The FCC is expected to move soon to create a broadcast incubator order, before a deadline, said broadcast and anti-media consolidation attorneys in interviews. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals told the agency to file a report on the status by Aug. 6 when denying an emergency stay of a media ownership reconsideration order (see 1802070053). Though the 3rd Circuit asked only for a report, it could hurt the agency’s case to show up without a voted-on incubator order or strong indications one is coming soon, said numerous attorneys on both sides. The agency is unlikely to show up to court empty-handed, said Georgetown Institute for Public Representation Director Angela Campbell.
The Senate passed the Authenticating Local Emergencies and Real Threats (Alert) Act Tuesday under unanimous consent. S-2385 would give the federal government the sole authority to issue missile threat alerts and pre-empt state and local governments' role in issuing such warnings. The bill would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency National Advisory Council's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System subcommittee “make recommendations on the best practices that state and local governments should follow to maintain the integrity of IPAWS.” Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, filed S-2385 to address issues highlighted in the Jan. 13 false missile warning in Hawaii (see 1802060055 and 1802070052). Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-Hawaii, led filing of House companion HR-4965, with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii (see 1804050055). “The people who know first should be the people who tell the rest of us,” Schatz said. “This legislation makes it clear that the authority to send missile alerts rests with the federal government.” FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel tweeted that it “makes clear the responsibility to send missile alerts rests with the federal government.”
Small-business community representatives warned the House Small Business Committee Wednesday about what they feel is the threat Chinese telecom equipment manufacturer ZTE poses. President Donald Trump said he will support passage of the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (HR-4311/S-2098) to curb foreign companies' ability to violate U.S. companies' IP rights, instead of invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The additional ZTE criticism follows more than a month of congressional debate about the Trump-led push to lift a Department of Commerce-imposed ban on U.S. companies selling telecom software and equipment to ZTE (see 1806260031). The Senate voted 85-10 to pass a version of the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (HR-5515) that would reinstate the ZTE ban (see 1806190051). “Small businesses have become top targets for nefarious state-backed actors because they tend to be the softest targets,” said House Small Business Chairman Steve Chabot, R-Ohio. “They have fewer resources to manage their IT systems and respond to cybersecurity incidents, and they often lack the technical knowledge needed to assess the ever-evolving threats.” The Chinese company is “seeking to disrupt manufacturing not only through the espionage” of IP “but also the destruction of the U.S. supply chain by crippling them both financially and through attacks,” said TechSolve CEO David Linger. “For those of us that work with small manufacturers who have teetered on the brink of closing their doors due to cyber-attacks, their cyber-crimes are personal, real, and distressing.” ZTE “has proven to be a particularly bad actor, flouting U.S. export control laws and deceiving regulators,” said IronNet Cybersecurity President Matthew Olsen. Small businesses can't effectively “compete against nation-state attacks, aggressive, unrelenting international espionage, and theft of trade secrets,” said George Mason University Law School National Security Institute Visiting Fellow Andy Keiser. “Those are exactly the challenges presented by ZTE and Huawei.” HR-4311/S-2098 “will enhance our ability to protect the United States from new and evolving threats posed by foreign investment while also sustaining the strong, open investment environment to which our country is committed and which benefits our economy and our people,” Trump said. It would expand the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States' scope to probe more investments, including in "critical" technology or infrastructure companies (see 1804260029).
Small-business community representatives warned the House Small Business Committee Wednesday about what they feel is the threat Chinese telecom equipment manufacturer ZTE poses. President Donald Trump said he will support passage of the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (HR-4311/S-2098) to curb foreign companies' ability to violate U.S. companies' IP rights, instead of invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The additional ZTE criticism follows more than a month of congressional debate about the Trump-led push to lift a Department of Commerce-imposed ban on U.S. companies selling telecom software and equipment to ZTE (see 1806260031). The Senate voted 85-10 to pass a version of the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (HR-5515) that would reinstate the ZTE ban (see 1806190051). “Small businesses have become top targets for nefarious state-backed actors because they tend to be the softest targets,” said House Small Business Chairman Steve Chabot, R-Ohio. “They have fewer resources to manage their IT systems and respond to cybersecurity incidents, and they often lack the technical knowledge needed to assess the ever-evolving threats.” The Chinese company is “seeking to disrupt manufacturing not only through the espionage” of IP “but also the destruction of the U.S. supply chain by crippling them both financially and through attacks,” said TechSolve CEO David Linger. “For those of us that work with small manufacturers who have teetered on the brink of closing their doors due to cyber-attacks, their cyber-crimes are personal, real, and distressing.” ZTE “has proven to be a particularly bad actor, flouting U.S. export control laws and deceiving regulators,” said IronNet Cybersecurity President Matthew Olsen. Small businesses can't effectively “compete against nation-state attacks, aggressive, unrelenting international espionage, and theft of trade secrets,” said George Mason University Law School National Security Institute Visiting Fellow Andy Keiser. “Those are exactly the challenges presented by ZTE and Huawei.” HR-4311/S-2098 “will enhance our ability to protect the United States from new and evolving threats posed by foreign investment while also sustaining the strong, open investment environment to which our country is committed and which benefits our economy and our people,” Trump said. It would expand the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States' scope to probe more investments, including in "critical" technology or infrastructure companies (see 1804260029).
