May 02, 2024
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📍 Situational awareness: Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal filed an amendment to attach KOSA to the FAA reauthorization package.
1 big thing: Congress debates dwindling internet discount program
Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios
Lawmakers are racing against the clock to renew an internet discount program that more than 23 million Americans have come to rely on, Maria reports.
Why it matters: Efforts to keep the Affordable Connectivity Program alive are faltering, and low-income households are poised to lose the $30 monthly discount at the end of this month.
State of play: Senate Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell this week pulled her bill, the Spectrum and National Security Act, from a scheduled markup.
- Cantwell's legislation would use spectrum auction money to fund the ACP.
- A separate bipartisan, bicameral bill from Sens. Peter Welch and J.D. Vance, the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act, would also fund the program.
By the numbers: A new study from the Chamber of Progress found ACP beneficiaries are at risk of losing $10 billion in work opportunities, $1.4 billion in telehealth savings and $627 million in student benefits.
Pressure is ramping up on lawmakers to act. Tuesday was the last day households could receive the full $30 or $75.
- White House officials, lawmakers, FCC commissioners and advocacy groups held a rally that day to highlight the impact of the program on Americans across the country.
- The White House is blaming Republicans for inaction, and Democrats — in a nod to constituents in red states — have been stressing that veterans and people in rural communities could face high speed internet loss.
For a long-term fix, Sen. John Fetterman introduced a bill this week to fund the ACP by incorporating it into the Universal Service Fund and making big tech companies like Google and Meta pay into that fund — an approach lauded by the telecom industry.
Yes, but: ACP backers say a short-term solution is needed while USF reform is hashed out.
The other side: Senate Commerce Ranking Member Ted Cruz said at a hearing today that the ACP has been inefficient and shouldn't be funded through spectrum proceeds, as Cantwell has proposed.
- Cruz believes USF should go through the congressional appropriations process for funds instead of its current contribution mechanism.
What's next: Lawmakers this week are debating an FAA reauthorization package that could provide a vehicle for getting ACP renewal through Congress, but Republican opposition may block that path.
- Cantwell told Axios today that she doesn't plan to file an amendment for her spectrum bill and is aiming to mark it up before the end of the month.
- House Republicans are pushing Speaker Mike Johnson to replenish the program.
- But Cantwell said the Republican and Democratic leaders of both chambers don't want unrelated legislation riding on the FAA bill.
2. What we're hearing: Speaker Johnson on AI
Illustration: Tiffany Herring/Axios
House Speaker Mike Johnson this week laid out his vision for AI regulation, Maria reports.
Why it matters: In the House, particularly among leadership, efforts to regulate AI haven't been as robust as in the Senate.
Driving the news: Speaking at the Hill and Valley Forum yesterday, Johnson said he's against overly regulating AI companies, which he said would stifle innovation and competition.
- "I wish the current administration realized this. I don't think that they do. I think they need to see that it goes against our interests for the FTC to send delegations to the EU and help enforce EU regulations against American companies."
- As some countries seek to mimic the EU approach, Johnson called for international cooperation to keep American companies competitive against China.
Inside the room: The invite-only forum brought together Silicon Valley companies and D.C. players on Capitol Hill.
- Company executives in attendance included Palantir Technologies CEO Alex Karp, Sequoia partner Roelof Botha and Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang.
- In addition to lawmakers, other government officials in attendance included CIA chief technology officer Nand Mulchandani and DHS policy undersecretary Robert Silvers.
This week the Washington Post reported that Jacob Helberg, a tech adviser behind the forum, is working to dismantle the Biden administration's AI executive order and create one for a potential Trump administration.
3. Catch me up: Commerce markup, STEM and more
Illustration: Tiffany Herring/Axios
👀 Markup watch: The Senate Commerce Committee pulled all of the legislation slated for yesterday's markup, citing prep for FAA reauthorization floor action.
- Cantwell: "We'll look to take up the rest of the agenda at a future time."
- The original notice featured several tech and telecom-focused bills, including Sen. Brian Schatz's kids online safety bill.
🗣 White House moves: OSTP announced a new set of cross-sector actions on STEMM (STEM plus medicine) equity.
✍️ STEM letter: House Science Chair Frank Lucas sent a letter yesterday to OSTP director Arati Prabhakar over the delayed release of the five-year federal STEM education strategic plan.
🔬 USPTO strategy: The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office this week launched a National Strategy for Inclusive Innovation to increase participation in STEM.
💼 Lobbying push: BSA told Axios it met with lawmakers this week to push for legislation that requires high-risk AI impact assessments and to move forward on privacy legislation.
🤝 Open web: The FCC and FTC formalized a partnership to coordinate net neutrality efforts.
🌐 Internet moves: NTIA released an annual report highlighting federal investments in high-speed internet programs.
💰 Rip & Replace: Rosenworcel warned lawmakers about a $3 billion-plus funding shortfall in a program to get rid of Huawei and ZTE equipment from U.S. networks.
✅ Thank you for reading Axios Pro Policy, and thanks to editors Mackenzie Weinger and David Nather and copy editor Brad Bonhall.
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