The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation approved the SAT Streamlining Act today, after Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) came to agreement on changes proposed by Sen. Cantwell. The updated legislation streamlines satellite licensing while adding critical guardrails to protect federal spectrum operations and national security. It directs the FCC to define what constitutes a complete application, establish the qualifications an applicant must meet, and determine which projects require full review versus those eligible for expedited deemed granted treatment.

"The FCC cannot ignore real interference issues,” said Sen. Cantwell.  I'm glad we were able to come to an agreement that improves satellite approval processes so the U.S. can compete aggressively. But no language that allows the FCC to ignore objections and let applications be approved by default is in the bill. The FCC must tell the numerous partners who care about interference - in aviation, weather, and defense - what they are doing."

The Cruz-Cantwell substitute includes key Cantwell improvements:

Protecting Federal Spectrum and National Security

• Excludes federal spectrum from deemed granted. The components of applications to use bands allocated exclusively to federal use will be excluded from being deemed granted, along with shared federal/non-federal bands designated by the Assistant Secretary.
• Interagency coordination protects critical federal bands. The FCC must coordinate with NTIA to identify other bands critical to federal missions that, if deemed granted, would endanger national defense, safety of life, or property—and must exclude them.
• Struck the narrow definition of national security, leaving that term flexible rather than constraining the FCC’s ability to act on evolving threats.
• Conditions licenses on successful federal coordination with the Assistant Secretary and other federal users.

Responsible Deemed Granted Framework

• The rulemaking must account for real-world complexity. The FCC has to consider how big a constellation is, what spectrum it uses, whether it could interfere with existing users, and whether untested satellite designs need more scrutiny. A 10-satellite system isn't the same risk as a 1,000,000-satellite mega-constellation, and systems critical to public safety and national defense must be protected.
• No shot clocks or expedited processes take effect until the FCC completes required rulemakings, allowing agency experts to consider various factors before new procedures apply.
• FCC rulemaking defines which applications qualify for deemed granted. Rather than automatically applying expedited procedures to all applications, directs the FCC to establish criteria based on constellation size, orbital shells, spectrum bands, interference potential, novel architectures, and waiver requests.
• 15-business-day notice and cure period. Even if an applicant qualifies for deemed granted, the FCC has 15 business days after written notice to act before it takes effect.
• Expanded grounds to extend review periods, including safety, technical analysis, national security, processing rounds, appropriations lapses, or mutual agreement with the applicant.

Addressing Root Causes of Delay 

• Interagency coordination program. Requires a report on improving spectrum coordination by studying a detailee program to share experienced staff across government, improving processing timelines.
• International spectrum coordination. Directs the FCC, NTIA, and State Department to advocate for reduced foreign barriers to U.S. satellite operators, with annual reporting to Congress.

Member Protections and Due Process

• Empowers FCC Commissioners to force a full Commission vote on rules, new and novel applications, and market access petitions under these expedited procedures.
• Subjects deemed granted to judicial review and reconsideration. If an application is deemed granted, it can be challenged in court. The FCC can also reverse a deemed granted decision using its reconsideration authority—neither of which the Cruz draft included.
• Deletes state preemption provision that would have broadly preempted state authority over satellite broadband services like Starlink.
• Completeness rulemaking with accountability. Requires the FCC to define what constitutes a complete application to begin the review process.