Public Notice

The purpose of the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program: Native Entities (NE Capacity & Planning Grant Program) is to conduct digital equity planning and carry out digital equity and inclusion activities consistent with the Digital Equity Act. Native Entities may apply for Planning Grant Funds in addition to Capacity Grant Funds. Planning Grant Funds must be used for planning activities that will guide the projects and activities funded by Capacity Grant Funds. Native Entities may not only apply for Planning Grant Funds. Awards will be made through a competitive process.  

The Department of Commerce immediately suspended regular agency operations. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will continue to perform critical activities during a lapse in appropriations: 1) managing the federal use of spectrum; and 2) promoting the stability and security of the Internet’s domain name system. During a lapse in appropriations, NTIA requires continuous and frequent engagement with defense and emergency management agencies to execute its role as the manager of federal spectrum.

The Federal Communications Commission granted a petition for reconsideration filed by Maurine and Matthew Molak and found that the best reading of section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, (the Communications Act) is that it does not permit funding of off-premises use of Wi-Fi hotspots and the associated wireless Internet services with E-Rate program support. In so finding, the FCC rescinded the rules adopted in July 2024.

In this Declaratory Ruling, the Federal Communications Commission takes the opportunity to better align E-Rate eligibility with section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (Communications Act), and clarify that the provision of Wi-Fi, or other similar access point technologies, including the equipment needed to provide such service, on school buses is ineligible for E-Rate funding.

The Federal Communications Commission began to suspend  most operations effective 12:00:01 a.m. EDT on October 1, 2025.  During a suspension of normal operations, some public-facing filing systems and databases will remain available while others will not. 

The Trump administration's five research and development priorities include ensuring American leadership in critical and emerging technologies. These critical and emerging technologies promise to fuel American prosperity, improve quality of life and national security, and create high-paying jobs for American workers:

On September 25, President Trump signed an executive order allowing TikTok to remain active in the US under the requirements of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. President Trump has determined that the divestiture outlined in a proposed framework agreement, in which TikTok’s U.S. application would be operated by a new joint-venture company based in the United States, is a “qualified divestiture.” It will be majority-owned by U.S. investors, operated in the U.S.

The Federal Communications Commission announced that the Technological Advisory Council will be reestablished for a two-year period. During the Council’s next term, it is anticipated that the Council will meet in Washington, DC, and/or virtually, at the discretion of the FCC, approximately four times a year. In addition, as needed, subcommittees will be established to facilitate the Council’s work between meetings of the full Council. The purpose of the TAC is to provide technical advice to the FCC and to make recommendations on the issues and questions presented to it by the FCC.

America has long led the world in innovation, technological advancement, and design.  But with a sprawling ecosystem of digital services offered to Americans, the Government has lagged behind in usability and aesthetics.  There is a high financial cost to maintaining legacy systems, to say nothing of the cost in time lost by the American public trying to navigate them.