FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said he sought a deal with Commissioner Mignon Clyburn on an alternative framework for exempting small ISPs from open internet enhanced transparency requirements. Pai was responding to a letter from Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, who voiced disappointment the FCC didn't consult with the congressman before circulating a draft order to exempt ISPs with 250,000 or fewer subscribers from the duties (see 1702140060 and 1701270058). Pai said he previously sought a bipartisan compromise and modeled his small-provider exemption order on Loebsack's Small Business Broadband Deployment Act, in an April 3 letter posted Monday in docket No. 17-18. "After I received your letter, I reached out to my colleague yet again to determine whether an alternative compromise would be amenable to her," Pai wrote in reference to Clyburn. "Unfortunately, my compromise proposal was rejected. Nonetheless, our action will help the nation's small Internet service providers better serve their communities, like the ones you mentioned in your home state." The FCC approved the exemption order 2-1 Feb. 23 over the dissent of Clyburn, who said there was no analysis to support raising the small-provider exemption level from 100,000 to 250,000 subscribers.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said he sought a deal with Commissioner Mignon Clyburn on an alternative framework for exempting small ISPs from open internet enhanced transparency requirements. Pai was responding to a letter from Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, who voiced disappointment the FCC didn't consult with the congressman before circulating a draft order to exempt ISPs with 250,000 or fewer subscribers from the duties (see 1702140060 and 1701270058). Pai said he previously sought a bipartisan compromise and modeled his small-provider exemption order on Loebsack's Small Business Broadband Deployment Act, in an April 3 letter posted Monday in docket No. 17-18. "After I received your letter, I reached out to my colleague yet again to determine whether an alternative compromise would be amenable to her," Pai wrote in reference to Clyburn. "Unfortunately, my compromise proposal was rejected. Nonetheless, our action will help the nation's small Internet service providers better serve their communities, like the ones you mentioned in your home state." The FCC approved the exemption order 2-1 Feb. 23 over the dissent of Clyburn, who said there was no analysis to support raising the small-provider exemption level from 100,000 to 250,000 subscribers.

The FCC is considered likely to grant Fox’s request for a temporary waiver of the newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership rule despite objections raised by a number of public interest groups (see 1703090049), numerous broadcast attorneys told us. Fox wants the waiver to allow it to continue operating the New York Post and running TV stations in the same New York market while awaiting an FCC decision on petitions for reconsideration of the FCC’s 2014 quadrennial ownership review. In a joint opposition filing in docket 07-260 for Monday’s comment deadline, the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, Free Press, the United Church of Christ Communication Office and Voice for New Jersey said the waiver is unjustified and granting a temporary waiver that's dependent on a pending reconsideration process would “violate long-standing, sensible Commission policy.”

The FCC now has in hand replies on a Mobilitie petition asking the agency to pre-empt state and local authority over rights of way (see 1703080011). Replies were due Friday in docket 16-421. Focus is shifting to a second set of proceedings, an NPRM and notice of inquiry on wireless siting issues proposed by Chairman Ajit Pai and set for a vote at the April 20 commissioners’ meeting (see 1703300060), industry officials said.

The path for the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act has become more complicated amid jurisdictional fights and ongoing criticism from HR-1695 critics, said several officials in interviews. The bill would make the register a presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed position with a 10-year term (see 1703230068). The House Judiciary Committee cleared HR-1695 in March 27-1 and it was believed to be on track for a possible House floor vote this week (see 1703290066). The House adjourned Thursday without voting on the bill and isn't expected to vote again on legislation until after its Monday to April 21 recess.

President Donald Trump’s “bold, broad view of infrastructure” includes broadband, a White House spokesman told us Thursday. The official declined to say whether any broadband funding in Trump’s much-discussed $1 trillion infrastructure plan would be funneled to FCC USF or other programs. The White House previously said it was considering broadband for its infrastructure package (see 1702230059), and bicameral and bipartisan congressional pressure all year pushed the White House to make broadband a priority.

President Donald Trump’s “bold, broad view of infrastructure” includes broadband, a White House spokesman told us Thursday. The official declined to say whether any broadband funding in Trump’s much-discussed $1 trillion infrastructure plan would be funneled to FCC USF or other programs. The White House previously said it was considering broadband for its infrastructure package (see 1702230059), and bicameral and bipartisan congressional pressure all year pushed the White House to make broadband a priority.

The path for the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act has become more complicated amid jurisdictional fights and ongoing criticism from HR-1695 critics, said several officials in interviews. The bill would make the register a presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed position with a 10-year term (see 1703230068). The House Judiciary Committee cleared HR-1695 in March 27-1 and it was believed to be on track for a possible House floor vote this week (see 1703290066). The House adjourned Thursday without voting on the bill and isn't expected to vote again on legislation until after its Monday to April 21 recess.

State legislatures are adopting internet privacy protections on a bipartisan basis in response to President Donald Trump and Congress repealing FCC ISP privacy rules. Trump signed the Congressional Review Act (CRA) repeal Monday (see 1704040059) after votes last week. Wisconsin directly rebuked that action Tuesday and Minnesota responded last week by adopting ISP privacy amendments on major state bills.

State legislatures are adopting internet privacy protections on a bipartisan basis in response to President Donald Trump and Congress repealing FCC ISP privacy rules. Trump signed the Congressional Review Act (CRA) repeal Monday (see 1704040059) after votes last week. Wisconsin directly rebuked that action Tuesday and Minnesota responded last week by adopting ISP privacy amendments on major state bills.