McMorris Rodgers 'Committed' on Privacy Legislation, Criticizes Heroes Act

“more of a statement” bill than a serious effort to enact more COVID-19 aid and largely passed “on a partisan basis," McMorris Rodgers said. The measure, OK'd 208-199 (see 2005180056), contains emergency broadband funding and would make local broadcasters and other media outlets eligible for the federal Paycheck Protection Program. McMorris Rodgers criticized language to bar ISPs and voice providers from terminating or otherwise altering service to individual customers and small businesses because of an inability to pay caused by pandemic-caused economic hardships (see 2005210033). She criticized House Democratic leaders for moving to change the chamber’s rules to temporarily allow proxy voting and virtual participation in committee business (see 2005180042), saying she has “serious concerns” it could further “concentrate power” in the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. McMorris Rodgers is “hopeful” Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., will continue his efforts during the epidemic to ensure all conference calls and other committee business include bipartisan participation. COVID-19 has “underscored” the importance of passing privacy legislation this year, though it’s disappointing House and Senate Democrats filed the pandemic-specific Public Health Emergency Privacy Act last week, McMorris Rodgers said. She fears HR-6866/S-3749, which aims to ensure data collected for public health purposes is strictly limited to use for that purpose (see 2005140058), “is going to undermine our efforts” to pass a more comprehensive measure. Lawmakers “need to make sure that we get it right,” McMorris Rodgers said.