February 10, 2023

NATE Signs Coalition Letter to House Armed Services Committee

On Tuesday, February 7, NATE joined an industry coalition in urging House Armed Services Committee leaders to fully fund the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), commonly known as “rip and replace.” NATE emphatically supports full funding for the FCC’s rip and replace program to ensure that our telecommunications equipment is secure and reliable. You can read the industry coalition letter here.

Senators Introduce Bill to Streamline FAA Drone Approval

On Wednesday, February 8, Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and John Thune (R-SD) introduced a bill that would streamline the way the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approves drone operations that go beyond the visual line of sight. “If we want the drones of tomorrow to be manufactured in the U.S. and not in China,” said Warner, “we have to start working today to integrate them into our airspace. NATE endorses this bill and thanks Sens. Warner and Thune for their advocacy on this issue. You can read more about the Increasing Competitiveness for American Drones Act here. 

Labor Secretary to Leave Post

On Tuesday, February 7, reports circulated that Labor Secretary Marty Walsh will leave the Biden Administration to become the executive director of the NHL Players' Association. While unclear when he will exit, his departure would leave Deputy Labor Secretary Julie Su as the agency’s acting head. You can read more about Walsh’s reported departure here.

Following SOTU, White House Provides Infrastructure Update

On Wednesday, February 8, following President Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address, the White House released updated state-by-state fact sheets outlining the progress made on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law implementation. The updated fact sheets reflect the progress made in all 50 states, DC, and the territories as of January 13, 2023. You can read the fact sheets here.