Institute for Local Self Reliance's Chris Mitchell welcomes back Gigi Sohn, Benton Institute for Broadband & Society Senior Fellow and Public Advocate, for a fast-paced reaction to recent testimony by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Federal Communications Commission Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Nathan Simington have each announced that they are departing from the FCC on Friday, June 6. Effective with their departures, the FCC will be down to only two commissioners. Until an additional commissioner is confirmed by the Senate, the FCC cannot take Commission-level actions. As a result, FCC Chairman Carr will temporarily be stymied in advancing his policy agenda, and the Commission will be unable to rule on major merger transactions.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the June Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 26, 2025:
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced a $2.3 million investment in digital skills training and workforce readiness programs that will target nearly 50,000 Kansans. Through the Digital Opportunities to Connect Kansans program, the Kansas Office of Broadband Development will partner with 13 organizations to ensure residents can maximize what the availability of high-speed internet across the state has to offer. The DOCK program expands access to necessary digital tools and opportunities to upskill the workforce.
Governor Laura Kelly (D-KS) announced that the Freestate Middle Mile Network, a program aimed to close digital gaps across the state, will officially break ground in June. The project is funded by a nearly $43 million federal grant from the National Telecommunication and Information Administration. The Freestate Network will allow providers to connect Kansas communities by enabling high-speed internet infrastructure for residents and businesses across Kansas. The project will focus on:
Long-simmering tensions between President Trump and Elon Musk burst into the open as the two men traded barbs and insults, signaling the rupturing of a relationship that had been one of the most consequential in modern American politics. President Trump, publicly addressing Musk’s latest attacks on
Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day announced $13.69 million in Fiscal Year 2025 awards to help more Marylanders access high-speed, affordable internet.
AI is hitting multiple tipping points in its impact on the tech industry, communication, government and human culture—and speakers at Axios' AI+ Summit mapped the transformative moment.
Gov Kathy Hochul (D-NY) said that lawmakers who claim not to have read parts of the GOP spending bill should use ChatGPT to ask: "Anything I should worry about in here?" Gov Hochul spoke about the economic, political, and social consequences of AI—from training workforces to children's safety. Five key takeaways:
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