The FCC could remain fully open “through Oct. 11” in the event of a now-unlikely government shutdown, acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel told reporters Thursday. See our news bulletin here. President Joe Biden was expected to have signed a continuing resolution later that day to fund the federal government through Dec. 3 (HR-5305), averting a shutdown of agencies that would otherwise begin at midnight. Prospects for a planned Thursday House vote on the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (HR-3684) were in doubt amid opposition from progressives in the Democratic caucus to affirming the Senate-passed measure without first voting on a budget reconciliation package that's still under negotiation.
FCC commissioners approved an NPRM on making networks more resilient during disasters 4-0 Thursday, as expected (see 2109280051). Commissioners said more mandates could come as a result of the investigation. Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said the FCC plans a virtual field hearing as part of the Oct. 26 meeting on Hurricane Ida. Rosenworcel and Commissioner Brendan Carr traveled to Louisiana this week to tour areas hit by the latest storm. Commissioners also unanimously adopted an order on foreign ownership and an NPRM about closing two methods for scammers taking control of victims' mobile phones, SIM swapping and port-out fraud. Such actions were as expected (see 2109280009).
New York state awarded $45 million in grants to counties and New York City to enhance emergency communications, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said Wednesday. Counties plan to use this year’s support to add national interoperability channels, build new towers and land mobile radio systems and move to P25 technology, her office said.
The possibility of the booming number of planned low earth orbit satellites causing interference for other LEO systems or geostationary orbit satellites "will come to a head in the next couple years" and needs to be addressed, said Jennifer Manner, EchoStar senior vice president-regulatory affairs. Speaking Wednesday at a Nebraska College of Law space law conference, she said an open proceeding at the U.K.'s Ofcom about non-geostationary orbit satellite systems interfering with other NGSOs indicates the growing need for regulatory solutions.
Leaders of Quad countries Australia, India, Japan and the U.S. ended their summit in Washington with the commitment to “fostering an open, accessible, and secure technology ecosystem, based on mutual trust and confidence,” said the White House Friday. Design, development, governance and use of technology “should be an equitable and inclusive process that neither involves nor results in unfair discriminatory action,” it said. “Technology should not be misused or abused for malicious activities such as authoritarian surveillance and oppression, for terrorist purposes, or to disseminate disinformation.” The countries agree that “resilient, diverse, and secure technology supply chains” for hardware, software and services “are vital to our shared national interests,” it said. “Close cooperation on supply chains with allies and partners who share our values will enhance our security and prosperity, and strengthen our capacity to respond to international disasters and emergencies,” said the statement. “We welcome all nations to join us in pursuit of this shared vision for technologies.” China gave strong indications Monday it won't accept the invitation anytime soon. "Relevant countries should abandon the outdated Cold War zero-sum mentality and ideological bias, stop forming closed and exclusive cliques and do more to promote solidarity and cooperation," said a Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson.
Virgil Griffith, a U.S. citizen residing in Singapore and cryptocurrency expert, pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by giving North Korea technical advice on how to use cryptocurrency and blockchain technology to skirt U.S. sanctions, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York said. Griffith began formulating his plans in 2018, traveling to Pyongyang in 2019 to attend the Pyongyang Blockain and Cryptocurrency Conference. The State Department denied Griffith the right to travel to North Korea, but he went anyway, giving presentations to the North Korean audience, knowing full well that this violated sanctions, the Department of Justice said.
Leaders of Quad countries Australia, India, Japan and the U.S. ended their summit in Washington with the commitment to “fostering an open, accessible, and secure technology ecosystem, based on mutual trust and confidence,” said the White House Friday. Design, development, governance and use of technology “should be an equitable and inclusive process that neither involves nor results in unfair discriminatory action,” it said. “Technology should not be misused or abused for malicious activities such as authoritarian surveillance and oppression, for terrorist purposes, or to disseminate disinformation.” The countries agree that “resilient, diverse, and secure technology supply chains” for hardware, software and services “are vital to our shared national interests,” it said. “Close cooperation on supply chains with allies and partners who share our values will enhance our security and prosperity, and strengthen our capacity to respond to international disasters and emergencies,” said the statement. “We welcome all nations to join us in pursuit of this shared vision for technologies.” China gave strong indications Monday it won't accept the invitation anytime soon. "Relevant countries should abandon the outdated Cold War zero-sum mentality and ideological bias, stop forming closed and exclusive cliques and do more to promote solidarity and cooperation," said a Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson.
Virgil Griffith, a U.S. citizen residing in Singapore and cryptocurrency expert, pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by giving North Korea technical advice on how to use cryptocurrency and blockchain technology to skirt U.S. sanctions, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York said. Griffith began formulating his plans in 2018, traveling to Pyongyang in 2019 to attend the Pyongyang Blockain and Cryptocurrency Conference. The State Department denied Griffith the right to travel to North Korea, but he went anyway, giving presentations to the North Korean audience, knowing full well that this violated sanctions, the Department of Justice said.
The U.S. plans to prioritize discussions on export controls and investment screening tools during the first meeting of the U.S.-European Union Trade and Technology Council this week (see 2109130025), senior administration officials said. The two sides plan to release a set of shared trade and technology commitments after the Sept. 29 meeting in Pittsburgh, which should hint at closer collaboration on various trade restrictions, one official said, particularly involving semiconductors.
The House passed the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (HR-4350) Thursday 316-113, after okaying telecom and tech-related amendments. The chamber approved 360-66 an en bloc amendment containing language from Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., to attach his Promoting U.S. Wireless Leadership Act (HR-3003). Lawmakers voted 362-59 for another amendments package that includes text from Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-N.J., to prohibit agencies requiring tech companies to add backdoors. It approved 367-59 a package including a proposal from Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz., for a report on the feasibility of an interagency U.S.-Taiwan working group to cooperate on chips. An earlier House-cleared amendments package included the text of the 911 Supporting Accurate Views of Emergency Services Act (HR-2351) and requires the State Department to report to Congress on the “national security implications” of open radio access networks (see 2109220069). Senate Armed Services Committee leaders last week filed their FY 2022 NDAA version (S-2792); the panel advanced the measure in July.