Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced the bipartisan Satellite and Telecommunications (SAT) Streamlining Act on Jan. 14 to modernize the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) satellite licensing procedures out of a slower, analog era into one that can keep pace with today’s demand for commercial satellite investment. For many Americans, such modernizations could mean faster deployment of satellite broadband and other services that improve internet access, competition, and reliability.
The bill would amend the Communications Act of 1934 and establish review “shot clocks” for the FCC, targeting the mounting backlog of applications for satellite licenses, grants of market access, and licenses for earth stations (ground transmitters to communicate with satellites) that can take years to receive an answer. This is a welcome step that can ensure the United States remains open for the growing commercial space industry, which can bring better internet access to small businesses, rural homes, and other underserved areas.
Under the bill, the FCC must first determine within 30 days whether an application is complete and then has one year to grant or deny initial licenses and major amendments, 180 days to act on renewals, 90 days for certain minor modifications that increase capacity or spectral efficiency, and 30 days for technically similar replacements of satellites or earth stations.
Extensions of these deadlines are tightly limited to specific situations such as national security needs, extraordinary risks to life or property, or lapses in appropriations. Extensions for a particular application would be capped at two 90-day extensions to prevent regulators from undermining the shot clock’s intended purpose. The FCC would also be empowered to issue emergency 180-day licenses, renewals, or modifications in “extraordinary circumstances” involving dangers to life or property or matters implicating national security or defense so that speed does not come at the expense of safety or security.
If the FCC fails to act by the end of the applicable period (including any valid extension), the application or renewal is “deemed granted” once the applicant files a public notice of the agency’s inaction. Under this new framework, “time outs” would result in automatic approvals rather than indefinite limbo and give both regulators and industry strong incentives to resolve cases within the statutory window. This ensures that promising space projects, such as AST SpaceMobile’s direct-to-phone satellite network, are not stranded on the launchpad by process alone.
The agency has struggled with a growing backlog of satellite applications because filing volumes and system complexity have outpaced legacy licensing processes, leaving some applications pending for years. When companies like SpaceX and Amazon cannot predict whether approvals will come in months or in years, it becomes harder to raise capital, schedule launches, or commit to serving particular markets, especially for smaller firms that lack the balance sheets of incumbent operators. That uncertainty can push cutting-edge projects to delay deployment, scale back their ambitions, or seek authorization in foreign jurisdictions with more predictable timelines. All of these risks ultimately slow innovation in satellite broadband, remote sensing, and other emerging space services that depend on timely regulatory decisions.
The FCC has already begun taking significant steps to modernize its satellite and earth-station licensing processes independently through administrative rulemaking through its December 2025 proposed rule on “Space Modernization for the 21st Century,” which would implement modular “assembly line” licensing, nationwide blanket earth-station authorizations, expanded notification-only modifications, and targeted expedited processing for low-risk applications.
While these steps demonstrate the FCC’s recognition of surging application volumes and the need for greater speed and predictability, they remain incremental and discretionary. The agency’s proposal does not establish binding across-the-board “shot clocks” or “deemed granted” mechanisms, thus making the FCC’s initiative vulnerable to resource constraints or future changes in commission priorities.
This proposed new rule is also potentially susceptible to legal challenges, arguing that the FCC is exceeding its statutory authority under a Supreme Court precedent set in 2022 in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency. Under Title III of the Communications Act, the FCC has broad authority to license and regulate all interstate and foreign radio transmissions, including the ability to oversee satellite communications as a form of radio service. However, the commission lacks specific directives on modern licensing timelines or space-safety rules, leaving room for litigants to challenge any new agency rules that lack clear statutory authority. Former Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), the sponsor of the initial 2022 version of the SAT Streamlining Act, explicitly raised this concern as a reason to provide the FCC with clear statutory authority on these matters. The SAT Streamlining Act would provide essential legal clarity and statutory authority. If enacted, the SAT Streamlining Act would reduce regulatory uncertainty and accelerate the deployment of next-generation space services. From these changes, many Americans can experience faster and more reliable online access in their homes and businesses. While the FCC deserves praise for pursuing modernization efforts through its internal administrative processes, only Congress can ensure these needed reforms are durable