July 12, 2026 to July 18, 2026

This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions and other government-related news concerning ICT, cloud computing, digital infrastructure, social media platforms, digital privacy, AI, cybersecurity, blockchain, Web3 and cryptocurrencies. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

Want to track other GR news in adjacent industries? Don't miss this week's updates in Finance and Defence. Also consider subscribing to our ICT & Cybersecurity - Ottawa edition covering critical GR news north of the border.

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🏛️ This Week's Congressional Calendar
• 🇺🇸 Federal Government News
• 📜 Legislative Updates
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

This Week's Congressional Calendar

• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Business Meeting: The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee will convene a business meeting on July 22 to markup several bills, including S.4429 on connected vehicles associated with foreign adversaries and S.4448 on Broadband Equity Program tracking. The meeting will also address nominations for transportation safety board and consumer product safety commission positions.
• House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee Hearing on Communications Networks: The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology is scheduled to hold a legislative hearing on July 22 at 2:00 p.m. in Rayburn 2123, focusing on protecting communications networks and improving connectivity.
• House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee Hearing on Consumer Protection: The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade will meet July 22 to review legislative proposals concerning consumer protection in a changing marketplace.

Federal Government News

White House Launches Gold Eagle Initiative for Cybersecurity Vulnerability Coordination

On July 14, the White House announced the Gold Eagle initiative, a national cybersecurity clearinghouse designed to improve vulnerability coordination across critical infrastructure sectors. Established via President Trump’s June Executive Order 14409, the program utilizes frontier AI capabilities to accelerate detection and response to cyber threats. The initiative is supported by multiple federal agencies, including the Treasury, DHS, CISA, and the Department of War, in partnership with private sector entities. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, and National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross described Gold Eagle as central to safeguarding infrastructure and enhancing threat intelligence. The initiative aims to reduce redundant vulnerability scanning and supply actionable information to both government and industry defenders.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

FCC Reviews Information Collection Requirements for Mobility Fund Phase I

The Federal Communications Commission announced on July 17 a review of its information collection requirements for Mobility Fund Phase I, as outlined under FCC Form 680. The process, subject to public comment until September 15, determines whether winning bidders qualify for Mobility Fund Phase I and Tribal Mobility Fund Phase I universal service support. FCC Form 680 submissions must include ownership details, ETC status, spectrum access, project descriptions, performance guarantees, and certifications. Tribal engagement certification and standby letter of credit requirements are integral to ensuring the applicant’s legal and financial readiness. These measures are intended to maintain integrity in the disbursement of funds supporting mobile voice and broadband service in areas lacking sufficient private sector investment.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

FCC Advances Network Modernization and Discontinuance Policy Revisions

On July 17, the FCC submitted requests for Office of Management and Budget review of revisions to Part 63 and Part 74 information collections, related to network improvements and service changes. Notable modifications include consolidated rules for technology transition discontinuances and blanket Section 214(a) authority for carriers transitioning legacy services or lower-speed data. The changes outline requirements for streamlining public comment periods and coordinated transitions of 911 network functionalities. Additional revisions simplify notice procedures for copper retirements and network changes, extending force majeure provisions and expanding direct notice obligations to 911 service providers. These updates affect interoperability, legacy service transitions, and public notice mechanisms tied to network modernization.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

FCC Requests Comments on Tariff Revisions and Access Stimulation Disclosures

The FCC, on July 17, issued a notice seeking public comments on tariff-related information collections under Part 61, including business data services and Internet Protocol Enabled Service Providers’ engagement in Access Stimulation. Carriers are required to provide supporting documentation to verify services are offered in a just and reasonable manner as mandated by the Communications Act. Detariffed service disclosures and Access Stimulation rules inform customers and stakeholders of carriers’ activities. The process is designed to assist the Commission and state regulators in determining compliance with statutory obligations, with annual burden estimates exceeding 170,000 hours.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

OFAC Sanction Actions Target Cyber-Enabled Activities and Entities

On July 13, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control added two individuals and one entity to its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List under Executive Order 13694. Dmytro Rashevskyi (Ukraine) and Yevgeniy Vladimirovich Silayev (Belarus) were sanctioned for their roles in ransomware and cyber-enabled activities. First VPN Service, based in Dnipro, Ukraine, was listed for supporting these operations through programming services and multiple digital currency addresses. All properties of these persons are blocked, prohibiting U.S. transactions with them. Full details are available on OFAC’s website.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

ITC Solicits Comments on Complaint Against Samsung Mobile Devices

The U.S. International Trade Commission announced receipt of a complaint on July 15 alleging violations relating to the importation and sale of certain Samsung mobile electronic devices. The Commission is soliciting public comments on potential exclusion orders and cease and desist measures requested by complainant Maxell, Ltd. This process examines impacts on competitive conditions, consumer welfare, and the production of alternative articles within the U.S., providing further opportunities for stakeholders to respond during subsequent stages of the investigation.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

FCC Reviews Approval for Commercial and Noncommercial Broadcast Facility Construction

On July 17, the FCC requested public comments regarding information collections tied to construction permit applications for commercial broadcast stations (Form 2100, Schedules 301-FM, 301-AM) and noncommercial educational stations (Schedule 340). These forms address authority to construct new facilities, upgrades, or modifications, with statutory requirements for demonstration of suitable locations and coverage standards. The Schedule 340 form is used by tribal entities qualifying for the 'Tribal Priority' and mandates public notice and online filing procedures for transparency in application processing.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Legislative Updates

Safe Cloud Storage Act Advances in Committee

Bill 7834, the Safe Cloud Storage Act, covering crime and law enforcement matters, was ordered to be reported (amended) on July 15 by a unanimous vote. The Act seeks to establish legal frameworks for secure cloud storage services.

Sources: www.congress.gov

National Programmable Cloud Laboratories Network Act of 2025

Bill 3468, National Programmable Cloud Laboratories Network Act, was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar. The bill addresses establishment and oversight of a programmable cloud labs network.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act

Bill 7266, Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act, was received by the Senate and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. It pertains to cybersecurity for rural and municipal utilities.

Sources: www.congress.gov

SBA IT Modernization Reporting Act

Bill 4948, SBA IT Modernization Reporting Act, was read twice in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. It aims to modernize IT reporting requirements for the Small Business Administration.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Space Ready 2.0 Act Introduced

Bill 9651, Space Ready 2.0 Act, was referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. The Act addresses readiness and capability for science, technology, and communications in space.

Sources: www.congress.gov

What We're Reading This Week

• US companies face rise in cyber attacks: US companies are experiencing a growing volume of cyber attacks, according to recent legal coverage.
• France blocks access to Polymarket website: French authorities directed ISPs to restrict access to the Polymarket website, affecting the digital prediction market platform.
• Kenya investigating cybersecurity incident affecting president's website: Kenya launched an investigation into a cybersecurity incident impacting the president’s official website.
• Network School founder says immigration probe at tech commune is a risk to Malaysia's tech ambitions: Malaysia’s Network School founder warned that immigration scrutiny of a tech commune poses risks to national tech competitiveness.
• India's Tata Consultancy Services plans up to 8,900 AI deployment engineers, seeks AI acquisitions: Tata Consultancy Services will recruit up to 8,900 AI deployment engineers and target further AI acquisitions.

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