Too many rural phone providers would be left without tax credits in bill by Sen. Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), OPASTCO said in letter to senator last week. Rockefeller’s bill (S-88) offers tax incentives for broadband deployment to rural areas, but OPASTCO Chmn. James Forcier and his fellow board members said they support “the concept” of bill but urged more companies be made eligible for credits. S-88 has 58 co-sponsors and is in Senate Finance Committee, of which Rockefeller is member. While Committee Chmn. Baucus (D-Mont.) has yet to hold hearing on bill, that could change now that new Senate governing agreement will allow committee to have full complement of members this week with one- vote Democratic majority. Similar bill in House (HR-267) by Rep. English (R-Pa.) has 170 co-sponsors and awaits action in Ways & Means Committee.
Prominent high-tech industry lobbyist will be nominated by President Bush to be Commerce Dept. undersecy. of technology, White House said Tues. Phillip Bond is dir. of federal public policy for Hewlett-Packard, and previously was senior vp-govt. affairs for Information Technology Industry Council (ITIC). He spent 5 years as chief of staff to Rep. Dunn (R-Wash.) and also worked in legislative affairs for Vice President Cheney when he was Secy. of Defense. Bond’s nomination was praised by members of TechNet, lobbying group with which Bond has been active. “The administration has tapped someone who has strong credentials in the technology community,” said TechNet CEO Rick White. Microsoft COO Bob Herbold said Bond “combines solid experience in our fast- moving industry with an insider’s knowledge of Washington, D.C.,” while Cisco Systems Senior Vp-Corporate Affairs Dan Schneinman said “this is a big win for the Administration and the technology industry.”
Top Senate Democrats, including Majority Leader Daschle (D- N.D.) urged President Bush Mon. not to allow “unnecessary delays” in opening “at least some” of 1755-1850 MHz band for commercial users eager for 3rd generation wireless spectrum. “In recent years, Congress has mandated safeguards to ensure that DoD does not surrender frequencies in such a way as to compromise its mission capabilities,” said letter written by 7 Senate Democrats. “But executive agencies must take the initiative to drive the process forward.” Senators didn’t criticize recent FCC action to delay decision on which spectrum bands should be allocated for advanced wireless uses beyond July 2001 deadline set out in executive order by then President Clinton last Oct. “While this schedule may no longer be realistic, the Administration should move forward as rapidly as possible.”
Problems that led to imposing strict export controls on satellites were “exaggerated, off target, political, a disaster for the industry and a disaster for national security,” said William Reinsch, pres., National Foreign Trade Council, and ex- Commerce Dept. (DoC) undersecy. for export administration under President Clinton. At Stimson Center conference on U.S. export controls on space-related technologies in Washington Tues., he said Hughes-Loral flap in 1998 that led to transfer of satellite export controls to State Dept. (DoS) from Commerce didn’t help China as much as opponents argued: “China received the most help from Russia.” Reinsch said actual drop in U.S. market share may vary according to estimates, “but nobody says it hasn’t dropped significantly.”
House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Tex.) doesn’t plan to schedule House debate on HR-1542, bill by House Commerce Committee Chmn. Tauzin (R-La.) and ranking Democrat John Dingell (D-Mich.) that would lift restrictions on ability of Bell companies to offer data services across interLATA boundaries. Responding to inquiry late last week on floor by House Minority Whip Bonior (D-Mich.), Armey said: “There is nothing planned at this time with respect to scheduling that bill for floor debate. Certainly I would not see it next week, and I could not tell the gentleman at what time we might expect it following the [July 4] recess.”
Former FCC Comr. Susan Ness elected to board of wireless firm LCC International… Gerard Lederer, ex-BOMA International, joins Miller & Van Eaton law firm… Appointments at FTC: Rafael Cruz, ex-Dept. of Justice, to dir.-Office of Policy & Planning; Sean Royall, ex-Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, deputy dir.-Bureau of Competition; Alden Abbott, ex-Commerce Dept., assistant dir.- policy and evaluation in Bureau of Competition… Ivo Bolsens, ex- vp-information and communication systems, IMEC, appointed vp-chief technical officer, Xilinx.
Dept. of Defense (DoD) is developing draft legislation that would provide funding for upgrading military communications equipment, thus allowing it to vacate some spectrum for commercial 3G applications, House Minority Leader Gephardt (D-Mo.) said Mon. Addressing Computer & Communications Industry Assn. (CCIA) 2001 Washington Caucus, Gephardt said language soon would be shopped around Hill to both authorizers and appropriators, adding: “I don’t know how successful that will be in working its way through the House and Senate.” Gephardt outlined DoD’s plans after his formal speech, but in that speech he did make passing reference to 3G spectrum: “A lot of people recently have told me we need to move the Defense Department [from some potential 3G spectrum]. That’s probably a wise thing to do.”
Lifting restrictions on ability of Bell companies to provide data services across in-region, interLATA boundaries “would mean that in addition to the local phone markets, the Baby Bells could also monopolize the long distance broadband market,” House Judiciary Committee Chmn. Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) said Mon. in his weekly Web column. USTA blasted Sensenbrenner’s comment, citing FCC statistics that indicated CLEC local phone market penetration was increasing. USTA also said data deregulation would hasten expansion of Internet services in underserved area, and urged Congress to allow telcos to compete for slice of high-speed Internet market under same terms as cable industry.
Satellite export reform bill (HR-1707) by Reps. Berman (D- Cal.) and Rohrabacher (R-Cal.) received endorsement of U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which said it balanced national security and commercial satellite industry interests. Bill would return satellite export licensing authority to Commerce Dept. fromtae Dept. and would create State and Defense Dept. referral process. Chamber-led Space Enterprise Council released satellite export position paper this week with recommendations on how to speed policy reform, including those that reflect concerns expressed by bill’s sponsors that U.S. satellite industry was struggling to maintain share of global market. “U.S. industry was severely impacted when the jurisdiction of commercial satellite technology licensing was transferred from Commerce to State,” said council Chmn. Mark Bitterman. “The Space Enterprise Council believes that HR-1707 will help restore predictability, timeliness and transparency to the control system.” Meanwhile, GAO released report Thurs. indicating that State and Commerce completed general export reviews on the average of 46 and 50 days, respectively. It also has begun follow-up investigation on why some items, such as space systems and technology, rocket launch systems and telecom and information technology products took longest time to process.
Comprehensive 2-year report on Commerce Dept.’s controversial Advanced Technologies Program (ATP) released Wed. said ATP had been highly effective in its goal of accelerating development of high-risk technological innovations. Report, sponsored by National Research Council (NRC), came after Bush Administration officials had voiced doubts about focus and merits of R&D program. Administration’s FY 2002 budget would provide $13 million to support current ATP commitments and suspend granting of new awards pending Commerce Dept. investigation into program. ATP had received $146 million for FY 2001.