The Communications Workers of America asked the Biden administration to appoint FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel as permanent chair and nominate a fifth commissioner, in a letter released Thursday. CWA said Rosenworcel “moved quickly and effectively to help consumers during the pandemic and close the digital divide.” The commission's work “will be slowed” until the vacant seat is filled and a permanent chair is appointed, it said. The American Federation of Teachers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, National Education Association and the Service Employees International Union also signed.
FTC Chair Lina Khan should recuse herself from any antitrust matters involving Amazon due to prior public statements, the company said in a filing Wednesday. Those statements “create the appearance of her having prejudged facts and/or legal issues relevant to the proceeding,” the company wrote the agency. Courts and federal ethics rules require commissioners to avoid the appearance of loss of impartiality, the company said. Amazon wrote that the chair has made numerous public statements that go beyond general policy commentary, including detailed pronouncements about market definition, conduct, theories of harm and other legal matters. “These statements convey to any reasonable observer the clear impression that she has already made up her mind about many material facts relevant to Amazon’s antitrust culpability as well as about the ultimate issue of culpability itself,” the filing said. The company cited her work with Open Markets, her academic papers and her work with the House Antitrust Subcommittee. The agency declined comment.
Federal agencies should follow principles on governance, data, performance and monitoring to ensure responsible use of artificial intelligence, GAO reported Wednesday. The agency didn’t make recommendations, but it outlined four “complementary principles.” The principles suggest agencies should ensure quality data, promote governance accountability, monitor performance and produce results consistent with program objectives.
The FTC is second only to the GAO as the best midsized agency to work for in the federal government, the Partnership for Public Service said Tuesday with 2020 rankings. The FCC ranked 10th in that category. The Department of Commerce ranked No. 5 for large agencies.
The need for the emergency broadband benefit program or “something similar” will outlast the COVID-19 pandemic, said FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel during a New America webinar Tuesday. Rosenworcel said she plans a new round of listening sessions with stakeholders to learn best practices. The Universal Service Administrative Co. published enrollment data by ZIP code Tuesday, which “can be used to help improve our understanding of where the program is reaching consumers,” Rosenworcel said.
More than $34.6 million of the FCC’s $3.2 billion emergency broadband benefit program has been claimed, the Universal Service Administrative Co. reported Monday. Of that, $311,873 was spent on connected devices. Total support claimed includes May reimbursement claims that providers certified by June 15, as the FCC granted EBB providers a one-month extension to submit reimbursement claims (see 2106080046). Nearly 3.1 million households have enrolled.
The FCC, NTIA and the Department of Agriculture agreed to "share information about and coordinate the distribution of federal broadband deployment funds," said the FCC Friday. They will consult and share information about funding distribution from FCC high-cost programs, Rural Utilities Services programs and NTIA-administered programs. The agencies will share information about areas served, speeds and technology, and whether an area gets funds through a program. "We’ll be better able to meet our shared goal of getting 100% of Americans connected," said FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said this "lays important groundwork for collaboration between agencies to ensure the federal government’s efforts to expand broadband access are as effective and efficient as possible."
The FCC Wireless Bureau and Broadband Data Task Force granted AT&T, T-Mobile, UScellular and Verizon limited waivers on Form 477, in an order Friday. The providers “voluntarily committed” to reporting 4G LTE mobile deployment data as of May 15, the order said. They will submit this “as soon as practicable” after the filing window opens on July 1.
The FCC seeks comment on Microsoft’s petition for reconsideration of an order on ATSC 3.0 distributed transmission systems, said a Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau public notice Wednesday. Filed in May, the petition urges the FCC to adopt an expedited waiver process instead of relaxing interference rules (see 2105240067). Oppositions are due in docket 20-74 at the FCC 15 days after the PN is published in the Federal Register, replies 10 days after that.
The FTC plans a virtual open meeting Thursday at noon EDT, Chair Lina Khan announced Thursday. It will be the first in a series of monthly public meetings. Commissioners are expected to vote on whether to finalize the made in the USA rule, streamline “procedures for Section 18 rules prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices,” and rescind a policy statement issued in relation to FTC Act Section 5 in 2015 “to better align with the requirements set out by Congress to condemn ‘unfair methods of competition.’” Commissioners will also vote on “a series of resolutions that will streamline investigations by Commission staff into specific industries or specific conduct.” The resolutions would allow “ongoing authority for a single Commissioner to approve the use of compulsory process in those investigations.” The meeting is open to public comment, with registration and comment submissions due 9 a.m. EDT June 25.