A dangling national ownership cap proceeding and a flurry of TV dealmaking mean there’s an expectation the FCC will act to change the 39 percent audience reach cap, officials said. But broadcasters, industry analysts and attorneys aren’t sure when the commission will do so. The agency was seen as on the brink of issuing a cap order in July, and though that didn’t happen, broadcasters have considered an order possible ever since. Some think the midterm elections could affect timing, and others said the jockeying to buy Tribune could lead the agency to act. Commissioners' Sept. 26 tentative agenda Wednesday (see 1809050029 and 1809050056) doesn’t include action on the cap. Attorneys said a vote on such a contentious issue outside a meeting is unlikely.

Twitter is considering releasing historical data to increase transparency about account takedown and suspension decisions, CEO Jack Dorsey told the Senate Intelligence Committee Wednesday. Dorsey, at a hearing with Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, said the platform might expand its transparency report to include archived suspension data. Transparency is key to calming concerns, he said.

The Trump administration’s proposed Trade Act Section 301 tariffs on a third tranche of Chinese goods worth about $200 billion in customs value “would target many key components that make cloud computing possible,” reported the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation Tuesday. The administration “in theory” initiated the tariffs to “counteract unfair Chinese trade practices and improve U.S. competitiveness,” said ITIF. “But their practical effect would be to advantage foreign technology competitors, thereby threatening U.S. leadership in both the adoption and provision of cloud computing, and stunting U.S. economic growth,” it said. Though Chinese “innovation mercantilism” is a “laudable and necessary mission,” the administration needs to “seek alternative policy measures that do not raise the cost of key productivity -- and innovation-enhancing capital goods and services such as information technology and cloud computing,” it said. ITIF fears that tariffs would raise prices for businesses and consumers and force cloud-service providers to cut costs through job reductions or curtail spending on new data centers or the R&D “needed to stay ahead of international competitors,” it said. It also worries that cloud providers “may be forced to invest elsewhere to remain competitive,” it said. Tariffs also “threaten to disrupt finely crafted global supply chains for the manufacture of information-technology products,” it said. Those supply chains can’t “easily be reinvented in the short term without significant detriment to, and dislocation of, U.S. industry,” it said.

The Trump administration’s proposed Trade Act Section 301 tariffs on a third tranche of Chinese goods worth about $200 billion in customs value “would target many key components that make cloud computing possible,” reported the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation Tuesday. The administration “in theory” initiated the tariffs to “counteract unfair Chinese trade practices and improve U.S. competitiveness,” said ITIF. “But their practical effect would be to advantage foreign technology competitors, thereby threatening U.S. leadership in both the adoption and provision of cloud computing, and stunting U.S. economic growth,” it said. Though Chinese “innovation mercantilism” is a “laudable and necessary mission,” the administration needs to “seek alternative policy measures that do not raise the cost of key productivity -- and innovation-enhancing capital goods and services such as information technology and cloud computing,” it said. ITIF fears that tariffs would raise prices for businesses and consumers and force cloud-service providers to cut costs through job reductions or curtail spending on new data centers or the R&D “needed to stay ahead of international competitors,” it said. It also worries that cloud providers “may be forced to invest elsewhere to remain competitive,” it said. Tariffs also “threaten to disrupt finely crafted global supply chains for the manufacture of information-technology products,” it said. Those supply chains can’t “easily be reinvented in the short term without significant detriment to, and dislocation of, U.S. industry,” it said.

The Trump administration’s proposed Trade Act Section 301 tariffs on a third tranche of Chinese goods worth about $200 billion in customs value “would target many key components that make cloud computing possible,” reported the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation Tuesday. The administration “in theory” initiated the tariffs to “counteract unfair Chinese trade practices and improve U.S. competitiveness,” said ITIF. “But their practical effect would be to advantage foreign technology competitors, thereby threatening U.S. leadership in both the adoption and provision of cloud computing, and stunting U.S. economic growth,” it said. Though Chinese “innovation mercantilism” is a “laudable and necessary mission,” the administration needs to “seek alternative policy measures that do not raise the cost of key productivity -- and innovation-enhancing capital goods and services such as information technology and cloud computing,” it said. ITIF fears that tariffs would raise prices for businesses and consumers and force cloud-service providers to cut costs through job reductions or curtail spending on new data centers or the R&D “needed to stay ahead of international competitors,” it said. It also worries that cloud providers “may be forced to invest elsewhere to remain competitive,” it said. Tariffs also “threaten to disrupt finely crafted global supply chains for the manufacture of information-technology products,” it said. Those supply chains can’t “easily be reinvented in the short term without significant detriment to, and dislocation of, U.S. industry,” it said.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai plans a Sept. 26 vote on a proposal to improve 911 calling from office buildings, schools, hotels and other locations using multiline, centralized communications systems. In a Tuesday blog, Pai said commissioners' September meeting also will consider orders aimed at speeding 5G wireless deployment (see 1809040056), consolidating rules governing earth stations in motion (ESIM) and eliminating an annual filing requirement by cable operators; a Further NPRM on changing rules governing franchise fees charged by local franchise authorities; an item on a possible auction of toll-free numbers; and two enforcement actions. The preliminary meeting agenda and draft items are due Wednesday.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation wants the court reviewing a wireless infrastructure order to decide whether the FCC unlawfully failed to engage in "government-to-government consultation with Indian Tribes” and “whether the FCC’s action was otherwise in violation” of the Administrative Procedure Act. Thursday's filing (in Pacer) was on United Keetoowah Band v. FCC & USA, No. 18-1129, at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The group said other questions raised are whether the order is inconsistent with requirements of the National Historic Preservation and National Environmental Policy acts.

Senate Judiciary Committee members are certain to bring up Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's views on the Chevron doctrine and net neutrality during his confirmation hearing, lawmakers and lobbyists told us. They cautioned those issues will compete for attention with higher-profile ones like limits of executive power, abortion and same-sex marriage, as happened during 2017 confirmation hearings for now-Justice Neil Gorsuch (see 1703200051 and 1703210065). Kavanaugh's hearing begins at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in 216 Hart and continues through Thursday or Friday.

Senate Judiciary Committee members are certain to bring up Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's views on the Chevron doctrine and net neutrality during his confirmation hearing, lawmakers and lobbyists told us. They cautioned those issues will compete for attention with higher-profile ones like limits of executive power, abortion and same-sex marriage, as happened during 2017 confirmation hearings for now-Justice Neil Gorsuch (see 1703200051 and 1703210065). Kavanaugh's hearing begins at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in 216 Hart and continues through Thursday or Friday.

President Donald Trump tweeted over the weekend that Canada doesn't need to be in a new NAFTA. "There is no political necessity to keep Canada in the new NAFTA deal. If we don’t make a fair deal for the U.S. after decades of abuse, Canada will be out. Congress should not interfere w/ these negotiations or I will simply terminate NAFTA entirely & we will be far better off..." Trump's leaked boasts about Canada only being able to rejoin NAFTA on his terms may have momentarily derailed negotiations (see 1808310030).