Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT) introduced the Combating Loneliness Act (CLA) to address the acute mental health and loneliness crisis in America. The Combating Loneliness Act is co-led by Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY), chair of the Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery Caucus. The CLA tackles the mental health crisis through community-focused approaches. This legislation supports the excellent work being done at the community level to increase social connection and mental wellbeing for all Americans. 

• Social infrastructure: This legislation invests in physical infrastructure that creates social connection through playgrounds, community gardens, recreation areas, and bike lanes. This bill also bolsters our “third-spaces” such as libraries, recreation centers, veteran service organizations, and senior centers so that they can expand their services with a focus on social connection. 
• Public health: Mental health care for communities and the health care workers that take care of us are both essential components of ending the loneliness crisis. The CLA bolsters the community health workforce, reauthorizes the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, funds mental health support groups, and encourages peer mental health first aid training, Additionally, this legislation creates new grants for mental health providers and extends pandemic-era programs that prevent burnout of healthcare providers.
• Youth mental health: The CLA prioritizes youth mental health and social connection through increasing funding to existing mental health programs in schools, access to school-based health services and after-school programs.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is seeking information and public comment on the potential impact on the GPS L1 signal at 1575.42 MHz of the increasing deployment of mobile devices capable of operating on satellite systems in the L-band at 1610-1660.5 MHz. Under current FCC rules, these devices are permitted to operate subject to a substantially less restrictive out-of-band emission limit than similar devices transmitting on the same frequencies and connecting to terrestrial base station systems. NTIA is seeking public comment on the risk of interference posed by this increased deployment of mobile devices capable of operating on L-band satellite systems at 1610-1660.5 MHz, as well as potential mitigation options to safeguard GPS systems while facilitating the potential benefits of direct-to-device services.

President-elect Donald J. Trump transferred all of his shares in the social media company that bears his name to a trust controlled by his eldest son, according to a regulatory filing. The filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission said Mr. Trump had moved his roughly 115 million shares in Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social, to the trust. He did not sell the shares or receive any financial consideration for the transfer, which was described as a gift to the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust. Mr. Trump is the largest shareholder of Trump Media & Technology Group, and his nearly 53 percent stake is worth about $4 billion. Trump Media, which is losing money, has taken in just a few million dollars in revenue. Mr. Trump’s ownership was one of his most valuable assets based on Trump Media’s market valuation.

An extraordinary display of Elon Musk's social media power saw the world's richest man funnel the anger of his hundreds of millions of online followers against a bipartisan compromise funding bill. Musk's arresting demonstration of government-by-tweet left Washington reeling—but the magic trick will get harder to repeat. Shooting down a spending bill is a lot easier than passing one. Stopping government in its tracks is much easier than making it work. Beginning Jan. 20, Republicans will essentially control all three branches of government, and making it work will be their job. Musk's call to arms took place at his point of maximum power, but starting in January, Republicans' control of Congress will be precarious. If Musk can repeat the trick, he will have ushered us into a new era. Then we'll have to figure out whether what's happening is really direct democracy, or rule by unelected billionaire.

Chairman-Elect Brett Guthrie (R-KY) announced the House Commerce Committee Subcommittee Chairs and Vice Chairs for the 119^th Congress: 

• Vice Chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee- John Joyce (R-PA)
• Subcommittee on Communications and Technology-
  • Chairman- Richard Hudson (R-NC)
  • Vice Chair- Rick Allen (R-GA)
• Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade-
  • Chairman- Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)
  • Vice Chair- Russ Fulcher (R-ID)
• Subcommittee on Energy-
  • Chairman- Bob Latta (R-OH)
  • Vice Chair- Randy Weber (R-TX)
• Subcommittee on Environment-
  • Chairman- Morgan Griffith (R-VA)
  • Vice Chair- Dan Crenshaw (R-VA)
• Subcommittee on Health-
  • Chairman- Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA)
  • Vice Chair- Neal Dunn, M.D. (R-FL)
• Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations-
  • Chairman- Gary Palmer (R-AL)
  • Vice Chair- Troy Balderson (R-OH)

The US cable industry has gone through fits and starts trying to add mobile to the service bundle over the years. But cable has finally hit the mark by focusing on bundling home broadband and mobile and creating an early form of convergence that cable's key competitors, including AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, are now trying to emulate with fiber network buildouts alongside a wave of fiber-focused mergers. Analysts such as MoffettNathanson's Craig Moffett believe that cable's got the advantage because it's in position to offer the convergence bundle everywhere they offer broadband compared to the pockets where rivals have fiber.