Wicker Seeks White House Collaboration on Privacy
Getting White House assistance in moving a comprehensive privacy bill is the most “realistic” near-term goal, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., told us as he contemplates stepping down as top Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee (see 2203030070).
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Wicker responded to reports he’s considering taking the top Republican seat on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Asked about a preferred replacement if he steps down, Wicker told reporters seniority dictates Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is next in line. “We almost always follow seniority,” Wicker said. “There’s a vote from colleagues, so we have to be mindful of that, but I think that’s the speculation.”
Cruz told us “of course” he would be interested in the top Commerce seat. “The Republican conference has long assigned committee chairs based on seniority, and that’s been the practice for many decades,” he said.
Wicker has sought White House collaboration on privacy for months. President Joe Biden highlighted the issue in his State of the Union address last week, with particular focus on social media’s impact on child mental health (see 2203010072). Wicker urged Biden in September to appoint a senior White House staff member as a privacy liaison to Congress and to prioritize enacting a data privacy law (see 2109290076). Wicker said last week he hasn’t heard back from the White House on his request.
“I’m going to be talking to the White House about helping us move data privacy,” he said. “I know obstacles have arisen, but my most realistic goal is to enlist the administration’s assistance in finally putting that into law.” However, he noted data privacy might not be on the “front burner” for Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. The White House and Cantwell’s office didn’t comment.
The compromise from Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., in introducing kids privacy legislation is a “major step forward,” Wicker said (see 2202160055). Blackburn told us sponsors are hopeful for a markup for the Kids Online Safety Act. Cantwell said that's a possibility (see 2202180068). Blumenthal said the Senate Consumer Protection Subcommittee, which he chairs, is considering legislative hearings in the meantime. He’s “hoping for a markup whenever the chairman thinks it appropriate.” Blumenthal is “enormously encouraged and excited that the White House is supporting this effort to protect kids online.” He envisions a “very important role” for the executive office.
The Senate has been making more progress on Big Tech legislation than the House lately, House Antitrust Subcommittee ranking member Ken Buck, R-Colo., told us. Senate Antitrust Subcommittee Chair Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., is eyeing combining her bipartisan bills into a package for floor time (see 2202280066). Buck is lead Republican sponsor on the House version of the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (HR-1735/S-673) and co-sponsor of the American Innovation and Choice Online Act (HR-3816/S-2992). He said he hasn’t talked to Klobuchar about the potential package, but options have been discussed for months in the House. There hasn’t been any word from Democratic leaders about potential floor time, he said.