Government & Communications

The commissioners sitting on the Federal Communications Commission should issue a joint statement reminding the public that “the comment process is not a vote.” To my mind, inviting commenters to make some noise and raise a ruckus is not the proper way to encourage public participation most conducive to creating a rulemaking record consistent with the agency’s supposed expertise. To the extent that making noise and raising a ruckus is understood as gearing up the mass comment machines, the notion is devalued that the FCC will be applying its expertise in deciding complex issues—say, what co

President Biden issued a landmark Executive Order to ensure that America leads the way in seizing the promise and managing the risks of artificial intelligence (AI). The Executive Order establishes new standards for AI safety and security, protects Americans’ privacy, advances equity and civil rights, stands up for consumers and workers, promotes innovation and competition, advances American leadership around the world, and more. The Executive Order directs the following actions:

Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shalanda Young released the final budget results for fiscal year (FY) 2023. Outlays for the Federal Communications Commission were $17.9 billion, $2.3 billion lower than the Mid-Session Review estimate. This is mainly due to lower-than-anticipated outlays for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and the Emergency Connectivity Fund for Educational Connections and Devices (ECF). Also, Universal Service Fund outlays were $498 million higher than anticipated.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) conducted case studies in three states and interviewed middle-mile operators, last-mile providers, and state officials. GAO also interviewed federal agency officials, academics, and industry participants. GAO assessed the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's NTIA middle mile program documentation against recommended practices related to grants management, duplication, and performance management.

We write to express our disappointment and opposition to your announcement that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will vote to reclassify fixed and mobile broadband as a telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934. Not only is this bad public policy, but it is also unlawful. Reclassification and the associated heavy-handed regulations that accompany this action continues to be a solution in search of a problem. We seek the following information by October 31, 2023:

The Federal Communications Commission announced an extension of the term of the current Native Nations Communications Task Force until the end of 2023. The current term—which was set to expire on October 24, 2023—will now expire on December 31, 2023. The FCC is also seeking applications for membership to serve on a renewed Task Force to start at the beginning of 2024. Applications should be submitted in accordance with the procedures outlined here.

Governor Laura Kelly (D-KS) announced the release of the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Initial Proposal Volume 2. As part of the planning process, the public is invited to submit comments on the planning document.

The Federal Communications Commission will hold an Open Meeting on Thursday, October 19, 2023. The FCC will consider:

President Biden was joined by Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra as they announced new efforts to crack down on junk fees and bring down costs for American consumers. Junk fees are hidden, surprise fees that companies sneak onto customer bills, increasing costs and stifling competition in industries across the economy.

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are amplifying a crisis for human rights online. While AI technology offers exciting and beneficial uses for science, education, and society at large, its uptake has also increased the scale, speed, and efficiency of digital repression. Automated systems have enabled governments to conduct more precise and subtle forms of online censorship. Purveyors of disinformation are employing AI-generated images, audio, and text, making the truth easier to distort and harder to discern.