House Communications Subcommittee members agreed during a Tuesday hearing that more needs to be done to improve cybersecurity of wireless infrastructure and mobile devices. Political parties diverged on how government should be involved. Republicans touted importance of private industry driving the push for communications sector-wide cybersecurity improvements, while Democrats lamented the FCC's recently reduced cyber role. Symantec Senior Policy Counsel Bill Wright and other industry experts said mobile devices are an increasingly attractive target for hackers, and improvements to their cyber protections should become a top priority.
Jimm Phillips
Jimm Phillips, Associate Editor, covers telecommunications policymaking in Congress for Communications Daily. He joined Warren Communications News in 2012 after stints at the Washington Post and the American Independent News Network. Phillips is a Maryland native who graduated from American University. You can follow him on Twitter: @JLPhillipsDC
The House IP Subcommittee is set to hear a mix of testimony Tuesday supporting and opposing legislation to narrowly address patent infringement lawsuit court venue issues not addressed in the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in TC Heartland v. Kraft Foods Group Brands. Heartland limited eligible court venues for patent infringement suits to be brought only in the district court in which the defendant is incorporated (see 1705220045). House IP Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, told us after Heartland they're interested in seeking narrower patent venue legislation than Issa’s 2016 Venue Equity and Non-Uniformity Elimination Act that would close up any remaining loopholes (see 1705230050). The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. in 2141 Rayburn.
Momentum on the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act significantly slowed in the month since Senate Judiciary Committee leaders filed their version of the bill (S-1010) due to a confluence of factors, lawmakers and industry lobbyists said in interviews. S-1010 and House-passed HR-1695 would make the register a presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed position with a 10-year term (see 1704260062). Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and committee ranking member Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., filed S-1010 in early May in a bid to ride the momentum that House passage generated days earlier (see 1705020057 and 1705030060). House Judiciary Committee leaders are continuing to push for Senate passage but also are moving forward on work on other Copyright Office modernization issues.
The value of industries that depend on the fair use doctrine and other copyright exceptions tripled since 2002, making “balanced” copyright law language “as important as ever,” reported the Computer & Communications Industry Association Friday. CCIA said “fair use industries” contributed $2.8 trillion to the U.S.’ gross domestic product in 2014 and accounted for 16 percent of the economy. “The more we know about the fair use economy, the better Democrats and Republicans can formulate policies for economic growth,” said Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., during a CCIA webcast. Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, said the right balance in copyright law helps protect innovation while allowing consumers to resell products that they own. “As the U.S. considers trade agreements and other policies, objective data quantifying the economic benefit of balanced copyright is critically important,” said CCIA Vice President-Law and Policy Matthew Schruers in a news release. “Fair use protections are crucial here at home and would promote U.S. exports.”
House Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, said Thursday he plans to circulate draft legislation on autonomous vehicle technology regulation by the start of the August recess. Latta committed earlier this year to working on autonomous vehicle legislation and his subcommittee had hearings on issues that might need to be addressed (see 1702140042 and 1703280005). House Digital Commerce wants to “make sure that we get the right things” into the legislation and is prioritizing work on the bills, amid concerns that states and municipalities could act on their own in a way that creates a regulatory patchwork for the autonomous vehicle industry, Latta said during a Telecommunications Industry Association event. The legislation will reflect the subcommittee's focus on a “soft touch” legislative approach on emerging technologies (see 1702080078), Latta said. The panel also wants to ensure any legislation looks at autonomous vehicle issues “over the horizon” five-to-10 years into the future since that's how the private sector examines such issues, he said. The subcommittee also wants to ensure it's “helping people and not hindering” on cybersecurity issues involving emerging technologies, though it recognizes the rising threat caused by distributed denial-of-service attacks and ransomware as seen in the WannaCry attacks (see 1705120055 and 1705150008), Latta said.
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden confirmed to the House Administration Committee Thursday that she has “suspended” the process of hiring a permanent register of copyrights to replace ousted Register Maria Pallante “while we wait for Congress” to consider next steps on the House-passed Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act (HR-1695). The Senate is evaluating its version (S-1010). Associate Register Karyn Temple Claggett has been acting register since Hayden removed Pallante in October (see 1610210061 and 1610240052). The LOC has been “working directly with Congress on the register position” and is ensuring Claggett feels empowered to sustain CO “momentum” in participating in LOC IT modernization, Hayden said. She suspended the search process amid negotiations with members of Congress that intensified when Senate Rules Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., threatened to attach a rider to the now-passed FY 2017 federal spending bill that would have barred Hayden from hiring a new register before Sept. 30 (see 1705020057). Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., was pleased consideration of HR-1695/S-1010 didn't hamper CO IT modernization. Lofgren views the legislation as a “mistake” (see 1704260062), but “most of the bills we send to the Senate die there.” During the hearing on LOC's work to meet recommendations included in a critical 2015 GAO report on library IT program failings, she didn't resurrect earlier criticisms of Pallante's handling of IT (see 1703290066 and 1704060064). Hayden, LOC Chief Information Officer Bud Barton and LOC Inspector General Kurt Hyde said the library is implementing GAO recommendations. LOC met five recommendations and is on track to implement 22 of the remaining 26 this year, Barton said.
Patent and Trademark Office Director Michelle Lee resigned Tuesday, an administration source confirmed, and later, the Department of Commerce confirmed. Lee didn't indicate the reason for her abrupt departure in an email sent to all PTO employees that began circulating at our deadline. “I am tremendously proud of all that we have accomplished together” since Lee took the reins at PTO in 2014, she said. "I am confident that the leadership team in place will serve you well during this transition." The Senate confirmed Lee the next year (see 1503100031). Lee's resignation followed PTO's belated March confirmation that President Donald Trump planned to retain her as the office's director, after months of uncertainty over her status (see 1701190046 and 703290072). The White House didn't comment.
NTIA Administrator nominee David Redl is likely to face questions about his vision for the U.S.’ post-Internet Assigned Numbers Authority transition influence within ICANN, during his Thursday Senate Commerce Committee confirmation hearing, rather than criticisms about the handover itself, industry lawyers and officials told us. The U.S. spun off its IANA oversight role in October despite concerns from Senate Commerce Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., and other committee Republicans (see 1610030042). Redl’s confirmation hearing is at 10 a.m. in 253 Russell (see 1706020046).
Key House Commerce Committee lawmakers continue to examine issues that likely will factor into an expected broadband deployment section in President Donald Trump's long-promised infrastructure package, telecom aides said Friday during a Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition event. Democrats released three infrastructure proposals this year that include broadband language in a bid to influence debate ahead of the White House's plan. Administration's infrastructure principles released last month focus on targeted investments and efforts to encourage “self-help” (see 1705240050).
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai remains committed to doing “everything we can to fix” the E-rate program process, amid concerns about Universal Service Administrative Co. oversight of the USF school and library discount program, said senior Pai adviser Nick Degani during a Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition event Thursday. Pai criticized USAC in April for E-rate oversight and said the program has “serious flaws” despite previous remedy efforts (see 1704190026). USAC CEO Chris Henderson resigned in early May (see 1705040055) and House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., expressed renewed oversight interest in E-rate (see 1705040064 and 1705230042).