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White House Fact Sheet: Strengthening the U.S. Defense Industrial Base
WASHINGTON, July 9 -- The White House issued the following fact sheet on July 8, 2026:
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Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Secures Historic Defense Investment from NATO Allies, Powering American Industry
STRENGTHENING THE U.S. DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE: This week, at NATO's 2026 Ankara Summit, President Donald J. Trump announced a surge in defense investment from Allies, increasing market access for American companies and supporting thousands of high-paying American manufacturing jobs.
* $3 billion in major deals and joint ventures were announced at the Summit that will expand the Arsenal
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, July 9 -- The White House issued the following fact sheet on July 8, 2026:
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Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Secures Historic Defense Investment from NATO Allies, Powering American Industry
STRENGTHENING THE U.S. DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE: This week, at NATO's 2026 Ankara Summit, President Donald J. Trump announced a surge in defense investment from Allies, increasing market access for American companies and supporting thousands of high-paying American manufacturing jobs.
* $3 billion in major deals and joint ventures were announced at the Summit that will expand the Arsenalof Freedom:
- Lockheed Martin will work to establish a Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Sustainment Facility in Europe.
- Northrup Grumman will sign Letters of Interest with 10 Nations to purchase MQ-4C Tritons, expanding NATO's Allied Ground Surveillance program into the maritime domain.
- Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall will partner on Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) production in Europe.
- RTX and the Department of War will launch their Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) feasibility Study to expand production in Europe.
- Germany and the Netherlands will buy Raytheon's Stinger missile with European production as a condition of the bulk procurement. They aim to double the Stinger production volume by 2030.
- Boeing and Rheinmetall-Italy will explore a partnership opportunity to expand production and sustainment for Boeing's Small Diameter Bomb (SDB-I) for Europe.
- Anduril will commit to provide Poland with Barracuda-500 missiles, leading to a new production line in country.
* Procurement Coalitions will be utilized for NATO Allies to join together to create the demand signal needed to boost procurement of key capabilities. This approach will lower unit costs, ramp up production, and close capability gaps.
* NATO's surge in investment opens a pathway for small and medium-sized American companies to market their products, innovate, and accelerate deliveries across the Alliance.
PRIORITIZING AMERICA FIRST FOREIGN POLICY: President Trump's leadership has produced a generational shift in NATO, ramping up allies' stake in industrial expansion and creating jobs for thousands of American workers.
* This new approach - NATO 3.0 - moves the Alliance toward greater burden sharing and self-reliance.
* A more balanced Alliance frees critical American resources for homeland defense and secures our vital national interests beyond Europe.
* In 2025, European defense spending supported nearly 200,000 American jobs, including 112,000 positions from U.S. defense contractor sales and 83,000 jobs from European defense firms operating in the United States.
* President Trump's America First Arms Transfer Strategy ensures that the surge in allies' spending will benefit the U.S. defense industry, reindustrializing America while arming our partners with the best capabilities in the world.
RESTORING BALANCE TO NATO: President Trump is transforming NATO from a model of dependency to one of true partnership, restoring the focus and determination of the founding Alliance.
* In June 2025, President Trump secured a historic commitment from NATO allies to invest 5 percent of their GDP annually in defense by 2035 -- the most ambitious pledge in the history of the Alliance.
* Allied investment jumped more than 20 percent last year alone, with allies spending $120 billion more than in 2025. This historic surge in investment is restoring fairness to the Alliance and reducing the burden on the United States.
* Since President Trump began his first term, NATO allies have spent an additional $1.21 trillion on defense -- known as the "Trump Trillion."
* Because of President Trump, European allies have borne the cost of defending Ukraine instead of American taxpayers. Over $5 billion of this spending has been spent through the President's Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative which allows Allies to purchase packages of U.S. equipment for transfer to Ukraine.
* In 2025 alone, NATO allies procured more than $54 billion in defense equipment from the U.S. -- a boost for American manufacturers, workers, and communities.
* NATO allies accepted primary responsibility for its conventional defense and stepped up to take more leadership roles.
* The Department of War has returned U.S. troop levels in Europe to pre-2022 levels, empowering our European partners to step up. In addition, the Department of War is reviewing U.S. force posture and basing in Europe to ensure irreversible momentum toward a European-led defense of Europe.
