The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals should grant the FTC’s request for en banc review in its antitrust case against Qualcomm (see 2009250068), tech groups, auto manufacturers, consumers and scholars told the court in briefs filed through Tuesday (in Pacer). The agency is appealing a three-judge panel’s decision in favor of Qualcomm (see 2008190043).

The Section 337 exclusion order Philips seeks at the International Trade Commission on Hisense, LG and TCL smart TVs and Dell, HP and Lenovo PCs for allegedly infringing four secure authenticated distance measurement patents (see 2009230033) would have “deleterious effects on the public interest,” posted MPA (login required) Tuesday in docket 337-3492. The ITC should delegate authority to an administrative law judge “to develop a full evidentiary record on the public interest and make recommended findings,” said the trade group.

President Donald Trump’s “many tweets” and statements from his administration are strong evidence the White House unlawfully imposed the Lists 3 and 4A tariffs to boost the U.S. Treasury and not curb the allegedly bad Chinese trade behavior documented in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s March 2018 Section 301 investigative report. So said the lawyer for two automotive components importers making the case that the tariffs are unconstitutional because only Congress has the power of taxation.

Philips was wrong to declare in its Sept. 18 complaint that the Tariff Act Section 337 exclusion order it seeks at the International Trade Commission on Dell, HP and Lenovo PCs and Intel, MediaTek and Realtek processors won’t harm consumers, commented (login required) the Computer & Communications Industry Association Friday in docket 337-3492. Philips alleges the laptops, desktops and components, plus Hisense, LG and TCL TVs, infringe its digital video content protection patents (see 2009230033).

Ajit Pai is seeking a vote on an FCC net neutrality order (see 2010050043) and various 5G items at what will likely be one of the biggest meetings since he became chairman at the start of the Trump administration (see 2010020046). The meeting is the last before the Nov. 3 election. Many of the items will be controversial, based on history. While the 5G items were expected (see 2009290062), Pai doesn’t list an order reallocating the 5.9 GHz band. Among other items on tap is a TV white spaces order and a draft order ending ILEC bundling and resale requirements, as expected (see 2009210029).

President Donald Trump’s “many tweets” and statements from his administration are strong evidence the White House unlawfully imposed the lists 3 and 4A tariffs to boost the U.S. Treasury and not curb the allegedly bad Chinese trade behavior documented in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s March 2018 Section 301 investigative report. So said the lawyer for two automotive components importers making the case that the tariffs are unconstitutional because only Congress has the power of taxation.

The House Agriculture Committee has no FCC oversight authority but will use its influence to try to get the agency to reverse itself on its Ligado approval, Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., said in a Keep GPS Working Coalition conference call Thursday. He said stand-alone legislation undoing Ligado authorization is unlikely, given the support that approval has in some circles, but attaching something to a bill would be more probable, with the National Defense Authorization Act being the best bet. Another possibility is a limiting amendment, though that would need Senate support, said committee member G.T. Thompson, R-Pa. While 5G is important, “we need to do it in a way where we don't experience unintended consequences of a significant nature,” Thompson said, adding the FCC “has not responded appropriately.” FCC Chairman Ajit Pai defended the Ligado approval in letters last month to Peterson, Thompson and other House members. "Why the FCC approved this is beyond me," Peterson said. "There is no logical justification for what they are doing." Thompson said the farm economy is “deeply dependent” on L-band services such as GPS for precision ag and faces huge business threats from interference to GPS from Ligado's proposed low-power terrestrial broadband service. Multiple ag industry speakers raised concerns about who would bear the costs if Ligado’s system interferes with farm GPS equipment. But they indicated they aren’t likely individually to sue the FCC. Jim Kukowski, American Soybean Association Conservation and Precision Ag Committee chairman, said he hopes the coalition will put something together. Ligado and the FCC didn't comment.

The Senate Commerce Committee unanimously voted Thursday to issue subpoenas to Facebook, Google and Twitter for testimony from CEOs Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai and Jack Dorsey (see 2009250037). The vote was a “big, bipartisan signal to Big Tech,” Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., told us, saying there’s agreement that Communications Decency Act Section 230 is “overdue for a makeover.” During Thursday’s executive session, Democrats suggested the hearing be held after the November election to avoid any influence over platform election content.

The Senate Commerce Committee unanimously voted Thursday to issue subpoenas to Facebook, Google and Twitter for testimony from CEOs Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai and Jack Dorsey (see 2009250037). The vote was a “big, bipartisan signal to Big Tech,” Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., told us, saying there’s agreement that Communications Decency Act Section 230 is “overdue for a makeover.” During Thursday’s executive session, Democrats suggested the hearing be held after the November election to avoid any influence over platform election content.

The Senate Commerce Committee unanimously voted Thursday to issue subpoenas to Facebook, Google and Twitter for testimony from CEOs Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai and Jack Dorsey (see 2009250037). The vote was a “big, bipartisan signal to Big Tech,” Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., told us, saying there’s agreement that Communications Decency Act Section 230 is “overdue for a makeover.” During Thursday’s executive session, Democrats suggested the hearing be held after the November election to avoid any influence over platform election content.