The Senate didn’t take up the House legislation but Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., last year backed a proposal that would renew the FCC’s authority through Dec. 31, 2025.

A packed room and a busy agenda of items on the docket set the stage for the FCC’s July open meeting, where six different proposed initiatives were passed.

This initial authority for the FCC was set to expire on September 30, 1998, but was extended by Congress, and has been several times since. The most recent long-term extension was granted as part of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, and expired on September 30, 2022.

The Federal Communications Commission has regained its authority to hold spectrum auctions and could use that power to take spectrum away from Wi-Fi networks and license it to mobile carriers AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.

But unless Congress acts, the FCC’s authority to auction spectrum will expire on Sept. 30, 2022. The first step to reauthorize this authority occurred on June 15, 2022, when the House Energy and ...

FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said Tuesday that authorizing more available mid-band spectrum to support 5G would be critical. MediaNews Group/ Getty Images Get the latest federal technology news ...

The US Senate has allowed the spectrum auction authority of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to lapse for the first time ever. A bill that would have extended the regulator’s spectrum ...