Today: US House Passes Telecom Legislation. US House Video Legislation, US Senate Internet Hearing
US House Passes Telecom Legislation
The House Energy and Commerce Committee announced that the full House of Representatives passed four bipartisan bills that will expand broadband infrastructure and strengthen public safety communications. They include:
“From closing the digital divide to enhancing public safety, the bills before us are important wins for our nation’s telecommunications infrastructure and the American people. Their bipartisan passage speaks to the dedication of members from both sides of the aisle to these critical issues. We urge the Senate to advance these bills to the President’s desk,” said Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and #SubCommTech Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).
US House Video Legislation
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) reintroduced the “Next Generation Television Marketplace Act,” a comprehensive bill that replaces the restrictive rules governing cable and satellite carriage of commercial broadcast television stations with a consumer driven, free-market system that determines carriage of cable networks and streaming services.
Among other things, the bill would:
“It’s time for Congress to 'Cut the Cord' on decades-old regulations, and finally update our 90’s-era laws that are now obsolete in an age where content is available on demand and on the go. The competition among Pay-TV providers, streaming services, networks, and local channels has never been more intense, resulting in more choices for American families who are increasingly demanding more personalized viewing options at prices they can afford,” said Whip Scalise.
US Senate Internet Hearing
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, announced a hearing for July 31, 2018, entitled “The Internet and Digital Communications: Examining the Impact of Global Internet Governance.” The hearing will review international internet policies that are impacting the competitiveness, investment, and innovation opportunities of U.S. businesses domestically and abroad in today’s global digital economy. Witnesses include:
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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s daily blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.