House Judiciary Committee leaders' legislation to make the register of copyrights a presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed position faces an uncertain prognosis for passage, copyright-centric lobbyists said in interviews. The deep divisions among members of the copyright community were again evident Thursday as officials reacted to a draft of the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act. Content-side interests praised the bill. Library and tech groups criticized it.

House Judiciary Committee leaders' legislation to make the register of copyrights a presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed position faces an uncertain prognosis for passage, copyright-centric lobbyists said in interviews. The deep divisions among members of the copyright community were again evident Thursday as officials reacted to a draft of the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act. Content-side interests praised the bill. Library and tech groups criticized it.

The Senate took up the GOP measure to abolish FCC ISP privacy rules Wednesday, setting up consideration that several senior Republicans on Tuesday said was likely imminent (see 1703210048). The Senate advanced Wednesday a motion to proceed to the CRA, and vote on passage is expected to occur Thursday. The Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval targeting the rules requires only a simple majority to pass. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who wrote the CRA item, defended its merits on the floor.

The Senate took up the GOP measure to abolish FCC ISP privacy rules Wednesday, setting up consideration that several senior Republicans on Tuesday said was likely imminent (see 1703210048). The Senate advanced Wednesday a motion to proceed to the CRA, and vote on passage is expected to occur Thursday. The Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval targeting the rules requires only a simple majority to pass. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who wrote the CRA item, defended its merits on the floor.

Senators started probing Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch Tuesday on the 1984 Chevron doctrine, involving courts’ deferral to agencies. Questions of deference are considered important on the legality of certain FCC actions. Gorsuch sought to avoid giving any definitive answer on whether he would push to abolish Chevron, as some Senate Democrats said seemed likely, instead pledging he would bring an open mind. The Senate Judiciary Committee is in the midst of a multiday confirmation hearing that began Monday (see 1703200051).

Senators started probing Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch Tuesday on the 1984 Chevron doctrine, involving courts’ deferral to agencies. Questions of deference are considered important on the legality of certain FCC actions. Gorsuch sought to avoid giving any definitive answer on whether he would push to abolish Chevron, as some Senate Democrats said seemed likely, instead pledging he would bring an open mind. The Senate Judiciary Committee is in the midst of a multiday confirmation hearing that began Monday (see 1703200051).

HD Tandem lobbied FCC officials to reject an AT&T forbearance request for relief from certain intercarrier compensation requirements for tandem switching and tandem-switched transport service. "Forbearance was not the appropriate vehicle for addressing the issues that AT&T raised ... [T]he Commission should issue a decision that AT&T's Petition for Forbearance fails to meet the standards for forbearance under Section 10(a) of the Communications Act," said a filing Friday in docket 16-363 on a meeting HD Tandem had with an aide to Chairman Ajit Pai. The telecom firm, which says it offers virtual tandem and termination services, made the same arguments in discussions with aides to the other commissioners (here and here) and Wireline Bureau staffers (here). It was among those in December that opposed the AT&T petition, while others partially opposed it and Verizon supported it (see 1612050059). AT&T asked the FCC last fall to "detariff tandem switching and transport access charges for all" LECs, "on all calls to or from LECs engaged in access stimulation," to follow up on previous findings against "traffic pumpers" capitalizing on "arbitrage" (see 1610030048).

Drone industry officials said privacy legislation introduced last week by Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., unnecessarily singles out unmanned aircraft systems, especially since an NTIA multistakeholder process developed best practices for privacy (see 1605180044 and 1605190007). "We don't create a separate and distinct privacy requirement silo for operators," said Kara Calvert, who heads the Drone Manufacturers Alliance, in an interview. She said it's not about the type of technology but about the data, operator and behavior. Targeting drones is an "unnecessary requirement," she said, adding her group had the same concern with NTIA's development of privacy best practices last year (see 1605200048). She said DMA is a strong proponent of education that will address concerns and about complying with Federal Aviation Administration rules.

Drone industry officials said privacy legislation introduced last week by Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., unnecessarily singles out unmanned aircraft systems, especially since an NTIA multistakeholder process developed best practices for privacy (see 1605180044 and 1605190007). "We don't create a separate and distinct privacy requirement silo for operators," said Kara Calvert, who heads the Drone Manufacturers Alliance, in an interview. She said it's not about the type of technology but about the data, operator and behavior. Targeting drones is an "unnecessary requirement," she said, adding her group had the same concern with NTIA's development of privacy best practices last year (see 1605200048). She said DMA is a strong proponent of education that will address concerns and about complying with Federal Aviation Administration rules.

Drone industry officials said privacy legislation introduced last week by Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., unnecessarily singles out unmanned aircraft systems, especially since an NTIA multistakeholder process developed best practices for privacy (see 1605180044 and 1605190007). "We don't create a separate and distinct privacy requirement silo for operators," said Kara Calvert, who heads the Drone Manufacturers Alliance, in an interview. She said it's not about the type of technology but about the data, operator and behavior. Targeting drones is an "unnecessary requirement," she said, adding her group had the same concern with NTIA's development of privacy best practices last year (see 1605200048). She said DMA is a strong proponent of education that will address concerns and about complying with Federal Aviation Administration rules.