Latest news with #SenateCommitteeonCommerce
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump hails deal between senators on government-owned spectrum
President Trump on Friday hailed Senate Republican committee chairs for reaching a deal with Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) on auctioning of government-owned spectrum. Rounds and Fischer had held up Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' because they feared the federal sale of spectrum to the private sector would deprive the Defense Department of critical bandwidth used for radar. Trump on Friday applauded GOP senators for working out their differences. 'Congratulations to Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Ted Cruz, Chairman of the Senate Armed Service Committee, Roger Wicker, and Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, Tom Cotton, for their amazing deal on Spectrum as posted last night,' Trump posted on Truth Social. 'This is serious power for American Leadership on 6G,' he said, referring to the next phase of broadband infrastructure. 'We will have the World's Greatest Networks, and ensure the Highest Level of National Security for future Generations of Americans.' A source familiar with the deal said Rounds and Fischer got what they wanted, namely language in the bill to protect the Pentagon's use of prime spectrum frequencies for the entire length of the government auction period. The deal preserves the Defense Department's use of the 'lower three' 3.1 to 3.45 GHz band and 7.4 to 8.4 GHz, which would be exempted from general auction authority and the spectrum pipeline. The wireless industry got the restoration of auction authority. Rounds said Friday he appreciates the new national security protections and would continue to work on legislative language to align the broader bill with the 'intent of the agreement,' signaling some details may still need to be worked out. 'I appreciate the national security protections, and we are working on modifications that will align it with the spirit and intent of the agreement. Negotiations are ongoing and we look forward to reaching a conclusion that will both supercharge 5G as well as protect our national security, including the capabilities necessary to build President Trump's Golden Dome,' Rounds said in a statement. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the ranking member on the Commerce Committee, slammed her Republican colleagues for 'rushing to sell off spectrum' and 'failing to fund' what she called 'essential safety upgrades.' Cantwell warned the Republican language in the budget reconciliation package would run ahead of work between the Federal Aviation Administration and wireless providers such as Verizon and AT&T to ensure that spectrum sales do not crowd out air-safety applications. 'At a moment when maintaining safe skies has never been more challenging, this proposal recklessly endangers national security and aviation safety by mandating spectrum auctions in the C-Band before new altimeter standards are even finalized, while providing zero resources to an already capacity-constrained FAA or to update vulnerable altimeters on DOD and government aircraft,' Cantwell said in a statement. 'By rushing to sell off spectrum and failing to fund these essential safety upgrades, we're setting ourselves up for a catastrophic repeat of the 5G C-band debacle—except this time we risk grounding the armed forces as well,' she said. Trump on Friday slammed Biden for failing to reach a deal on spectrum auctions during his term. 'Biden did nothing on Spectrum in four years but, thanks to 'THE GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL,' my Administration will beat all expectations, and show World the path forward!' he posted. Updated at 2:17 p.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
17 hours ago
- Business
- The Hill
Trump hails deal between senators on government-owned spectrum
President Trump on Friday hailed Senate Republican committee chairmen for reaching a deal with Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) on auctioning of government-owned spectrum. Rounds and Fischer had held up Trump's big, beautiful bill because they feared that the federal sale of spectrum to the private sector would deprive the Defense Department of critical bandwidth used for radar. Trump on Friday applauded GOP senators for working out their differences. 'Congratulations to Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Ted Cruz, Chairman of the Senate Armed Service Committee, Roger Wicker, and Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, Tom Cotton, for their amazing deal on Spectrum as posted last night,' Trump posted on Truth Social. 'This is serious power for American Leadership on 6G,' he said, referring to the next phase of broadband infrastructure. 'We will have the World's Greatest Networks, and ensure the Highest Level of National Security for future Generations of Americans.' A source familiar with the deal said that Rounds and Fischer got what they wanted, namely language in the bill to protect the Pentagon's use of prime spectrum frequencies for the entire length of the government auction period. The deal preserves the Defense Department's use of the 'lower three' 3.1 to 3.45 GHz band and 7.4 to 8.4 GHz, which would be exempted from general auction authority and the spectrum pipeline. The wireless industry got the restoration of auction authority. Trump on Friday slammed Biden for failing to reach a deal on spectrum auctions during his term. 'Biden did nothing on Spectrum in four years but, thanks to 'THE GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL,' my Administration will beat all expectations, and show World the path forward!' he posted.
