INCOMPAS News -- March 16, 2026

Vol. 22, No. 11

March 16, 2026

DoE Announces $1.9 Billion in Investments Toward Critical
Grid Infrastructure

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity (OE) announced an approximately $1.9 billion funding opportunity to accelerate urgently needed upgrades to the nation’s power grid. These investments are designed to meet rising electricity demand and resource adequacy needs, while lowering electricity costs for American households and businesses. Projects selected through the Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades (SPARK) funding opportunity are expected to deliver fast and durable upgrades to the grid with real results.

"INCOMPAS applauds the Department of Energy's investment in critical grid infrastructure through the SPARK program," said Staci L. Pies, senior vice president of Government Relations and Policy for INCOMPAS. "The companies building America's AI infrastructure, need a grid that can keep pace with rising electricity demands and resource adequacy needs. By prioritizing reconductoring and other advanced transmission technologies within existing rights-of-way, the SPARK program accelerates operational efficiency, while lowering prices for consumers."

Pies added: "We commend Secretary Wright and Assistant Secretary Jereza for advancing practical, high-impact solutions that meet the moment. Paired with historic private investment in AI infrastructure, this program moves America closer to the energy foundation our national AI competitiveness demands. INCOMPAS and its members look forward to working with federal and state leaders to ensure these investments reach the ground quickly and deliver for all Americans."

FCC's Gomez to Host March 17 Webinar on Telecom Act

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez announced she will host a webinar—30th Anniversary of the 96 Act Webinar: What Did We Learn?—on March 17, at Noon ET.

The webinar will feature panel conversations on how lessons from the past 30 years can drive innovation and competition for consumers today. Topics will include artificial intelligence, media, competition, convergence, access and cybersecurity.

For more details or to watch, click here.

Senate Commerce Hearing on Sect. 230 Set for March 18

Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-TX) will convene a full committee hearing on Liability or Deniability? Platform Power as Section 230 Turns 30 this Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET.

This hearing will take testimony from legal experts on the role Section 230 has played in the digital era. Witnesses will discuss how Section 230 affects the regulation of online expression and conduct, as well as the constitutional limits on congressional policymaking imposed by the First Amendment. Witnesses include:

Daphne Keller, Director of Platform Regulation, Program in Law, Science, and Technology, Stanford Law School
Nadine Farid Johnson, Policy Director, Knight First Amendment Institute
Matthew Bergman, Founding Attorney, Social Media Victims Law Center
Brad Carson, President, Americans for Responsible Innovation

A livestream of the hearing will be available on the committee website.

Report Examines USF’s Role in Rural Connectivity Amid Evolving Funding Landscape

NTCA released a report highlighting the role the Universal Service Fund plays in sustaining rural connectivity and ensuring affordable broadband and voice service in rural communities that otherwise lack a business case for investment. The report, prepared by Cartesian, said that without USF, rural operators face negative cash flows and unsustainable margins, which could force operators to discontinue or scale back services being delivered today.

House Leaders Express Concern about Delayed Guidance on BEAD Non-Deployment Funds

House Energy and Commerce Committee Democratic leaders Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) sent a letter to NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth on the BEAD Program. They said they have not received a response to their November 2025 letter expressing concerns with NTIA’s implementation of the BEAD Program. They said they are concerned NTIA’s delayed guidance on states’ use of their nondeployment funds will be inconsistent with the statutory language and intent of the bipartisan infrastructure law. They requested NTIA provide a briefing to the committee on how the Trump administration intends to treat any remaining state program funds before issuing public guidance.

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