Small-business community representatives warned the House Small Business Committee Wednesday about what they feel is the threat Chinese telecom equipment manufacturer ZTE poses. President Donald Trump said he will support passage of the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (HR-4311/S-2098) to curb foreign companies' ability to violate U.S. companies' IP rights, instead of invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The additional ZTE criticism follows more than a month of congressional debate about the Trump-led push to lift a Department of Commerce-imposed ban on U.S. companies selling telecom software and equipment to ZTE (see 1806260031). The Senate voted 85-10 to pass a version of the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (HR-5515) that would reinstate the ZTE ban (see 1806190051). “Small businesses have become top targets for nefarious state-backed actors because they tend to be the softest targets,” said House Small Business Chairman Steve Chabot, R-Ohio. “They have fewer resources to manage their IT systems and respond to cybersecurity incidents, and they often lack the technical knowledge needed to assess the ever-evolving threats.” The Chinese company is “seeking to disrupt manufacturing not only through the espionage” of IP “but also the destruction of the U.S. supply chain by crippling them both financially and through attacks,” said TechSolve CEO David Linger. “For those of us that work with small manufacturers who have teetered on the brink of closing their doors due to cyber-attacks, their cyber-crimes are personal, real, and distressing.” ZTE “has proven to be a particularly bad actor, flouting U.S. export control laws and deceiving regulators,” said IronNet Cybersecurity President Matthew Olsen. Small businesses can't effectively “compete against nation-state attacks, aggressive, unrelenting international espionage, and theft of trade secrets,” said George Mason University Law School National Security Institute Visiting Fellow Andy Keiser. “Those are exactly the challenges presented by ZTE and Huawei.” HR-4311/S-2098 “will enhance our ability to protect the United States from new and evolving threats posed by foreign investment while also sustaining the strong, open investment environment to which our country is committed and which benefits our economy and our people,” Trump said. It would expand the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States' scope to probe more investments, including in "critical" technology or infrastructure companies (see 1804260029).
The administration said it will wait for Congress to pass the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act, an update to current laws on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States rather than making its own restrictions on Chinese investment in American firms. As part of the Section 301 investigation, the treasury secretary was supposed to make recommendations on restrictions by June 30. President Donald Trump announced June 27, "I have concluded that [FIRRMA] legislation will provide additional tools to combat the predatory investment practices that threaten our critical technology leadership, national security, and future economic prosperity."
Bidirectional sharing of commercial spectrum for federal users to have access to commercial spectrum has emerged as a Trump administration focus. Proposals remain controversial for carriers.
Charter Communications hires for Washington office Rachel Welch, ex-Cox Enterprises, as senior vice president-policy and external affairs; Virginia Zigras, ex-lobbyist for NCTA, as vice president-legislative affairs; and Christy Reap, ex-Frontier Communications, as director-policy communications; Robert Kenny had previously held that job, and has left the cable operator ... With Intel CEO Brian Krzanich resigning (see 1806210008), Chief Financial Officer Robert Swan named interim CEO ... Frontier Communications Executive Vice President-Chief Financial Officer Perley McBride resigning for personal reasons, returning to Atlanta where his family lives, remaining until Aug. 31.
Many media and telecom interests concerned about consolidation tell us Disney and Comcast's duel for Fox's non-broadcast assets (see 1806130036) presents equally unappealing options. Programmers, especially small ones, have concerns about either deal, Public Knowledge Senior Counsel John Bergmayer said. Disney/Fox would be "absolutely horrible," Comcast/Fox even worse, said American Cable Association President Matt Polka. Comcast rejected such assertions. Wednesday, Disney upped its bid, topping a competing one from Comcast (see 1806200015).
Many media and telecom interests concerned about consolidation tell us Disney and Comcast's duel for Fox's non-broadcast assets (see 1806130036) presents equally unappealing options. Programmers, especially small ones, have concerns about either deal, Public Knowledge Senior Counsel John Bergmayer said. Disney/Fox would be "absolutely horrible," Comcast/Fox even worse, said American Cable Association President Matt Polka. Comcast rejected such assertions. Wednesday, Disney upped its bid, topping a competing one from Comcast (see 1806200015).