Epoch Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Elon Musk Talks AI, Energy With Senate Republicans
WASHINGTON—Entrepreneur Elon Musk met with Republicans of the Senate Committee on Commerce on May 20 to talk about artificial intelligence and energy. Musk met in his capacity as the CEO of xAI, an AI company he founded in 2023.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senate panel advances McKee pick to open PUC seat
Karen Bradbury appears before the Senate Committee on Commerce Tuesday, May 20, 2025. The committee voted unanimously to advance Bradbury's nomination for a seat on the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission. (Screenshot/Capitol TV) Gov. Dan McKee's pick to fill the open seat on the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (PUC) won easy approval from a Senate panel Tuesday. The Senate Committee on Commerce's unanimous vote advances Karen Bradbury's nomination to the full Senate for a confirmation vote, likely next week, said Greg Pare, a Senate spokesperson. If approved, Bradbury, who works as a program administrator for the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, would fill the $139,000-a-year post on the PUC, left vacant after former commissioner John Revens resigned in December. Bradbury's experience and leadership in government and energy programs drew praise during the brief Senate panel hearing Tuesday. Supporters spanned her 20-year career in state and federal government work, including 14 years with U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, according to her resume, obtained by Rhode Island Current. She joined the state energy resources office in December 2022, earning $108,900 as legislation and programs administrator. Neither Bradbury nor state lawmakers mentioned her marriage to Pat Crowley, president of the influential Rhode Island AFL-CIO. Crowley in an interview Wednesday declined to comment on her appointment. Crowley referred additional questions to McKee's office. 'Ms. Bradbury's qualifications spoke for themselves,' Olivia Da Rocha, a spokesperson for McKee's office, said in response to questions Wednesday. DaRocha did not comment on how many other candidates were considered for the position. Former colleagues from Providence law firm Duffy & Sweeney Ltd, where Bradbury worked as a paralegal from 2004 to 2008, also spoke and wrote in favor of her nomination to the PUC. 'I've known Karen over 20 years,' Jean Harrington, partner at Duffy & Sweeney, told the committee Tuesday. 'She has an uncanny ability to enter a chaotic situation, stand back, and say, 'OK, this is what we need to do.' She doesn't get frazzled.' That calm-under-pressure personality proved particularly important during her two-and-a-half years with the state energy resources office, which included overseeing renewable energy rebates funded through Biden-era congressional spending. Chris Kearns, acting director for the energy resources office and Bradbury's boss, described her ability to manage abrupt federal funding cuts, grant applications on tight deadlines, and readying fuel supplies with local terminal providers ahead of winter snowstorms. 'Karen has all the personal and professional attributes you would want in a commissioner for the PUC,' Kearns told the Senate committee. The high-profile appointment to the three-person regulatory body carries extra weight amid rising frustration over utility costs and profits held by Rhode Island Energy. Addressing the panel Tuesday, Bradbury acknowledged the struggles faced by working families and frontline communities while advancing the state's greenhouse gas emission reductions. 'If confirmed, it will be my job to ensure all the pieces fit together in a way that is beneficial to ratepayers and businesses,' Bradbury said. However, she stopped short of making promises on rate cuts when Rhode Island Energy submits its biannual electric rate prices this fall. 'I don't want to prejudice any proceeding,' Bradbury said in response to questions by Sen. Victoria Gu, a Westerly Democrat. 'I will keep all of that in mind, and look at the evidence presented before the commission.' The utilities commission by law cannot reject the state utility provider's proposed supply-side prices, as long as they do not include an extra markup beyond what it costs to purchase power directly from third-party suppliers. However, the commission has more authority over service-side charges and has scaled back Rhode Island Energy's proposed investments in capital infrastructure projects in acknowledgement of the extra costs to customers. In announcing Bradbury as his pick to the commission on May 14, McKee touted her experience in state and federal energy policy. 'Karen's expertise in energy policy, combined with a proven track record of delivering real results for Rhode Island—from securing major federal funding to launching innovative programs—makes her uniquely qualified to take on this role,' McKee said in a statement. 'Her commitment to advancing clean, affordable energy will be an asset to the Commission.' A lifelong Rhode Islander, Bradbury has a bachelor's degree in political science from Providence College and a master's degree in labor and industrial relations from the University of Rhode Island. If confirmed, Bradbury will fill the rest of Revens' six-year term, which expires March 1, 2027. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Business Mayor
09-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
OpenAI, Microsoft tell Senate ‘no one country can win AI'
Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More The Trump administration walked back an Executive Order from former President Joe Biden that created rules around the development and deployment of AI. Since then, the government has stepped back from regulating the technology. In a more than three-hour hearing at the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, executives like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, AMD CEO Lisa Su, Coreweave co-founder and CEO Michael Intrator and Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith urged policymakers to ease the process of building infrastructure around AI development. The executives told policymakers that speeding up permitting could make building new data centers, power plants to energize data centers and even chip fabricators crucial in shoring up the AI Tech Stack and keeping the country competitive against China. They also spoke about the need for more skilled workers like electricians, easing software talent immigration and encouraging 'AI diffusion' or the adoption of generative AI models in the U.S. and worldwide. Altman, fresh from visiting the company's $500 billion Stargate project in Texas, told senators that the U.S. is leading the charge in AI, but it needs more infrastructure like power plants to fuel its next phase. 'I believe the next decade will be about abundant intelligence and abundant energy. Making sure that America leads in both of those, that we are able to usher in these dual revolutions that will change the world we live in incredibly positive ways is critical,' Altman said. The hearing came as the Trump administration is determining how much influence the government will have in the AI space. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, chair of the committee, said he proposed creating an AI regulatory sandbox. Microsoft's Smith said in his written testimony that American AI companies need to continue innovating because ' it is a race that no company or country can win by itself.' Microsoft's Smith laid out the AI Tech Stack, which he said shows how important each segment of the sector is to innovation. 'We're all in this together. If the United States is gonna succeed in leading the world in AI, it requires infrastructure, it requires success at the platform level, it requires people who create applications,' Smith said. He added, 'Innovation will go faster with more infrastructure, faster permitting and more electricians.' AMD's Su reiterated that 'maintaining our lead actually requires excellence at every layer of the stack.' 'I think open ecosystems are really a cornerstone of U.S. leadership, and that allows ideas to come from everywhere and every part of the innovation sector,' Su said. 'It's reducing barriers to entry and strengthening security as well as creating a competitive marketplace for ideas.' With AI models needing more and more GPUs for training, the need to improve the production of chips, build more data centers, and find ways to power them has become even more critical. The Chips and Science Act, a Biden-era law, was meant to jumpstart semiconductor production in the U.S., but making the needed chips to power the world's most powerful models locally is proving to be slow and expensive. In recent months, companies like Cerebras have announced plans to build more data centers to help process model training and inference. The Senate majority of Republican policymakers made it clear during the hearing that the Trump administration would prefer not to regulate AI development, preferring a more market-driven, hands-off approach. This administration has also pushed for more U.S.-focused growth, demanding businesses use American products and create more American jobs. Read More Netflix announces next games, including a Mighty Quest title However, the executives noted that for American AI to remain competitive, companies need access to international talent and, more importantly, clear export policies so models made in the U.S. can be attractive to other countries. 'We need faster adoption, what people refer to as AI diffusion. The ability to put AI to work across every part of the American economy to boost productivity, to boost economic growth, to enable people to innovate in their work,' Smith said. 'If America is gonna lead the world, we need to connect with the world. Our global leadership relies on our ability to serve the world with the right approach and on our ability to sustain the trust of the rest of the world.' He added that removing quantitative caps for tier two countries is essential because these policies 'sent a message to 120 nations that couldn't count on us to provide the AI they want and need.' Altman noted, 'There will be great chips and models trained around the world,' reiterating American companies' leading position in the space. There's some good news in the area of AI diffusion because while the hearing was ongoing, the Commerce Department announced it was modifying rules from the Biden administration that limited which countries could receive chips made by American companies. The rule was set to take effect on May 15. While the executives said government standards would be helpful, they decried any move to 'pre-approve' model releases, similar to the EU. Generative AI occupies a liminal space in tech regulation. On the one hand, the comparative lack of rules has allowed companies like OpenAI to develop technology without much fear of repercussions. On the other hand, AI, like the internet and social media before it, touches people's lives professionally and personally. Read More Gartner: Generative AI will be everywhere, so strategize now In some ways, the executives veered away from how the Trump administration has positioned U.S. growth. The hearing showed that while AI companies want support from the government to speed up the process of expanding the AI infrastructure, they also need to be more open to the rest of the world. It requires talent from abroad. It needs to sell products and platforms to other countries. Social media commentary varied, with some pointing out that executives, in particular Altman, had different opinions on regulation before. 2023 Sam Altman: Tells Congress a new agency should be created to require licenses for powerful AI models 2025 Sam Altman: Tells Congress requiring licenses for powerful AI models would be 'disastrous' — Tom Simonite (@tsimonite) May 8, 2025 AI execs used to beg for regulation. Not anymore. — Daniel Patrick Forrester (@DPForrester) May 9, 2025 Others noted that other countries might see where their own AI policies have failed. This is very long and partially boring. But if you work in a European country or in the EU, this should be a must-watch. Senate hearing on AI with Sam Altman, CEO of AMD, Chairman Microsoft and founder of Coreweave. One big recurring theme: 'How do we make sure the failures… — Jo Bhakdi (@JOBhakdi) May 8, 2025