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Original text here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-secures-historic-defense-investment-from-nato-allies-powering-american-industry/
Surface Transportation Board Issues Decision Involving 4 Companies
WASHINGTON, July 9 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Surface Transportation Board issued the following decision (Docket No. FD 36873) entitled "Union Pacific Corp. and Union Pacific Railroad Co. - Control - Norfolk Southern Corp. and Norfolk Southern Railway Co.":
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ORDER GRANTING IN PART MOTION TO COMPEL ADDITIONAL UP AND NS CUSTODIANS, AND GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART MOTION TO SET PRODUCTION DEADLINES
Discovery is before the undersigned pursuant to a ruling by the Surface Transportation Board. See Decision (Aug. 28, 2025). The undersigned scheduled and conducted a discovery
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WASHINGTON, July 9 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Surface Transportation Board issued the following decision (Docket No. FD 36873) entitled "Union Pacific Corp. and Union Pacific Railroad Co. - Control - Norfolk Southern Corp. and Norfolk Southern Railway Co.":
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ORDER GRANTING IN PART MOTION TO COMPEL ADDITIONAL UP AND NS CUSTODIANS, AND GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART MOTION TO SET PRODUCTION DEADLINES
Discovery is before the undersigned pursuant to a ruling by the Surface Transportation Board. See Decision (Aug. 28, 2025). The undersigned scheduled and conducted a discoveryconference on June 26, 2026. See Decision No. 22. This decision memorializes the rulings made at that conference.
The Surface Transportation Board regulations provide for broad discovery. These regulations provide that "[p]arties may obtain discovery under this subpart regarding any matter, not privileged, which is relevant to the subject matter involved in a proceeding." 49 C.F.R. Sec. 1114.21(a)(1). The Board has recognized that this regulation allows for broad discovery. See Canadian Pac. Ry.--Control--Kan. City S. (Decision No. 7), FD 36500, slip op. at 4 (Aug. 2, 2021) (acknowledging authority to seek material relevant to subject matter of proceeding under 49 C.F.R. Sec. 1114.21 and interpreting scope of relevance in discovery "[b]roadly"). An order may be entered for good cause and which justice requires, to protect from "annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense, or to prevent the raising of the issues untimely or inappropriate to the proceeding." 49 C.F.R. Sec. 1114.21(c). Protective orders may include that discovery not be had or that discovery be had only on specified conditions. 49 C.F.R. Sec. 1114.21(c)(1)-(2).
I. Motion to Compel Additional UP and NS Custodians (BNSF-34 / CSX-12 / CPKC-28)
The Motion to Compel Additional UP and NS Custodians is GRANTED in part as follows. UP and NS are ORDERED to include the following individuals as custodians:
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Union Pacific ... Norfolk Southern
1. Eric Gehringer ... 1. Mark George
2. Matthew Graham ... 2. John Orr
3. Grant Janke ... 3. Claude Elkins
4. Katherine Novak ... 4. Mike Barr
5. Maqui Parkerson ... 5. Anil Bhatt
6. Joshua Perkes ... 6. Ed Boyle
7. Carrie Powers ... 7. Felisima de Oliveriera
8. Kenny Rocker ... 8. Jacob Elium
9. John Turner ... 9. John Felps
10. Jim Vena ... 10. Stefan Loeb
11. Todd Rynaski ... 11. Mike McClellan
12. Jennifer Hamann ... 12. Kathleen Smith
13. Mike Miller ... 13. Dwayne Swindall
14. Rahul Jalali ... 14. Yannik Thomas
15. Corrie Schumaker ... 15. Shawn Tureman
16. Beth Whited ... 16. Jason Zampi
17. Rebecca Gregory ... 17. Randolph "Scott" St. Clair
18. David Hughes ... 18. Tim Livingston
19. Brad Moore ... 19. Craig Hudson
20. Carl Garrison ... 20. Rob Jones
21. Jennifer Bailey ... 21. Mike Grim
22. Mike Santa Maria ... 22. Marybeth Flournoy
23. Jamie Peters ... 23. Christine Traubel
24. Steven Bybee ... 24. Frank Voyack
25. Elise Gosch ... 25. Elizabeth Talton-Buck
26. Hunt Cary ... 26. Alan Shaw
27. Kari Kirchhoefer ... 27. James Squires
28. Jacque Bendon ... 28. Paul Duncan
29. Ryan Steinbach ... 29. Cindy Sanborn
30. Laura Heisterkamp ... 30. Michael Wheeler
31. Jason Hess
32. Jason Steele
33. Andrew Brady
34. Jeff Pincock
35. Dan McLaughlin
36. Lance Fritz
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Applicants' request for a numerical cap on custodians is DENIED without prejudice. If the non-Applicant Class I railroads seek to add additional predecessor custodians in the future, they must have a good reason for doing so (i.e., show good cause), subject to the approval of the Administrative Law Judge.
