Requires the Federal Communications Commission to grant or deny most satellite and earth station license applications within one year of receiving a complete application, with set deadlines for renewals and minor changes.

Official title: SAT Streamlining Act

Next stop Senate floor: awaiting a vote

Timeline each lane is a chamber; dates pull from congress.gov actions

Senate

Introduced 14-JAN-2026

Referred 14-JAN-2026

Approved by committee 12-FEB-2026

Key points

Requires the FCC to decide new satellite and earth station license applications within one year of receiving a complete application, and deems an application granted if the FCC misses that deadline.
Limits market access grants for satellite operators to 15 years and sets a 180-day deadline for most renewal requests.
Caps review extensions at 90 days and no more than two per deadline, and requires the FCC to limit the information it asks applicants to provide.
Sends applications from entities with reportable foreign ownership to an interagency committee for national security and law enforcement review.

AI-generated from the Introduced in Senate text of 14-JAN-2026 · verify · report an error

Official CRS summary

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Committee referrals (1)

Policy area

Science, Technology, Communications

Sponsor Ted Cruz (R-TX) Cosponsors · 9

■ 8 R■ 1 D

8 Republicans

1 Democrat

congress.gov page Introduced in Senate (14-JAN-2026)