President Donald Trump’s “Team Telecom” executive order formalizes the executive branch’s process for reviewing foreign takeovers of U.S. communications assets, but some observers questioned the extent to which it will alter the status quo. DOJ, DOD and the Department of Homeland Security do those evaluations. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said the Saturday EO means the commission can advance a 2016 NPRM to speed up the review process (see 1606240043).
Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA) implementation is in its early days, with new rules taking effect on Feb. 13 (see 2002110042), but it's generally assumed the number of transactions coming under Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) jurisdiction will quadruple, said David Plotinsky, DOJ National Security Division principal deputy chief, at a Federal Communications Bar Association event Feb. 19. He said the number of telecom deals subject to CFIUS also likely will quadruple, though there's less concern about deals on “the pipes” of telecom than on data. CFIUS experts said prospective deals now have to take CFIUS issues and possible mitigation steps into consideration early in the planning.
Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA) implementation is in its early days, with new rules taking effect last week, but it's generally assumed the number of transactions coming under Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) jurisdiction will quadruple, said David Plotinsky, DOJ National Security Division principal deputy chief, at an FCBA CLE event Wednesday. He said the number of telecom deals subject to CFIUS also likely will quadruple, though there's less concern about deals on "the pipes" of telecom than on data. CFIUS experts said prospective deals now have to take CFIUS issues and possible mitigation steps into consideration early in the planning.
NTIA is making reallocation of the 1.3 GHz band one of its top spectrum focuses under new Administrator David Redl, said industry and former NTIA officials. Language in the Advancing Innovation and Reinvigorating Widespread Access to Viable Electromagnetic Spectrum (Airwaves) Act, (S-1682, HR-4953) introduced in the House and Senate, would require an assessment of reallocation of the 1300-1350 MHz band, paired with the 1780-1830 MHz band, by Dec. 31, 2020. NTIA declined to comment Friday.
Don't expect NTIA reauthorization to be a vehicle for other policy proposals such as spectrum allocation legislation and vehicle-to-infrastructure grants, House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., told reporters Wednesday, rejecting inclusion of measures that subcommittee Democrats raised last week (see 1702020065). House Commerce Republicans continued to lay out an agenda for 2017 during a meeting with reporters Wednesday, focused heavily on NTIA and FCC reauthorizations, starting with NTIA and then moving to FCC action.
Don't expect NTIA reauthorization to be a vehicle for other policy proposals such as spectrum allocation legislation and vehicle-to-infrastructure grants, House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., told reporters Wednesday, rejecting inclusion of measures that subcommittee Democrats raised last week (see 1702020065). House Commerce Republicans continued to lay out an agenda for 2017 during a meeting with reporters Wednesday, focused heavily on NTIA and FCC reauthorizations, starting with NTIA and then moving to FCC action.
The Senate Commerce Committee in 2017 will tackle incoming administration nominations in the shorter term and look to evaluate broader infrastructure plans, while assessing telecom legislation action, Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., said Tuesday, the first day of Congress’ new session. He revived his spectrum legislation known as Mobile Now. Names of new Republican members were unveiled, completing the roster listings for both parties. Thune is eyeing several ways to work with President-elect Donald Trump and wants the Commerce Committee to hold hearings on Trump’s commerce secretary nominee Wilbur Ross and transportation secretary nominee Elaine Chao next week, he told reporters. He declined to specify dates, citing many swirling elements.
The Senate Commerce Committee in 2017 will tackle incoming administration nominations in the shorter term and look to evaluate broader infrastructure plans, while assessing telecom legislation action, Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., said Tuesday, the first day of Congress’ new session. He revived his spectrum legislation known as Mobile Now. Names of new Republican members were unveiled, completing the roster listings for both parties. Thune is eyeing several ways to work with President-elect Donald Trump and wants the Commerce Committee to hold hearings on Trump’s commerce secretary nominee Wilbur Ross and transportation secretary nominee Elaine Chao next week, he told reporters. He declined to specify dates, citing many swirling elements.
Obama administration pushback to the Senate’s Mobile Now drafts last year targeted core bicameral and bipartisan spectrum proposals from Capitol Hill. Federal officials successfully killed attempts to provide financial incentives to federal agencies to relinquish spectrum and a mandate to free up a higher amount of spectrum, largely through criticisms never made public but shown in emails that Communications Daily acquired through a Freedom of Information Act open records request to NTIA. Emails also show the administration’s hand in adding language on bidirectional sharing and its objections to spectrum leasing language, which surprised some we interviewed who saw the critique.
Obama administration pushback to the Senate’s Mobile Now drafts last year targeted core bicameral and bipartisan spectrum proposals from Capitol Hill. Federal officials successfully killed attempts to provide financial incentives to federal agencies to relinquish spectrum and a mandate to free up a higher amount of spectrum, largely through criticisms never made public but shown in emails that Communications Daily acquired through a Freedom of Information Act open records request to NTIA. Emails also show the administration’s hand in adding language on bidirectional sharing and its objections to spectrum leasing language, which surprised some we interviewed who saw the critique.