BNSF's request for an order disallowing UP from applying search terms before collecting UP custodial data is HELD IN ABEYANCE. UP is ORDERED to provide the non-Applicant Class I railroads further information regarding the number or proportion of documents that UP's pre-culling process has filtered out from UP's custodial collections. Following the review of that information, the parties can seek further guidance as needed.
UP's request to restrict the collection of the 20 additional custodians to January 1, 2022, based on technical collection issues forward is HELD IN ABEYANCE. UP is ORDERED to provide the non-Applicant Class I railroads further information regarding those technical issues. Following the review of that information, the parties can seek further guidance as needed.
II. Motion to Set Production Deadlines for UP and NS (BNSF-33 / CSX-11 / CPKC-27)
The Motion to Set Production Deadlines is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART. The following deadlines are ordered:
A. Applicants are to continue making rolling productions, now on a biweekly basis, with the next production by no later than July 10, 2026.
B. Applicants shall substantially complete their non-custodial productions in response to BNSF's Second Motion to Compel by July 31, 2026.
C. Applicants shall provide biweekly updates of their progress toward substantial completion of non-custodial document productions in response to the full body of then-pending requests. Those biweekly updates shall begin on July 10, 2026. The biweekly updates should be addressed to the ALJ and counsel to the non-Applicant Class I railroads.
The request for biweekly updates for custodial document productions is HELD IN ABEYANCE, and can be raised at the July 10, 2026 conference.
D. The motion did not request an omnibus production deadline. Accordingly, the parties shall further confer regarding additional production deadlines and present an agreed proposal or disputes at the July 10, 2026 conference. Along with any proposed production deadline, the parties should be prepared to discuss a proposed, corresponding deadline for document discovery requests./1
III. BNSF's Second to Motion to Compel (BNSF-28)
BNSF's Second Motion to Compel (BNSF-28) is HELD IN ABEYANCE.
IV. CPKC's Motion to Compel (CPKC-24)
CPKC's Motion to Compel (CPKC-24) is HELD IN ABEYANCE.
It is ordered:
1. The Motion to Compel Additional UP and NS Custodians is granted in part as set forth in this decision.
2. The Motion to Set Production Deadlines for UP and NS is granted in part and denied in part as set forth in the decision.
3. BNSF's Second Motion to Compel and CPKC's Motion to Compel are held in abeyance.
4. This decision is effective on the date of service.
By the Board, Jenifer J. Soulikias, Administrative Law Judge.
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Footnote:
1/ The discovery conference did not discuss setting a corresponding deadline for proposed written discovery requests. Therefore, the undersigned provides emphasis of this additional request. Moreover, such a deadline should include all non-Applicant parties for efficiency.
The undersigned understands that non-Applicant railroads are concerned about Applicants' production of documents in advance of depositions. The undersigned suggests that for efficiency, a proposal should include a deadline for document discovery requests (requests for production of documents, at a minimum). Therefore, Applicants would have the requests to send responses to by the proposed production deadline before depositions.
