FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and top lawmakers weighed in Thursday and Friday with additional broadband legislative proposals aimed at tying into COVID-19 aid legislation and broader infrastructure measures. House Democratic leaders announced plans Thursday to merge existing proposals into a $1.5 trillion Moving Forward Act infrastructure measure that would include $100 billion for broadband (see 2006180062). President Donald Trump’s administration is believed to be preparing a $1 trillion infrastructure proposal that will have funding for 5G infrastructure and rural broadband deployments (see 2006160049).
The U.S. renewed sanctions against North Korea for one year, according to a June 17 White House notice. The U.S. said North Korea’s weapons proliferation activities still pose a threat to U.S. national security. The national emergency executive order that was to expire June 26, 2020, will extend to June 26, 2021.
While most associations have dropped plans for in-person summer conferences due to COVID-19, APCO is forging ahead with plans to meet Aug. 2-5 in Orlando. It's even offering a $100 credit to attendees, to be used at next year's conference. Infection rates are on the rise in Florida, and experts warned against holding the conference live.
Update FCC E-rate to support kids' home connectivity, said 90% of school leaders surveyed by the Consortium for School Networking. CoSN asked about back-to-school plans in the age of COVID-19. And 54% of school districts surveyed plan to access funds for distance learning from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief program. In addition, 86% want E-rate to cover cybersecurity. Budget cuts to school system IT departments are expected in 42% of those surveyed. CoSN surveyed 227 respondents during its national conference last month.
Update FCC E-rate to support kids' home connectivity, said 90% of school leaders surveyed by the Consortium for School Networking. CoSN asked about back-to-school plans in the age of COVID-19. And 54% of school districts surveyed plan to access funds for distance learning from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief program. In addition, 86% want E-rate to cover cybersecurity. Budget cuts to school system IT departments are expected in 42% of those surveyed. CoSN surveyed 227 respondents during its national conference last month.
There’s “emerging consensus” the next Senate-side COVID-19 aid bill will include funding to bolster E-rate and other broadband initiatives, Incompas CEO Chip Pickering said Thursday. Some GOP lawmakers voiced growing interest in including broadband funding in coming pandemic legislation since House passage last month of the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act. HR-6800’s broadband funding includes an $8.8 billion Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund and $5 billion for E-rate (see 2005130059). President Donald Trump’s administration recently narrowed the scope of their desires for a fourth major aid measure (see 2006050058).
There’s “emerging consensus” the next Senate-side COVID-19 aid bill will include funding to bolster E-rate and other broadband initiatives, Incompas CEO Chip Pickering said Thursday. Some GOP lawmakers voiced growing interest in including broadband funding in coming pandemic legislation since House passage last month of the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act. HR-6800’s broadband funding includes an $8.8 billion Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund and $5 billion for E-rate (see 2005130059). President Donald Trump’s administration recently narrowed the scope of their desires for a fourth major aid measure (see 2006050058).
The FirstNet board unanimously approved the first set of investments for enhancing the network for first responders. Members during a virtual meeting Wednesday OK'd Resolution 105, which provides $218 million for initial network upgrades “to set FirstNet on the path to 5G and to expand the dedicated fleet of deployable assets.” 5G will mean improved data rates for first responders, said Neil Cox, chair of the Technology Committee. Low latency is especially important to emergency medical services users, he said. 5G also means access to more spectrum “which brings more and more capacity to improve the throughput,” he said. It will mean more devices, including biometric sensors, motion detectors and high-speed cameras for first responders, he said. Moving toward 5G “takes into account the technology advances that are happening today,” Cox said. “We’re learning new architectures and technologies and how to deploy 5G and as commercial providers worldwide begin to transition to 5G, it’s strategically important that we ensure that the FirstNet network is keeping pace,” he said. “First responders expect the network to evolve and progress with technology,” said Jeff Bratcher, FirstNet chief technology officer: “They did not want to be stranded on outdated networks.” He said FirstNet is also active on 5G standards development within the 3rd Generation Partnership Project. FirstNet is expanding the number of deployables beyond the 72 now available, said Executive Director Edward Parkinson. They have been used at natural disasters and preplanned events like the July Fourth celebration on the National Mall, he said.
The FirstNet board unanimously approved the first set of investments for enhancing the network for first responders. Members during a virtual meeting Wednesday OK'd Resolution 105, which provides $218 million for initial network upgrades “to set FirstNet on the path to 5G and to expand the dedicated fleet of deployable assets.” 5G will mean improved data rates for first responders, said Neil Cox, chair of the Technology Committee. Low latency is especially important to emergency medical services users, he said. 5G also means access to more spectrum “which brings more and more capacity to improve the throughput,” he said. It will mean more devices, including biometric sensors, motion detectors and high-speed cameras for first responders, he said. Moving toward 5G “takes into account the technology advances that are happening today,” Cox said. “We’re learning new architectures and technologies and how to deploy 5G and as commercial providers worldwide begin to transition to 5G, it’s strategically important that we ensure that the FirstNet network is keeping pace,” he said. “First responders expect the network to evolve and progress with technology,” said Jeff Bratcher, FirstNet chief technology officer: “They did not want to be stranded on outdated networks.” He said FirstNet is also active on 5G standards development within the 3rd Generation Partnership Project. FirstNet is expanding the number of deployables beyond the 72 now available, said Executive Director Edward Parkinson. They have been used at natural disasters and preplanned events like the July Fourth celebration on the National Mall, he said.
The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security announced a new set of export controls on certain cultivation chambers and chemicals (see 2005150048). The controls, agreed to by the Australia Group during a February meeting, restrict the sales of certain “rigid-walled, single-use” cultivation chambers and precursor chemicals, along with the “Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus,” or MERS. The final rule, which takes effect June 17, falls under BIS's effort to restrict sales of emerging technologies (see 2005190052), as mandated by the 2018 Export Control Reform Act, the agency said.