The Department of Commerce’s Internet Policy Task Force (IPTF) recommended Congress pass legislation that would amend guidance to courts for determining statutory damages in copyright infringement cases. The IPTF white paper, developed by NTIA and the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), opposed using legislation to address remixes’ status within the fair-use doctrine and digital transmissions’ place in the existing first-sale doctrine. Private sector stakeholders should find solutions to both of those issues, the IPTF said. The task force said it supports creating a “streamlined procedure” for adjudicating “small claims” copyright infringement cases and urged “further consideration” of the Copyright Office’s 2013 proposal to establish a small claims copyright court (see report in the Oct. 1, 2013, issue). A small claims court “could help diminish the risk of disproportionate levels of damages against individual file-sharers,” the IPTF said.

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., tied what he hopes is a pending Senate vote on the conference version of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act (HR-644) to congressional approval of the Obama administration’s Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. “I hope we get that voted on in this work period,” said Thune, third-ranking Republican in leadership and chairman of the Commerce Committee, of the customs trade bill, speaking to reporters Thursday. “Right now, I think it’s just a function of making sure the votes are there on both sides.” He said “both sides are kind of working it” in recent weeks. This work period concludes with the Presidents Day recess, the week of Feb. 16. The customs conference report includes the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act language, a priority for Thune, who said earlier in January that he expected ITFA backers to override any point of order raised in an attempt to strip the ITFA provision from the trade bill and that he expected a vote soon on the measure (see 1601120070). Some in the Senate would prefer to see the ITFA language advance with the Marketplace Fairness Act rather than alone with the customs trade bill. “On ITFA, the Democrats here are trying to hold that up over MFA, but I think, you know, those are two very separate issues,” Thune said. "I’ve had conversations with Democrats in the Senate, obviously had some conversations with the White House, too, about getting them more engaged, but I think the message is we need customs in order to get TPP moving.” If there will be “any kind of vote on TPP,” the customs bill must move, because without its enforcement pieces in place, “the pro-trade Democrats won’t vote for it," Thune predicted.

The Department of Commerce’s Internet Policy Task Force (IPTF) recommended Congress pass legislation that would amend guidance to courts for determining statutory damages in copyright infringement cases. The IPTF white paper, developed by NTIA and the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), opposed using legislation to address remixes’ status within the fair-use doctrine and digital transmissions’ place in the existing first-sale doctrine. Private sector stakeholders should find solutions to both of those issues, the IPTF said. The task force said it supports creating a “streamlined procedure” for adjudicating “small claims” copyright infringement cases and urged “further consideration” of the Copyright Office’s 2013 proposal to establish a small claims copyright court (see report in the Oct. 1, 2013, issue). A small claims court “could help diminish the risk of disproportionate levels of damages against individual file-sharers,” the IPTF said.

The Department of Commerce’s Internet Policy Task Force (IPTF) recommended Congress pass legislation that would amend guidance to courts for determining statutory damages in copyright infringement cases. The IPTF white paper, developed by NTIA and the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), opposed using legislation to address remixes’ status within the fair-use doctrine and digital transmissions’ place in the existing first-sale doctrine. Private sector stakeholders should find solutions to both of those issues, the IPTF said. The task force said it supports creating a “streamlined procedure” for adjudicating “small claims” copyright infringement cases and urged “further consideration” of the Copyright Office’s 2013 proposal to establish a small claims copyright court (see report in the Oct. 1, 2013, issue). A small claims court “could help diminish the risk of disproportionate levels of damages against individual file-sharers,” the IPTF said.

In the Jan. 20 issue of the CBP Customs Bulletin (Vol. 50, Nos. 2 and 3) (here), CBP published notices that propose to revoke or modify rulings and similar treatment for hydraulic braking system parts.

Strengthening trade and investment relationships between the U.S. and Africa should translate to a growing market for U.S. exports, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman told the International Trade Commission on Jan. 28, during an ITC hearing focusing on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and other potential growth initiatives for the continent, according to prepared remarks (here). With Chinese imports from Africa dropping by 50 percent, from $110 billion in 2014 to $50 billion in 2015, growth in Africa will depend more on new sources of demand in agricultural and manufacturing trade, internal integration, and in “capitalizing on the continent’s boom in Internet access and mobile use,” Froman stated.

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., tied what he hopes is a pending Senate vote on the conference version of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act (HR-644) to congressional approval of the Obama administration’s Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. “I hope we get that voted on in this work period,” said Thune, third-ranking Republican in leadership and chairman of the Commerce Committee, of the customs trade bill when speaking to reporters Jan. 28. “Right now I think it’s just a function of making sure the votes are there on both sides.” He said “both sides are kind of working it” in recent weeks. This work period concludes with the Presidents Day recess, the week of Feb. 16. The customs conference report includes the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act language, a priority for Thune, who said earlier in January that he expected ITFA backers to override any point of order raised in an attempt to strip the ITFA provision from the trade bill and that he expected a vote soon on the measure (see 1601130011). Some in the Senate would prefer to see the ITFA language advance with the Marketplace Fairness Act rather than alone with the customs trade bill. “On ITFA, the Democrats here are trying to hold that up over MFA, but I think, you know, those are two very separate issues,” Thune said. "I’ve had conversations with Democrats in the Senate, obviously had some conversations with the White House too about getting them more engaged, but I think the message is we need customs in order to get TPP moving.” If there will be “any kind of vote on TPP,” the customs bill must move because without its enforcement pieces in place, “the pro-trade Democrats won’t vote for it," Thune predicted.

The FCC should adopt flexible service rules to encourage the use of the 28 GHz and 39 GHz bands for 5G, said 4G Americas in comments filed in response to the commission’s spectrum frontiers NPRM (see 1510220057). Initial comments were due at the FCC Tuesday and numerous filings were posted by the FCC Wednesday in docket 14-177.

The FCC should adopt flexible service rules to encourage the use of the 28 GHz and 39 GHz bands for 5G, said 4G Americas in comments filed in response to the commission’s spectrum frontiers NPRM (see 1510220057). Initial comments were due at the FCC Tuesday and numerous filings were posted by the FCC Wednesday in docket 14-177.

The FCC should adopt flexible service rules to encourage the use of the 28 GHz and 39 GHz bands for 5G, said 4G Americas in comments filed in response to the commission’s spectrum frontiers NPRM (see 1510220057). Initial comments were due at the FCC Tuesday and numerous filings were posted by the FCC Wednesday in docket 14-177.