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Original text here: https://dcms-external.s3.amazonaws.com/DCMS_External_PROD/1783524117003/53153.pdf
State Dept.: Announcing Charity Wallace as Special Envoy for Best Future Generations
WASHINGTON, July 9 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following statement on July 7, 2026, by Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott:
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Announcing Charity Wallace as Special Envoy for Best Future Generations
On July 7, Deputy Secretary Landau swore in Charity Wallace as the Special Envoy for Best Future Generations. In this role, Special Envoy Wallace will lead U.S. efforts in support of First Lady Melania Trump's Fostering the Future Together Global Initiative -- uniting First Spouses and equivalent leaders from around the world to champion the well-being, safety, and future success
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WASHINGTON, July 9 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following statement on July 7, 2026, by Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott:
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Announcing Charity Wallace as Special Envoy for Best Future Generations
On July 7, Deputy Secretary Landau swore in Charity Wallace as the Special Envoy for Best Future Generations. In this role, Special Envoy Wallace will lead U.S. efforts in support of First Lady Melania Trump's Fostering the Future Together Global Initiative -- uniting First Spouses and equivalent leaders from around the world to champion the well-being, safety, and future successof children through the innovative use of advanced technology.
By leveraging American technological leadership to equip the next generation with the skills to learn, grow, and thrive in a rapidly evolving digital world, this Administration is advancing American security and prosperity -- and cultivating a generation of partners in innovation, stability, and shared economic growth. Educated, skilled youth are the foundation of stable, prosperous societies -- and enduring partners for the United States.
A proven architect of public-private partnerships, Special Envoy Wallace has spent her career building coalitions and programs that deliver results for children and families worldwide. She brings deep expertise in global development, foreign policy and education -- including organizing presidential-level summits with nearly 30 African first ladies, mobilizing more than $4.1 billion in private sector investment as Senior Vice President at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, and developing landmark education and empowerment programs for women and children across Africa and the Middle East. Her commitment is steadfast, and I look forward to partnering with her in this important work.
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Original text here: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/07/announcing-charity-wallace-as-special-envoy-for-best-future-generations/
Secretary of State Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu, South of Korean Foreign Minister Cho Issue Remarks at Signing of Small Modular Reactor Memorandum of Cooperation
WASHINGTON, July 9 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following remarks on July 7, 2026, by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun at the signing of a small modular reactor memorandum of cooperation:
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MODERATOR: Thank you so much for coming here today. We're here today to mark the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation on small modular reactor deployment in other countries. I will now invite Secretary Rubio to give some opening remarks, followed by Foreign Minister Motegi and Foreign Minister Cho.
SECRETARY
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WASHINGTON, July 9 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following remarks on July 7, 2026, by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun at the signing of a small modular reactor memorandum of cooperation:
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MODERATOR: Thank you so much for coming here today. We're here today to mark the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation on small modular reactor deployment in other countries. I will now invite Secretary Rubio to give some opening remarks, followed by Foreign Minister Motegi and Foreign Minister Cho.
SECRETARYRUBIO: Thank you. Thank you both for being here and for being a part of this, and for this trilateral forum that we've been having for quite a while now. But it also has to show some real deliverables, things that are resulting from this engagement, and today we have a concrete one that's very important.
One of the most important issues in the world today, as we're reminded of even now with events happening in the Straits of Hormuz and in other places, is energy security. And so this Memorandum of Understanding between our three nations today allow us to move forward on joint work on small modular reactors, which is going to be in many ways the future of energy generation in a very safe, efficient way, cost-effective way that will make our economies stronger. And so - and that - so this - this will allow us to really move forward. And I think the most important point is that it is a product of our trilateral engagement.
I'm also very pleased to see that Japan and South Korea continue to engage one another with respective visits. This a very important alliance on a bilateral basis between those countries, how critical it is. I know that it's a relationship that's been tested in recent times and in the past, but it's one that I think has grown stronger over the last three to four years, and we've certainly tried to foster it because these are two very close and important allies of ours.
And so this trilateral forum is a reminder of that, but also it allows us today to sign an agreement that is actually a concrete example of the kinds of things that we can do together, jointly, and the many more things that we're going to be able to do together in the years to come. So thank you both.
FOREIGN MINISTER MOTEGI: Thank you very much. I'm pleased that we could hold the Japan-U.S.-ROK foreign ministers' meeting again. Since last October, we have been making concrete efforts, such as enhancing the supply chain resilience of critical minerals and addressing North Korea's cyber threats. Furthermore, I welcome this significant achievement of signing the Memorandum of Cooperation regarding SMR. At today's meeting, I look forward to actual (inaudible) discussion that will further advance our cooperation. Thank you.
