Progressive Democrats Wednesday announced opposition to the USA Freedom Reauthorization Act (see 2005140061) after a Democratic amendment was dropped. The House was expected to vote on the underlying bill Wednesday. Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairs Pramila Jayapal, Wash., and Mark Pocan, Wis., raised concerns about warrantless online surveillance. Mirroring a measure from Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Steve Daines, R-Mont., an amendment from Reps. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., and Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, would have banned warrantless search and browsing history. The Wyden-Daines amendment was narrowly defeated in the Senate. “Despite some positive reforms, the legislation is far too narrow in scope and would still leave the public vulnerable to invasive online spying and data collection,” Jayapal and Pocan said. President Donald Trump urged Republicans to vote no on the bill.
Petitions for reconsideration, and possibly a legal appeal, are expected to the FCC’s 6 GHz order. APCO appears the most likely to file a recon petition and maybe take the agency to court, industry officials said. Commissioner Mike O’Rielly said during a Lincoln webinar he expects some to challenge.
Aspects Furniture International used evasion to avoid antidumping duties on wooden bedroom furniture, CBP said in an Enforce and Protect Act final determination released May 21. The American Furniture Manufacturers Committee for Legal Trade (AFMC) filed allegations of evasion in 2017 (see 1708170024), though CBP said it was already looking at the company's entries for possible evasion. The lawyer for Aspects, Robert Snyder, said in an email that the determination "is going to be the subject of an administrative appeal within the regulatory timeline" and noted that the CBP's findings aren't final until the appeals process is completed.
Digital Millennium Copyright Act Section 512, which governs online infringement, is “unbalanced” and out of sync with Congress’ original intent, the Copyright Office concluded (see 2005210029) in a years-in-the-making report Thursday. It highlighted areas where the tech and creative industries have clashed over the years, drawing mixed reviews. "While the Office is not recommending any wholesale changes to section 512, the Report points out these and other areas where Congress may wish to consider legislation to rebuild the original balance between rightsholders and online service providers,” the office said.
Major associations wrote congressional leaders Thursday backing legislation funding replacement of Huawei and ZTE equipment in U.S. networks. Industry questioned the FCC approach on equipment by the two Chinese companies, in comments on how provisions in the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act affect supply chain security rules. The March law lacks funding for gear replacement (see 2003130083). Industry representatives told us they hope lawmakers fund it soon.
Many small and mid-sized broadband and voice providers quickly signed up for the Keep Americans Connected pledge extension (see 2005140063). Now, some said in interviews, expenses associated with KAC could start to become serious if it goes beyond its current June 30 span. Some don't expect the FCC pledge to get another extension.
Digital Millennium Copyright Act Section 512, which governs online infringement, is “unbalanced” and out of sync with Congress’ original intent, the Copyright Office concluded (see 2005210029) in a years-in-the-making report Thursday. It highlighted areas where the tech and creative industries have clashed over the years, drawing mixed reviews. "While the Office is not recommending any wholesale changes to section 512, the Report points out these and other areas where Congress may wish to consider legislation to rebuild the original balance between rightsholders and online service providers,” the office said.
Several petitions for reconsideration of the FCC's Ligado L-band plan approval were filed, as expected, (see 2004200039). The company's backers told us the likely audience is Capitol Hill, with the aim of trying to generate interest in a legislative solution. Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., said in an interview he's siding with the FCC amid continued headwinds from the leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services committees and some other lawmakers (see 2005080043).
The Trump administration is still considering sanctioning India over purchases of Russian missile defense systems, a top State Department official said. Alice Wells, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, said there remains widespread support both within the administration and in Congress for sanctioning buyers of Russian military goods, adding that India needs to choose either U.S. or Russian military equipment, but cannot have both.
U.S. carriers have kept up with unprecedented demand under COVID-19, American Tower CEO Tom Bartlett told the Wireless Infrastructure Association’s ConnectX virtual conference Tuesday. The conference's goal is to help explain what’s happening “on the ground” during the pandemic, said WIA President Jonathan Adelstein. “Everybody recognizes how essential having reliable wireless service is.”