FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, back since Aug. 11, has emerged as a sometimes harsh critic of actions by Chairman Ajit Pai and the Republican majority. Commissioner Mignon Clyburn has also taken a tough stance on some issues, but on others has been more conciliatory. Former FCC officials said they're in very different positions. Senate Democrats championed Rosenworcel with expectation she would be a counterweight to the Pai commission's deregulatory disposition.
Expect lively debate about Lifeline at the NARUC annual meeting Nov. 11-15 in Baltimore, said Telecom Committee members and staff in interviews. In separate NARUC telecom draft resolutions, Nebraska Public Service Commissioner Crystal Rhoades and District of Columbia PSC Chairman Betty Ann Kane disagreed whether Lifeline should support reseller services (see 1710310051). The conflict is likely to be the “hot item” at the NARUC meeting and already is spurring discussion and lobbying, said NARUC Telecommunications Staff Subcommittee Chair Lynn Notarianni, from the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. A less contentious draft resolution aims to show a united front by states in favor of requiring direct dialing of 911 in hotels and other enterprises, said Colorado PUC Commissioner Wendy Moser.
CBP will likely adopt a hybrid “dual calculation system” for drawback in ACE, with substitution drawback calculated using line item per unit average and invoice level calculations for direct identification drawback, the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America said in an emailed update on Nov. 6. The decision will have “significant implications,” because line items previously claimed using substitution drawback would be ineligible for direct identification drawback, and vice versa, the trade group said. CBP is also considering making all merchandise imported in any entry claimed in a drawback claim under the existing law unavailable for substitution drawback claims under the new procedures of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015, it said.
The FCC reaffirmed its schedule for geo-targeting of wireless emergency alerts to “best approximate” the target area, and said the nation’s five largest carriers have to provide “clickable” embedded references by Nov. 1. It said smaller carriers must still meet the same geo-targeting requirement as their larger peers but will get an extra 18 months to meet the embedded messages requirement. The order was released about 8 p.m. Wednesday, the deadline day.
The FCC reaffirmed its schedule for geo-targeting of wireless emergency alerts to “best approximate” the target area, and said the nation’s five largest carriers have to provide “clickable” embedded references by Nov. 1. It said smaller carriers must still meet the same geo-targeting requirement as their larger peers but will get an extra 18 months to meet the embedded messages requirement. The order was released about 8 p.m. Wednesday, the deadline day.
Differing views on legislation to reauthorize Section 702 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act authority emerged during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing Tuesday on nomination of John Demers to be DOJ assistant attorney general, National Security Division. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Ron Wyden, R-Ore., pressed Demers on whether he supports requiring a warrant before the FBI can search a database of communications collected under FISA. Courts have ruled consistently that such searches don’t violate Fourth Amendment protections, Demers said. Obtaining a warrant can be a “fair bit of work” because of the probable cause requirement, and could “slow and limit” the work of intelligence agencies, he said. “I’m troubled by your response,” Wyden said, saying he supports the need for the government to have tools it needs to go after threats overseas. Government ought to have a warrant, he said: “We’re going to debate this more.” Wyden is concerned about a provision in the Senate Intelligence bill (S-2010) approved last week that would allow warrantless searches of data which could include Americans’ communications based on a “sliver of concern,” when there are other roads to gaining the same information. Privacy groups have expressed reservations about all three proposed bills that would update Section 702 expiring at year’s end, and dislike S-2010 the most (see 1710300035).
Differing views on legislation to reauthorize Section 702 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act authority emerged during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing Tuesday on nomination of John Demers to be DOJ assistant attorney general, National Security Division. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Ron Wyden, R-Ore., pressed Demers on whether he supports requiring a warrant before the FBI can search a database of communications collected under FISA. Courts have ruled consistently that such searches don’t violate Fourth Amendment protections, Demers said. Obtaining a warrant can be a “fair bit of work” because of the probable cause requirement, and could “slow and limit” the work of intelligence agencies, he said. “I’m troubled by your response,” Wyden said, saying he supports the need for the government to have tools it needs to go after threats overseas. Government ought to have a warrant, he said: “We’re going to debate this more.” Wyden is concerned about a provision in the Senate Intelligence bill (S-2010) approved last week that would allow warrantless searches of data which could include Americans’ communications based on a “sliver of concern,” when there are other roads to gaining the same information. Privacy groups have expressed reservations about all three proposed bills that would update Section 702 expiring at year’s end, and dislike S-2010 the most (see 1710300035).
The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology's looking for input on the Technological Advisory Council’s hunt for technical regulations in need of modification (see 1708310035) got suggestions on new filing requirements for internal reorganizations and reforming rules on marketing and operation of RF devices before authorization. Monday was the deadline for docket 17-215 comments.
States that opt out of FirstNet may straggle compared with opt-in states, but the authority won’t leave them behind, CEO Mike Poth plans to say at a Wednesday House Communications Subcommittee hearing. In written testimony released Tuesday, Poth and an AT&T official painted opt-in as the smarter path, but a New Hampshire official complained about "absurd" penalty fees acting as an unfair deterrent to opting opt. States have until Dec. 28 to decide whether to opt out. Separately, GAO sent the House Commerce Committee a report recommending Safecom and the Public Safety Advisory Council (PSAC) investigate tribal and local complaints that they're inadequately represented in the bodies.
The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology's looking for input on the Technological Advisory Council’s hunt for technical regulations in need of modification (see 1708310035) got suggestions on new filing requirements for internal reorganizations and reforming rules on marketing and operation of RF devices before authorization. Monday was the deadline for docket 17-215 comments.