FOREIGN MINISTER CHO: Thank you, Marco. Thank you, Motegi-san. Let me start by congratulating Marco for the 250th anniversary of America. I - it was my privilege to join the - the formal reception in Seoul, and I was able to deliver my congratulatory remarks there. It was somewhat lengthy remarks, and I believe you might have been reported about it, because it was very comprehensive and it talked about our ally relationship and also our trilateral relationship as well.
I'm delighted to be here today for this ceremony, and I'm convinced that this SMR is one of the many areas where we can work together, facing the challenges of the world. And I also appreciate, Marco, your role in making peace in the Middle East and other areas in the world. We benefit from it. I thank you, Marco.
(The Memorandum of Cooperation was signed.)
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Original text here: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/07/secretary-of-state-marco-rubiowith-japanese-foreign-minister-motegi-toshimitsuand-republic-of-korea-foreign-minister-cho-hyun-at-a-small-modular-reactor-memorandum-of-cooperation-signing-ceremony/
First Quarter 2026 Inflation Adjustment Figures for Cable Operators Using FCC Rate Regulation Form 1240 Now Available
WASHINGTON, July 9 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Media Bureau issued the following public notice (Docket No. DA 26-687):
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This Public Notice is applicable to rate-regulated cable operators that use FCC Forms to justify their cable rates./1 Cable operators adjusting the non-external cost portion of their rates for inflation should follow the instructions provided with the applicable FCC Form. All inflation adjustment figures are based on changes in the Gross National Product Price Index (GNP-PI) published by the United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, July 9 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Media Bureau issued the following public notice (Docket No. DA 26-687):
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This Public Notice is applicable to rate-regulated cable operators that use FCC Forms to justify their cable rates./1 Cable operators adjusting the non-external cost portion of their rates for inflation should follow the instructions provided with the applicable FCC Form. All inflation adjustment figures are based on changes in the Gross National Product Price Index (GNP-PI) published by the United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis(BEA). The chain-type price indexes were obtained from the BEA Table 1.7.4 (Price Indexes for Gross Domestic Product, Gross National Product, and Net National Product) Line 4 (Gross National Product) on June 26, 2026./2
Operators filing FCC Form 1240 may make an adjustment based on quarterly figures. The first quarter 2026 inflation factor for operators using FCC Form 1240 is 3.60%. The adjustment factor of 3.60% is a measure of the annualized change in prices occurring over the period from January 1, 2026 to March 31, 2026. The inflation adjustment factor is calculated by dividing the GNP-PI for the first quarter of 2026 (131.702) by the GNP-PI for the fourth quarter of 2025 (130.542). The result of this calculation is converted from a quarterly change measurement factor to an annual change measurement factor by raising it to the fourth power. We then convert the calculation to an inflation adjustment factor by subtracting one.
Operators calculating the Inflation Factor for a True-Up Period that includes some portion of the first quarter of 2026 should enter the inflation factor on the appropriate lines of Worksheet 1 of FCC Form 1240 as "0.0360." Operators using this factor for calculating the Projected Period Inflation Segment of FCC Form 1240 should enter this number on Line C3 (January 1996 version), or Line C5 (July 1996 version) as "1.0360".
