In the News
The House Energy and Commerce tech subcommittee today will convene broadband experts
from the public and private sectors to discuss the effectiveness and future of key federal
broadband funding programs.
The hearing comes as one major funding program meant to close the digital divide is expected to
run dry in the coming months, and as a second faces legal challenges.
— Funding concerns loom: One of those funds is the Affordable Connectivity Program, which
House Communications Subcommittee members in both parties used a Wednesday hearing to hammer the current retransmission consent negotiations process, particularly the blackouts when those talks break down, but all sides made clear a legislative solution is likely to take longer than the current Congress to pass.
Federal lawmakers this week expressed their frustration over rising cable and satellite television prices and numerous programming blackouts that have resulted in many of their constituents losing access to local news, network shows and live sports on pay TV systems several times over the last few years.
The House approved Republican-backed legislation Thursday taking aim at efforts in California and other states to increase electric vehicle sales.
The “Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act,” H.R. 1435, from Rep. John Joyce (R-Pa.) would block EPA from giving California a waiver to “limit the sale or use of new motor vehicles with internal combustion engines.” It passed 222-190.
DRIVING THE DAY— HAKEEM IN THE HOUSE: In the spirit of his predecessor, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is making a fundraising swing through the Golden State this week. He was in Sacramento last night for a DCCC benefit organized by Rep. Doris Matsui at the home of Mary Gonsalves and Jason Kinney, who hosted Nancy Pelosi last year for a fundraiser at their home.
Proposals from GOP presidential hopefuls Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy to abolish the Commerce Department face long odds of coming to fruition, but space experts told us the calls raise new questions about how that would affect commercial space operations and the operators that the entity currently regulates. Right-leaning groups want a new Republican administration to consider restructuring Commerce’s space regulatory operations.
The historic KCRA neon sign, which has not been lit in decades, is once again glowing in Sacramento.
The sign was hung in the 1950s when KCRA radio made its home at the corner of J and 10th Streets. It was then moved when KCRA 3 news started in 1955 off D Street.
Sacramento has submitted its application for a U.S. Economic Development Administration designation of a Tech Hub to be based at California State University Sacramento, and the application includes support letters from Tesla Inc., Bosch and Siemens AG, among others.
The White House on Thursday celebrated the CHIPS and Science Act as a successful investment in American semiconductor manufacturing, research and development and workforce on the law’s one-year anniversary.
House Communications Subcommittee leaders told us they plan to continue actively pushing for floor action on the Commerce Committee-approved Spectrum Auction Reauthorization Act (HR-3565) when the chamber returns Sept. 12, despite the measure facing continued opposition from some Senate Republicans. House Commerce leaders tried and failed to get a floor vote on the measure before the August recess (see 2307270063).