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.
The Trump administration hasn't contacted FCC Inspector General David Hunt and Commerce Department IG Peggy Gustafson about the possibility of removing them from their positions, they told Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Bill Nelson, D-Fla., in letters dated from this week and provided to us Wednesday by a Nelson spokesman. But the administration told some IGs they would be held over only temporarily, some IGs told Nelson. Senate Commerce held a hearing focused on IGs Wednesday, with testimony from Gustafson, confirmed to the position in December, as well as Homeland Security Department IG John Roth, Transportation Department IG Calvin Scovel and National Science Foundation IG Allison Lerner.
The Trump administration hasn't contacted FCC Inspector General David Hunt and Commerce Department IG Peggy Gustafson about the possibility of removing them from their positions, they told Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Bill Nelson, D-Fla., in letters dated from this week and provided to us Wednesday by a Nelson spokesman. But the administration told some IGs they would be held over only temporarily, some IGs told Nelson. Senate Commerce held a hearing focused on IGs Wednesday, with testimony from Gustafson, confirmed to the position in December, as well as Homeland Security Department IG John Roth, Transportation Department IG Calvin Scovel and National Science Foundation IG Allison Lerner.
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.
Industry lobbyists and officials told us Friday that Commissioner Ajit Pai, the FCC's senior Republican, is being tapped to lead the agency as chairman on a permanent basis. Spokespeople for President Donald Trump didn’t confirm the reports. The FCC was reduced to three commissioners Friday, as expected, with Tom Wheeler stepping down as chairman and no longer listed on the FCC website among commissioners. Pai has been seen as nearly certain to become chairman on at least an interim basis, and personally met with Trump in New York City less than a week before Friday's inauguration.
Industry lobbyists and officials told us Friday that Commissioner Ajit Pai, the FCC's senior Republican, is being tapped to lead the agency as chairman on a permanent basis. Spokespeople for President Donald Trump didn’t confirm the reports. The FCC was reduced to three commissioners Friday, as expected, with Tom Wheeler stepping down as chairman and no longer listed on the FCC website among commissioners. Pai has been seen as nearly certain to become chairman on at least an interim basis, and personally met with Trump in New York City less than a week before Friday's inauguration.