Each quarter the Commission releases a quarterly inflation factor for use with FCC Form 1240. The following table lists these factors beginning in 2021./3
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Year ... Quarter ... Dates Covered ... Inflation Factor
2021 ... First ... Jan. 1, 2021 - Mar. 31, 2021 ... 4.32%
2021 ... Second ... Apr. 1, 2021 - Jun. 30, 2021 ... 6.07%
2021 ... Third ... Jul. 1, 2021 - Sep. 30, 2021 ... 5.95%
2021 ... Fourth ... Oct. 1, 2021 - Dec. 31, 2021 ... 7.13%
2022 ... First ... Jan. 1, 2022 - Mar. 31, 2022 ... 8.19%
2022 ... Second ... Apr. 1, 2022 - Jun. 30, 2022 ... 9.00%
2022 ... Third ... Jul. 1, 2022 - Sep. 30, 2022 ... 4.37%
2022 ... Fourth ... Oct. 1, 2022 - Dec. 31, 2022 ... 3.88%
2023 ... First ... Jan. 1, 2023 - Mar. 31, 2023 ... 4.14%
2023 ... Second ... Apr. 1, 2023 - Jun. 30, 2023 ... 1.74%
2023 ... Third ... Jul. 1, 2023 - Sep. 30, 2023 ... 3.33%
2023 ... Fourth ... Oct. 1, 2023 - Dec. 31, 2023 ... 1.63%
2024 ... First ... Jan. 1, 2024 - Mar. 31, 2024 ... 3.05%
2024 ... Second ... Apr. 1, 2024 - Jun. 30, 2024 ... 2.52%
2024 ... Third ... Jul. 1, 2024 - Sep. 30, 2024 ... 1.94%
2024 ... Fourth ... Oct. 1, 2024 - Dec. 31, 2024 ... 2.34%
2025 ... First ... Jan. 1, 2025 - Mar. 31, 2025 ... 3.76%
2025 ... Second ... Apr. 1, 2025 - Jun. 30, 2025 ... 2.12%
2025 ... Third ... Jul. 1, 2025 - Sep. 30, 2025 ... 3.76%
2025 ... Fourth ... Oct. 1, 2025 - Dec. 31, 2025 ... 3.70%
2026 ... First ... Jan. 1, 2025 - Mar. 31, 2026 ... 3.60%
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The Commission releases a new quarterly inflation factor for operators using FCC Form 1240 four times each year. The inflation factor for a given quarter is usually released between three and four months after the end of the quarter, depending on the schedule of the Department of Commerce. The release of a new factor is posted on the Commission's website at: https://www.fcc.gov/general/inflation-updates-forms1210-and-1240.
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Footnotes:
1/ Pursuant to 47 CFR Sec.Sec. 76.922(c)(2), cable operators may adjust the non-external cost portion of their rates for inflation.
2/ Table 1.7.4 can be found at this link: https://apps.bea.gov/iTable/?reqid=19&step=2&isuri=1&categories=survey#eyJhcHBpZCI6MTksInN0ZXBzIjpbM SwyLDNdLCJkYXRhIjpbWyJjYXRlZ29yaWVzIiwiU3VydmV5Il0sWyJOSVBBX1RhYmxlX0xpc3QiLCI0MiJd XX0=.
3/ All previously released inflation factors can be found at Federal Communications Commission, Inflation Updates for Forms 1210 and 1240, https://www.fcc.gov/general/inflation-updates-forms-1210-and-1240 (last visited June 26, 2026).
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-687A1.pdf
FCC Wireline Competition Bureau Issues Public Notice Seeking Comment on Petitions for Preemption, Declaratory Ruling Filed Pursuant to Section 253 of Communications Act
WASHINGTON, July 9 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau issued the following public notice (WC Dockets No. 26-166, 26-167):
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The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on two petitions for preemption and declaratory ruling filed pursuant to Section 253(d) of the Communications Act (Act)./1 The first petition was filed by Gateway Infrastructure, LLC d/b/a Gateway Fiber (Gateway Fiber) and asks the Commission to preempt "the City of Maple Grove, Minnesota . . . from imposing and requiring a cable communications system franchise agreement . . . as a predicate
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, July 9 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau issued the following public notice (WC Dockets No. 26-166, 26-167):
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The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on two petitions for preemption and declaratory ruling filed pursuant to Section 253(d) of the Communications Act (Act)./1 The first petition was filed by Gateway Infrastructure, LLC d/b/a Gateway Fiber (Gateway Fiber) and asks the Commission to preempt "the City of Maple Grove, Minnesota . . . from imposing and requiring a cable communications system franchise agreement . . . as a predicateto issue public right-of-way use permits."/2 The second petition was filed by Lumos Fiber of Ohio, LLC (Lumos Fiber) and asks the Commission to preempt requirements imposed on its requests for right-of-way permits by two Ohio counties./3 Specifically, Lumos Fiber asks that the Commission preempt: (1) per-foot construction charges, inspection fees, and a professional survey requirement imposed by Stark County, Ohio; and (2) a professional survey requirement imposed by Mahoning County, Ohio./4 Gateway Fiber and Lumos Fiber argue that the requirements challenged by their respective petitions violate Section 253 of the Communications Act./5
Interested parties may file comments or oppositions to the Petitions on or before August 24, 2026 and reply comments on or before September 23, 2026. All comments or oppositions addressing the Gateway Fiber Petition must reference WC Docket No. 26-166. All comments or oppositions addressing the Lumos Fiber Petition must reference WC Docket No. 26-167. All comments or oppositions must be addressed to the Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
* Electronic Filers: Comments and oppositions may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS): www.fcc.gov/ecfs./6
* Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing.
- Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial courier, or by the U.S. Postal Service.
- Hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission's Secretary are accepted between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. by the FCC's mailing contractor at 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes and boxes must be disposed of before entering the building.
- Commercial courier deliveries (any deliveries not by the U.S. Postal Service) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701.
- Filings sent by U.S. Postal Service First-Class Mail, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express must be sent to 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554.
People with Disabilities. To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530.
Ex Parte Rules. The proceedings this Notice initiates shall be treated as "permit-but-disclose" proceedings in accordance with the Commission's ex parte rules./7 Persons making ex parte presentations must file a copy of any written presentation or a memorandum summarizing any oral presentation within two business days after the presentation (unless a different deadline applicable to the Sunshine period applies). Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentation must (1) list all persons attending or otherwise participating in the meeting at which the ex parte presentation was made and (2) summarize all data presented and arguments made during the presentation. If the presentation consisted in whole or in part of the presentation of data or arguments already reflected in the presenter's written comments, memoranda or other filings in the proceeding, the presenter may provide citations to such data or arguments in his or her prior comments, memoranda, or other filings (specifying the relevant page and/or paragraph numbers where such data or arguments can be found) in lieu of summarizing them in the memorandum. Documents shown or given to Commission staff during ex parte meetings are deemed to be written ex parte presentations and must be filed consistent with rule 1.1206(b). In proceedings governed by rule 1.49(f) or for which the Commission has made available a method of electronic filing, written ex parte presentations and memoranda summarizing oral ex parte presentations, and all attachments thereto, must be filed through the electronic comment filing system available for that proceeding, and must be filed in their native format (e.g., .doc, .xml, .ppt, searchable .pdf). Participants in these proceedings should familiarize themselves with the Commission's ex parte rules.
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Footnotes:
1/ 47 U.S.C. Sec. 253(d); see also 47 CFR Sec. 1.2(b).
2/ Petition of Gateway Infrastructure, LLC d/b/a Gateway Fiber for Preemption and Declaratory Ruling Pursuant to Section 253(d) of the Communications Act of 1934 (rec. June 17, 2025), https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/searchfilings/filing/26109834869 (Gateway Fiber Petition).
3/ Petition of Lumos Fiber of Ohio, LLC for Preemption and Declaratory Ruling Pursuant to Section 253(d) of the Communications Act of 1934 (rec. June 18, 2026), https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/searchfilings/filing/26109835097 (Lumos Fiber Petition).
4/ See Lumos Fiber Petition at 1, 11.
5/ See Gateway Fiber Petition at 1, 14-20; Lumos Fiber Petition at 1, 11-31.
6/ See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998).
7/ 47 CFR Sec. 1.1200 et seq.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-689A1.pdf
FCC Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau Issues Public Notice: Conditional Approval, Exemption of Certain Router From FCC Covered List
WASHINGTON, July 9 -- The Federal Communications Commission Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau issued the following public notice (WC Docket No. 18-89, ET Docket No. 21-232, EA Docket No. 21-233):
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The Federal Communications Commission's (FCC or Commission) Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB or Bureau) maintains a list of equipment and services (Covered List) that have been determined to "pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons."/1 Pursuant to section 2 of the Secure and Trusted Communications
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WASHINGTON, July 9 -- The Federal Communications Commission Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau issued the following public notice (WC Docket No. 18-89, ET Docket No. 21-232, EA Docket No. 21-233):
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The Federal Communications Commission's (FCC or Commission) Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB or Bureau) maintains a list of equipment and services (Covered List) that have been determined to "pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons."/1 Pursuant to section 2 of the Secure and Trusted CommunicationsNetworks Act of 2019 (Secure Networks Act)/2 and sections 1.50002(a) and 1.50003 of the Commission's rules,/3 PSHSB announces that the Department of War (DoW) has granted Conditional Approval for a certain router. Therefore, such device is exempt from the Covered List.
