The new Congress in 2017 may provide a window for major legislation overhauling the 1991 Telephone Consumer Protection Act, lawmakers told us. The Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing on the law in May and the House Communications Subcommittee did in September, which some see as setting the stage for action next Congress. Members of both parties agreed the statute is outdated and spent this past Congress advancing bipartisan anti-spoofing legislation.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's campaign provided more details about the candidate's promised infrastructure funding goals, but didn’t say whether the plan would involve funding for broadband infrastructure. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton wants a $275 billion infrastructure funding package for her administration’s first 100 days that would include broadband (see 1609230040). In Trump’s first 100 days as president, he would advance an American Energy & Infrastructure Act before Congress, which would leverage “public-private partnerships, and private investments through tax incentives, to spur $1 trillion in infrastructure investment over 10 years,” Trump said Saturday. “It is revenue neutral.” His Restoring National Security Act, a measure also set for the first 100 days, would protect “our vital infrastructure from cyber-attack,” he said. In a Friday speech, Trump said the infrastructure funding plan could be “achieved through a focus on public-private partnerships, proven financing programs, and tax credits that incentivize companies to make major job-and-wealth producing investments in the local economy.” The campaign didn’t say Monday whether broadband would be involved. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., expected to lead Senate Democrats next Congress, recently told CNBC that infrastructure funding will be a top priority for 2017. Schumer raised the idea to “get overseas money to come back here” and use it for infrastructure, as in an infrastructure bank, he said. Clinton specifically backed an infrastructure bank, as did Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. (see 1610180049).

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's campaign provided more details about the candidate's promised infrastructure funding goals, but didn’t say whether the plan would involve funding for broadband infrastructure. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton wants a $275 billion infrastructure funding package for her administration’s first 100 days that would include broadband (see 1609230040). In Trump’s first 100 days as president, he would advance an American Energy & Infrastructure Act before Congress, which would leverage “public-private partnerships, and private investments through tax incentives, to spur $1 trillion in infrastructure investment over 10 years,” Trump said Saturday. “It is revenue neutral.” His Restoring National Security Act, a measure also set for the first 100 days, would protect “our vital infrastructure from cyber-attack,” he said. In a Friday speech, Trump said the infrastructure funding plan could be “achieved through a focus on public-private partnerships, proven financing programs, and tax credits that incentivize companies to make major job-and-wealth producing investments in the local economy.” The campaign didn’t say Monday whether broadband would be involved. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., expected to lead Senate Democrats next Congress, recently told CNBC that infrastructure funding will be a top priority for 2017. Schumer raised the idea to “get overseas money to come back here” and use it for infrastructure, as in an infrastructure bank, he said. Clinton specifically backed an infrastructure bank, as did Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. (see 1610180049).

Implementation of the Internet Assigned Number Authority transition this month (see 1609300065 and 1610030042) is likely to cause a shift in the domain name sector's priorities in lobbying and interacting with the U.S. government, industry executives and stakeholders said in interviews. That shift could result in some downsizing in the industry's lobbying, but executives from ICANN and major domain name registrars indicated they don't view that as a reduction in the industry's interest in maintaining a relationship with the federal government. The IANA transition resulted in the spinoff of NTIA's direct oversight role over ICANN's administration of the IANA functions.

ISPs are still hopeful they can get changes to the FCC’s proposed privacy order on web browsing and application use history, which would be treated as sensitive data and require opt-in consent to use or share under the draft circulated by Chairman Tom Wheeler. ISPs likely face an uphill climb. Their main target is Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, considered the swing vote on the order.

Implementation of the Internet Assigned Number Authority transition this month (see 1609300065 and 1610030042) is likely to cause a shift in the domain name sector's priorities in lobbying and interacting with the U.S. government, industry executives and stakeholders said in interviews. That shift could result in some downsizing in the industry's lobbying, but executives from ICANN and major domain name registrars indicated they don't view that as a reduction in the industry's interest in maintaining a relationship with the federal government. The IANA transition resulted in the spinoff of NTIA's direct oversight role over ICANN's administration of the IANA functions.

ISPs are still hopeful they can get changes to the FCC’s proposed privacy order on web browsing and application use history, which would be treated as sensitive data and require opt-in consent to use or share under the draft circulated by Chairman Tom Wheeler. ISPs likely face an uphill climb. Their main target is Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, considered the swing vote on the order.

The FTC plans to issue a report on the half-day cross-device workshop it held about a year ago (see 1511160066), said Megan Cox, staff attorney in the Division of Privacy and Identity Protection, during a Thursday Practising Law Institute seminar. She provided few details, but said the FTC is working on the report to discuss lessons learned and provide staff recommendations. Reed Freeman, a WilmerHale privacy and cybersecurity lawyer who was leading the PLI seminar, called it "welcome news" for the industry.

The FTC plans to issue a report on the half-day cross-device workshop it held about a year ago (see 1511160066), said Megan Cox, staff attorney in the Division of Privacy and Identity Protection, during a Thursday Practising Law Institute seminar. She provided few details, but said the FTC is working on the report to discuss lessons learned and provide staff recommendations. Reed Freeman, a WilmerHale privacy and cybersecurity lawyer who was leading the PLI seminar, called it "welcome news" for the industry.

The FTC plans to issue a report on the half-day cross-device workshop it held about a year ago (see 1511160066), said Megan Cox, staff attorney in the Division of Privacy and Identity Protection, during a Thursday Practising Law Institute seminar. She provided few details, but said the FTC is working on the report to discuss lessons learned and provide staff recommendations. Reed Freeman, a WilmerHale privacy and cybersecurity lawyer who was leading the PLI seminar, called it "welcome news" for the industry.