House Commerce Counsels Eye Telecom Bill Movement for Near Term
House Commerce Committee lawmakers may be able to tackle “a few things left on the table” before retreating from Washington for long recesses later this year, GOP counsel David Redl said Wednesday during a FCBA lunch. He and Democratic counsel David Goldman, who works for House Commerce Committee ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., agreed on several pieces of legislation they may want to find ways to advance in the remaining legislative days.
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Redl pointed to advancing the Kelsey Smith Act (HR-4889), legislation involving carriers sharing customers’ location information with public safety officials during emergencies. It failed in a House floor suspension of the rules vote last month, with both Republicans and Democrats voting against the bill due to what they said were privacy concerns (see 1605240061). “We were disappointed to see that it didn’t pass,” Redl said. “We think it’s a good bill.” Redl said Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., is seeking other options to advance the legislation. A majority of the House voted for the bill despite these objections, and it failed due to the suspension of the rules method used to expedite passage. Suspension requires a supermajority of supporters.
Goldman cited the privacy concerns for Democratic lawmakers but expressed confidence they “can work things out.” House Democrats said the bill should resemble the bipartisan compromise they agreed to last Congress.
Other legislation poised for advancement includes the Amateur Radio Parity Act (HR-1301), which cleared the Communications Subcommittee but not the full Commerce Committee, Redl said. The committee is “working hard” with industry stakeholders such as the Community Associations Institute and ARRL, the national association for amateur radio, he said. He also pointed to a desire to advance the Anti-Spoofing Act (HR-2669). “I don’t think these are bills we can’t find a path forward on,” Redl said.
“That all sounds great,” agreed Goldman, noting no Democratic objections to tackling any of those agenda items. Kelsey Guyselman, another GOP counsel who works with Redl, said there’s “a real interest in getting the Kelsey Smith Act done,” and she and Redl emphasized wanting to move on that bill sooner rather than later. “What will the world look like after the election?” she wondered, pointing to the unknowns of a possible lame-duck session at the end of the year. “I don’t think we can assume anything,” Redl said of whether a lame-duck session will happen.