Recent Additions of Routers to the Covered List:
On March 23, 2026, the Commission added to the Covered List "routers produced in a foreign country, except routers which have been granted a Conditional Approval by DoW or DHS."/4 This addition was based on a National Security Determination from an Executive Branch interagency body, including several appropriate national security agencies, determining (among other things) that routers produced in a foreign country pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States and to the safety and security of U.S. persons./5
Conditional Approvals:
The Executive Branch interagency body established a process by which entities producing routers in foreign countries can request DoW or the Department of Homeland Security to evaluate whether such devices do not pose unacceptable risks to national security and receive Conditional Approvals that would exempt such devices from the Covered List. The Commission has updated the Covered List to reflect the Conditional Approvals that we have received from the DoW exempting certain routers from the Covered List./6
DoW has reviewed the submission and granted Conditional Approval for the following device:
* Vantiva USA, LLC's CWA438TX router (terminating January 3, 2028)
The Covered List:
We find that the Conditional Approval constitutes "a specific determination" by DoW that such device does not pose a risk to U.S. national security./7 Therefore, we conclude that PSHSB is required to update the Covered List to exclude the equipment identified in these Conditional Approvals.
PSHSB takes this action under its authority and obligation to publish and maintain the Covered List. Sections 1.50002(a) and 1.50003 of the Commission's rules require PSHSB to publish the Covered List on the Commission's website, to maintain and update the Covered List, and to monitor the status of determinations./8
The Covered List and the list of devices that have received Conditional Approvals are attached as Appendices A and B to this Public Notice and can also be found on the Bureau's website at https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/coveredlist./9
We note the continued availability of FCC staff guidance pursuant to sections 0.191 and 0.31(i) of the Commission's rules. Commission staff will provide guidance to TCBs, test labs, and equipment authorization applicants on the impact of these updates.
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Footnotes:
1/ Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019, Pub. L. No. 116-124, 133 Stat. 158 (2020) (codified as amended at 47 U.S.C. Sec.Sec. 1601-1609) (Secure Networks Act); 47 CFR Sec.Sec. 1.50002, 1.50003. For the current version of the Covered List, see Federal Communications Commission, List of Equipment and Services Covered By Section 2 of The Secure Networks Act, https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/coveredlist (last updated Apr. 14, 2026).
2/ 47 U.S.C. Sec. 1601.
3/ 47 CFR Sec.Sec. 1.50002(a), 1.50003; see also Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89, Second Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd 14284 (2020) (Supply Chain Second Report and Order).
4/ FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Announces Addition of Routers Produced in Foreign Countries to FCC Covered List, WC Docket No. 18-89, Public Notice, DA 26-278 (Mar. 23, 2026) (Routers Public Notice).
5/ Routers Public Notice at 2.
6/ See, e.g., FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Announces Conditional Approval of Certain Routers and Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Exemption from FCC Covered List, WC Docket No. 18-89, Public Notice, DA-26-351 (April 14, 2026). The list of devices that have received Conditional Approvals can be found on the Bureau's website at https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/coveredlist.
7/ See Routers Public Notice, Appx. C.
8/ 47 CFR Sec.Sec. 1.50002(a), 1.50003. See Supply Chain Second Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd at 14319, 14325, paras. 72, 77, 92.
9/ The FCC website also contains a list of certain affiliates and subsidiaries of entities identified on the Covered List. The list of affiliates and subsidiaries does not constitute a comprehensive list of all entities that the Commission may find, upon further examination, to qualify as relevant subsidiaries or affiliates of entities on the Covered List. Those entities, whether or not they currently provide covered communications equipment or services, are subject to the Commission's prohibitions, such as the prohibition against obtaining authorizations for covered equipment. See Reminder: Communications Equipment And Services On The Covered List Pose An Unacceptable Risk To National Security, National Security Advisory No. 2025-01, DA 25-927, n.3 (PSHSB Oct. 14, 2025).
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Original text plus appendix here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-688A1.pdf
