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.

NARUC will seek more respect for states and cooperative federalism as the utility regulator association communicates next year with a new FCC and incoming administration, NARUC President Robert Powelson told Communications Daily. NARUC named Pennsylvania Public Utility Commissioner Powelson its new president this month at the association’s annual meeting. The new NARUC leader announced “Infrastructure, Innovation, and Investment” as the association’s focus for 2016, a theme that could align with President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed $1 trillion infrastructure package. “As we talk about infrastructure, I firmly believe that the telecom sector will continue to be the epicenter for growth and innovation,” Powelson said.

NARUC will seek more respect for states and cooperative federalism as the utility regulator association communicates next year with a new FCC and incoming administration, NARUC President Robert Powelson told Communications Daily. NARUC named Pennsylvania Public Utility Commissioner Powelson its new president this month at the association’s annual meeting. The new NARUC leader announced “Infrastructure, Innovation, and Investment” as the association’s focus for 2016, a theme that could align with President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed $1 trillion infrastructure package. “As we talk about infrastructure, I firmly believe that the telecom sector will continue to be the epicenter for growth and innovation,” Powelson said.

A CenturyLink/Level 3 merger should be able to win government approval if a deal is reached, said MoffettNathanson analysts in a research note, as other analysts and industry players weighed in on the possible deal. "From a regulatory perspective our sense is that this transaction would not face undue hurdles," they wrote, reacting to the report by The Wall Street Journal Thursday that the companies were in advanced talks to combine (see 1610270049). A regulatory advocate for business customers of telecom services said the possible merger would "receive close scrutiny." Complicating the picture, Level 3 could be pursued by cable companies and others, various analysts said.

A CenturyLink/Level 3 merger should be able to win government approval if a deal is reached, said MoffettNathanson analysts in a research note, as other analysts and industry players weighed in on the possible deal. "From a regulatory perspective our sense is that this transaction would not face undue hurdles," they wrote, reacting to the report by The Wall Street Journal Thursday that the companies were in advanced talks to combine (see 1610270049). A regulatory advocate for business customers of telecom services said the possible merger would "receive close scrutiny." Complicating the picture, Level 3 could be pursued by cable companies and others, various analysts said.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler anticipates the Enforcement Bureau tiger teams “should be up and running” by early 2017, he told House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore. That was one of the many written answers Wheeler supplied in a 40-page document sent to the House Commerce Committee this month. He and the other four commissioners were responding to questions for the record that lawmakers submitted after a July 12 FCC oversight hearing.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler anticipates the Enforcement Bureau tiger teams “should be up and running” by early 2017, he told House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore. That was one of the many written answers Wheeler supplied in a 40-page document sent to the House Commerce Committee this month. He and the other four commissioners were responding to questions for the record that lawmakers submitted after a July 12 FCC oversight hearing.