Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski told lawmakers he will consider closing a rulemaking docket that was opened in 2010 to reclassify broadband as a basic utility subject to strict, telephone service-like regulation.

With the passage of a 10-month payroll tax cut extension, the broadcasting industry emerged relatively unscathed from one of its biggest political and policy battles in years.

Vice President Joe Biden Feb. 21 announced the release of a report from the Council of Economic Advisers highlighting the importance of “incentive” spectrum auctions, as a vital offset for the just-passed payroll tax cut extension.

North Carolina was granted a one-year adjustment to a health reform regulation on insurer spending on medical claims and quality improvements, while Wisconsin's request was denied, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Feb. 16.

Consumer advocates told a House panel Feb. 15 that stronger medical device safety oversight is needed, especially now that the Food and Drug Administration has a potential new user fee agreement with industry.

TAMPA, Fla.—A federal judge has upheld a 2009 formal determination by the Environmental Protection Agency that numeric nutrient standards are necessary for Florida's waters, but invalidated certain aspects of the water quality criteria the agency developed (Florida Wildlife Federation v. Johnson, N.D. Fla., No. 4:08-cv-00324, 2/18/12).

LAS VEGAS—Health information technology industry stakeholders should comment extensively both on what they like and do not like about soon-to-be-released proposed regulations for Stage 2 of the Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record incentive programs from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, an ONC official said Feb. 22.