Commissioner Mike O’Rielly, tasked by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai with overseeing changes to rules for the 3.5 GHz band, expects new rules in early 2018, he told a Free State Foundation conference Tuesday, where new Wireless Bureau Chief Donald Stockdale also spoke.
Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Mike Lee, R-Utah, urged Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb in a July 21 letter (here) to use its temporary import authority to stop companies from raising the price of “niche” drugs that face little or no competition in the U.S. “Often, the product has been on the market for years, and there is no patent on the active ingredient,” the senators wrote. “We encourage you to use the FDA’s authority to stop this practice, which increases the cost of prescription drugs without any benefit, and to consider whether additional authority is needed.” Versions of the referenced drugs are often available for much lower prices overseas, they said. For example, Mylan raised the price of the EpiPen from $100 to more than $600 since acquiring the product in 2007, even as the “Jext pen” sold for $34-$67 across Europe; and in 2015, Turing Pharmaceuticals “overnight” raised the price of anti-parasitic Daraprim from $13.50 to $750 per pill, although generics sold in Europe for as little as $1 per pill, Klobuchar and Lee said.
The International Trade Commission should ignore claims about domestic production that lack hard evidence when it considers disqualifications for miscellaneous tariff bill (MTB) benefits, the top four trade lawmakers said in a July 21 letter to ITC Chairwoman Rhonda Schmidtlein (here). Congress anticipates considering a first round of MTB legislation “later this year,” the letter days. For articles to be eligible for MTB duty relief, each product must cost less than $500,000 in U.S. government revenue loss, not be produced in the U.S., and not be considered controversial. “The Committees emphasize that blanket assertions regarding domestic production without evidence demonstrating such production should be deemed insufficient,” wrote House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, and ranking member Richard Neal, D-Mass., as well as Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and ranking member Ron Wyden, D-Ore. “An objection based upon imminent production must demonstrate more than that production is theoretically possible.”
In the July 19 issue of the CBP Customs Bulletin (Vol. 51, No. 29) (here), CBP published notices that propose to revoke or modify rulings and similar treatment for gel pack vest sets and boys' shirt and tie sets..
One big question on net neutrality is whether Chairman Ajit Pai will have the votes he would need to approve rules based on Communications Act Section 706 authority after Title II is repealed. Commissioner Mike O’Rielly is seen as, at best, dubious about this and may not vote for the entire order. Commissioner Mignon Clyburn isn't expected to vote yes on any part of the eventual Pai proposal.
One big question on net neutrality is whether Chairman Ajit Pai will have the votes he would need to approve rules based on Communications Act Section 706 authority after Title II is repealed. Commissioner Mike O’Rielly is seen as, at best, dubious about this and may not vote for the entire order. Commissioner Mignon Clyburn isn't expected to vote yes on any part of the eventual Pai proposal.
The Senate Commerce Committee's Wednesday confirmation hearing on FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioner-nominees Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel featured plenty of grievances on policy issues and criticisms against Pai and Carr, as expected (see 1707180041). Despite some Senate Commerce Democrats' misgivings, nothing changed perceptions that all three nominees will advance easily out of the committee, although maybe not unanimously, industry lobbyists told us.
The Senate Commerce Committee's Wednesday confirmation hearing on FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioner-nominees Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel featured plenty of grievances on policy issues and criticisms against Pai and Carr, as expected (see 1707180041). Despite some Senate Commerce Democrats' misgivings, nothing changed perceptions that all three nominees will advance easily out of the committee, although maybe not unanimously, industry lobbyists told us.
Acting FTC Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen announced several changes to how the Bureau of Consumer Protection will conduct investigations in an effort to speed up information requests and enhance transparency, the commission said in a Monday news release. They will "reduce unnecessary and undue burdens" of probes but not affect consumer protection, Ohlhausen said. The changes are: (1) providing "plain language descriptions" of the "civil investigative demand" process, which is an investigation into possible unfair or deceptive acts or processes at an organization; (2) developing materials to help small businesses better comply; providing a more detailed scope and purpose of an investigation for companies, if appropriate; (3) limiting "relevant time periods" to lessen burdens on companies and reducing the length and complexity of instructions to provide electronically stored data, where appropriate; and (4) increasing the time for recipients to respond. The FTC said the changes were made in part after concerns were raised by congressional lawmakers and by a report from the American Bar Association Antitrust Section on investigational burdens to companies.
Acting FTC Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen announced several changes to how the Bureau of Consumer Protection will conduct investigations in an effort to speed up information requests and enhance transparency, the commission said in a Monday news release. They will "reduce unnecessary and undue burdens" of probes but not affect consumer protection, Ohlhausen said. The changes are: (1) providing "plain language descriptions" of the "civil investigative demand" process, which is an investigation into possible unfair or deceptive acts or processes at an organization; (2) developing materials to help small businesses better comply; providing a more detailed scope and purpose of an investigation for companies, if appropriate; (3) limiting "relevant time periods" to lessen burdens on companies and reducing the length and complexity of instructions to provide electronically stored data, where appropriate; and (4) increasing the time for recipients to respond. The FTC said the changes were made in part after concerns were raised by congressional lawmakers and by a report from the American Bar Association Antitrust Section on investigational burdens to companies.