage to $11 an hour.

DOJ likely will convince the courts to throw out California's new net neutrality law, analysts told us Monday. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and other supporters of the FCC's recent broadband regulation rollback voiced confidence in DOJ's lawsuit, filed in federal court as SB-822 was signed by California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) Sunday. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, Commissioner Mike O'Rielly and their supporters welcomed the suit, while Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel and net neutrality advocates criticized it, and industry rivals called for congressional legislation.

DOJ likely will convince the courts to throw out California's new net neutrality law, analysts told us Monday. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and other supporters of the FCC's recent broadband regulation rollback voiced confidence in DOJ's lawsuit, filed in federal court as SB-822 was signed by California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) Sunday. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, Commissioner Mike O'Rielly and their supporters welcomed the suit, while Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel and net neutrality advocates criticized it, and industry rivals called for congressional legislation.

A pending report to Congress required by the Spectrum Pipeline Act should make clear the threat to smaller entities from a notice of proposed rulemaking last year on changes to the rules for the citizens broadband radio service band, the Wireless ISP Association said in reply comments in docket 14-177. In initial comments, NTIA and others encouraged the FCC to make more spectrum bands available for 5G (see 1809110040). The FCC sought comment on the initial rules creating the shared CBRS band and on other bands that can be reallocated for broadband (see 1808100033). The NPRM “threatens to pull the rug from under stakeholders who, in reliance on the 2015 rule changes, made significant, long-term investments in preparation for launching innovative products and services -- including those targeting rural and underserved markets -- utilizing the CBRS band,” WISPA said in comments posted Thursday The FCC can rightfully report that the results of the 2015 rules were “positive and promising,” WISPA said. “But ... the Commission must also report on the chilling effect the 2017 NPRM has had on those changes.” The Utilities Technology Council said it opposes comments in the record that “seek to downplay the complexity of expanding the use of the 6 GHz band … and the associated risks of interference to the safety, security and reliability of electric, gas and water services, as well as numerous other services that depend on the 6 GHz band for mission-critical communications.” Federated Wireless said the FCC should report that CBRS “will play a critical role in providing the mid-band spectrum access needed to ensure that the United States leads the world in the race to 5G.” Federated said there's significant support in the record on the importance of that band. “It is paramount that the Commission continue its work to expeditiously authorize CBRS initial commercial deployments and issue final certifications to Spectrum Access System Administrators and Environmental Sensing Capability Operators to enable full commercialization of the CBRS band,” Federated commented.

The FCC approved a declaratory ruling and order designed to speed the deployment of small cells and 5G across the U.S. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, whose vote had been in doubt (see 1809200007), partially dissented and partially concurred Wednesday.

The FCC approved a declaratory ruling and order designed to speed the deployment of small cells and 5G across the U.S. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, whose vote had been in doubt (see 1809200007), partially dissented and partially concurred Wednesday.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration seeks comments on its implementation of freight forwarder financial responsibility requirements under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), it said in an advance notice of proposed rulemaking. Among the issues on which the FMCSA wants input is under what circumstances should the FMCSA immediately suspend a forwarder or freight broker’s operating authority when its bond or trust fund falls below the required $75,000. Currently FMCSA waits 30 days before suspending that authority, a major driver of non-payment to carriers and shippers, the agency said. On the other hand, immediately suspending would “raise due process concerns, as the Agency would be prohibiting the broker/freight forwarder from lawfully operating, without affording the company a chance to respond.” FMCSA is also asking for comments on group surety bonds, surety or trust responsibilities in cases of forwarder financial failure, and entities that should be eligible to offer trust funds. Comments are due Nov. 26.

