The Federal Scene
Keeping up with Congress, federal agencies and more
This page keeps you abreast of D.C. telecom-related actions, whether they come from the executive, legislative or judicial branch.
Latest updates
07.29.19 - The Government Accountability Office released a
report entitled “FCC Should Assess Making Off-School Premises Access Eligible for Additional Federal Support.” The GAO recommended the FCC take steps to assess and publish the potential benefits, costs and challenges of making off-premises wireless access eligible for E-rate support.
07.24.19 - The House of Representatives passed H.R. 3375, the
Stopping Bad Robocalls Act. The bill requires phone carriers to implement call authentication technology so consumers can trust their caller ID again, with no additional line item for consumers, and includes a process to help rural carriers implement this
technology.|
press release
07.10.19 – Several representatives introduced the Measuring the Economic Impact of Broadband Act. The bill would require the FCC Bureau of Economic Analysis to conduct a study of the effects of broadband deployment and adoption on the U.S. economy. |
press release
07.09.19 -
Fourteen members of Congress sent a
letter to all the FCC commissioners, urging them not to establish an overall cap for the Universal Service Fund or combine the cap of any of the USF programs.
06.25.19 - The House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure held a
hearingentitled “Broadband Mapping: Small Carrier Perspectives on a Path Forward.” The subcommittee heard from small rural carriers about the current challenges of broadband mapping and explored ways the federal government and private sector can work together to collect
more accurate broadband coverage data. |
press release
06.24.19 - The USDA
announcedthe
Community Facilities Direct Loan Program is awarding $50 million to
40 rural communitiesfor infrastructure and community facilities projects in 17 states. The USDA also indicated it has more than $2 billion still available this year to invest in community facilities and infrastructure projects in rural areas.
06.20.19 - House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.) and ranking member Greg Walden (R-Ore.) announced a bipartisan version of the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act (
HR 3375) to stop abusive robocall practices. |
press release
06.12.19 - The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a
hearingon oversight of the FCC and all five FCC commissioners testified.
News clips