Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.
The House Commerce Committee voted 50-1 Wednesday to advance a revised version of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (HR-979), despite some members’ misgivings about including a shorter sunset period as a compromise with pro-automotive industry lawmakers. HR-979 and its Senate Commerce Committee-advanced companion, S-315, would require the Department of Transportation to mandate that future automobiles include AM radio technology, mostly affecting electric vehicles (see 2502100072). The bill’s supporters unsuccessfully tried to attach it to a December 2024 continuing resolution to extend federal appropriations (see Ref:2412180033]).
As communications evolves, NATO is “at the forefront” of trying to understand new technologies, “testing and experimenting” to see which are “the most impactful,” said Antonio Calderon, chief technology officer of the NATO Communications and Information Agency, during a Mobile World Live webinar Wednesday. Other speakers said 5G means new opportunities for business and government agencies, and companies are experimenting with private networks and network slicing.
Judges at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit held argument on the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana's decision to transfer a case against the legality of International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariffs and Section 232 tariffs as applied to tribal members to the Court of International Trade. One of the judges, Judge William Fletcher, appeared skeptical of the government's claim that the court can't review the district court's transfer order (Susan Webber v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 9th Cir. # 25-2717).
Groups opposed to the order giving the FirstNet Authority, and indirectly AT&T, control of the 4.9 GHz band through a nationwide license (see 2410220027) and the Public Safety Spectrum Alliance (PSSA), which had only a few quibbles with the order, clashed in briefs filed this week at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Oral argument has yet to be scheduled in the case (docket 24-1363). The FCC approved the order during the last administration with support from current Chairman Brendan Carr (see 2411130027).
Consensus is emerging among public safety groups on some issues as the FCC considers rules for next-generation 911, the National Emergency Number Association said in reply comments Monday in docket 21-479. Replies are due Wednesday on a Further NPRM that commissioners approved 4-0 in March (see 2503270042).
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit decided Sept. 12 to stay proceedings in California's case against the legality of tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, though it denied the government's stay request in a similar case brought by members of the Blackfeet Nation tribe. Oral argument in the tribal members' lawsuit remains scheduled for Sept. 17 before Judges William Fletcher, Ronald Gould and Ana de Alba (State of California v. Donald J. Trump, 9th Cir. # 25-3493) (Susan Webber v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 9th Cir. # 25-2717).
As part of his efforts to protect young children from abusive AI chatbots, California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) said Saturday he will support a bill the state's legislature approved Friday whose aim is to isolate kids from being treated as "test subjects as AI innovation moves quickly."
Consumer Technology Association representatives discussed spectrum, national security and other issues with Commissioner Olivia Trusty, according to a filing posted Thursday in 21-232 and other dockets. “CTA encourages continued investment in 5G and 6G infrastructure, broadband expansion and efficient use of licensed and unlicensed spectrum,” the filing said. “To that end we are pleased with the reinstatement of the FCC’s spectrum auction authority.”
Competitive Carriers Association membership is shrinking, but the remainder are hopeful about future spectrum auctions and policy calls that could mean the difference between life and death for many small players, CEO Tim Donovan said in an interview Thursday.