House Commerce Committee ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Mike Doyle, D-Pa., and seven other committee Democrats urged FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Tuesday to postpone a planned vote at the commission's Wednesday meeting on the pending 5G wireless infrastructure order and declaratory ruling (see 1809190030). House Digital Commerce Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, and 24 other House Republicans meanwhile urged Pai to move forward on proposals that match the draft order. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel declined to say last week whether she will vote for the ruling and order. Commissioner Brendan Carr, the architect of the 5G order, continued to defend it (see 1809210005). The ruling and order's proposed language limiting “the purpose for which small wireless facility fees can be collected by cities and municipalities … will only stifle local policy innovation, including efforts to bridge the digital divide,” the House Commerce Democrats said in a letter led by Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Calif. It's “troubling that many cities and municipalities feel like they have not been heard by the Commission in this process,” including not providing adequate opportunity to “provide feedback on the proposed presumptive fee limits,” the Democrats said. The FCC's “failure to make a genuine effort to understand and take into account the perspectives of all stakeholders, including localities, raises doubts about whether the proposal in the Declaratory Ruling and Order will in fact yield the best result for consumers.” The FCC should "act swiftly to clear the way for more investment in our nation's vital communications infrastructure," House Republicans said in a letter led by Rep. Billy Long, R-Mo. "The FCC should take steps to ensure capital is being invested in deploying broadband, not being spent on burdensome regulations that make investing in higher cost areas, particularly in rural America, less feasible." China and South Korea "are eager to win" the race to 5G, "which is why we need smart, efficient" FCC regulations "that promote investment so the U.S. ultimately wins, the Republicans said. "We are pleased to see the strong support expressed today [in the Republicans' letter] for the policies the FCC will vote on tomorrow," a Carr spokesman said. "Their letter builds on the support we’ve already seen from more than several dozen mayors and state officials from across the country. Seventeen months into this proceeding, it is time to act and ensure our regulations are 5G ready.”

House Commerce Committee ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Mike Doyle, D-Pa., and seven other committee Democrats urged FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Tuesday to postpone a planned vote at the commission's Wednesday meeting on the pending 5G wireless infrastructure order and declaratory ruling (see 1809190030). House Digital Commerce Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, and 24 other House Republicans meanwhile urged Pai to move forward on proposals that match the draft order. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel declined to say last week whether she will vote for the ruling and order. Commissioner Brendan Carr, the architect of the 5G order, continued to defend it (see 1809210005). The ruling and order's proposed language limiting “the purpose for which small wireless facility fees can be collected by cities and municipalities … will only stifle local policy innovation, including efforts to bridge the digital divide,” the House Commerce Democrats said in a letter led by Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Calif. It's “troubling that many cities and municipalities feel like they have not been heard by the Commission in this process,” including not providing adequate opportunity to “provide feedback on the proposed presumptive fee limits,” the Democrats said. The FCC's “failure to make a genuine effort to understand and take into account the perspectives of all stakeholders, including localities, raises doubts about whether the proposal in the Declaratory Ruling and Order will in fact yield the best result for consumers.” The FCC should "act swiftly to clear the way for more investment in our nation's vital communications infrastructure," House Republicans said in a letter led by Rep. Billy Long, R-Mo. "The FCC should take steps to ensure capital is being invested in deploying broadband, not being spent on burdensome regulations that make investing in higher cost areas, particularly in rural America, less feasible." China and South Korea "are eager to win" the race to 5G, "which is why we need smart, efficient" FCC regulations "that promote investment so the U.S. ultimately wins, the Republicans said. "We are pleased to see the strong support expressed today [in the Republicans' letter] for the policies the FCC will vote on tomorrow," a Carr spokesman said. "Their letter builds on the support we’ve already seen from more than several dozen mayors and state officials from across the country. Seventeen months into this proceeding, it is time to act and ensure our regulations are 5G ready.”

Both Democrats and Republicans said auto tariffs aren't going to help add U.S. manufacturing, and numerous members of the Senate Finance Committee questioned the logic of the Trump administration's national security rationale for threatening them. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, noted that he has a bill that would not allow the president to act unilaterally to raise tariffs on autos or auto parts under Section 232, and that Honda North America has endorsed it. But little of the two-hour hearing focused on how Congress could take back power on trade to constrain the administration. Even committee ranking member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who criticizes the president's trade policy as chaotic and ineffective, hedged that "perhaps" it is "time for the Congress to think about reclaiming that authority," in his opening statement.