Outgoing House Commerce Committee Chmn. Barton (R-Tex.) introduce...
Outgoing House Commerce Committee Chmn. Barton (R-Tex.) introduced a number of last-minute bills -- including measures that had been part of the defunct telecom bill. HR- 6349 would set up an office of emergency communications within the Dept. of…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
Homeland Security, and HR-6351 would establish a voluntary framework through which wireless providers could transmit emergency alerts to subscribers. Other last-minute telecom bills: (1) HR-6410 by Rep. Ackerman (D-N.Y.) would prohibit a telephone exchange service provider or wireless carrier from imposing a charge for number portability. (2) S-4102 by Sen. Obama (D-Ill.) would prohibit the use of telecom devices to obstruct the broadcast or exchange of election-related information. (3) S-4110 by Sen. Smith (R-Ore.) would enhance Federal Trade Commission enforcement against illegal spam, spyware and cross-border fraud and deception. The bills could become attached to the continuing resolution that Congress must pass before it adjourns to keep the govt. operating, since it decided to defer work on incomplete appropriations bills to the next Congress. The continuing resolution often becomes a vehicle for last-minute amendments, and telecom lobbyists were keeping a close eye on efforts to include pretexting legislation. The House has already passed a bill. An effort was made in the Senate to pass similar legislation on a fast- track last week, but Sen. McCain (R-Ariz.) put a hold on it. The vote on the continuing resolution was expected to take place late Fri. night.