Ever more creative ways of using the Internet make for thornier parsing of the 400-plus pages of campaign finance regulation -- most of which never contemplated outcomes now playing out online, said speakers at the Politics Online Conference. Two warned that the relative freedom enjoyed online is at risk, but their opponents suggested that individuals have little to worry about.
(Acting CPSC Chairman Nord has previously expressed concerns over the CPSIA's limitations on the CPSC's ability to base decisions on risk, consider product-specific complexities, etc. See ITT's Online Archives or 03/25/09 and 04/07/09 news, 09032505 and 09040710, for BPsummaries of letters by CPSC Acting Chairman Nord raising these concerns.)
The National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors questioned whether the record developed to date gives the FCC a solid basis to decide how best to compare broadband deployment in the U.S. with the rest of the world. Tight timeframes and other distractions mean few offered guidance as the FCC seeks to implement a key requirement of the Broadband Data Improvement Act, NATOA said in reply comments at the agency.
According to a Port of Long Beach press release, on April 15, 2009, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia denied the Federal Maritime Commission's request for a preliminary injunction against the Los Angeles/Long Beach Clean Trucks Program (LA/LB CTP).
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has taken further steps to stay the lead content1 provisions of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA2) for youth all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) for 12 months.
Past mismanagement of the RUS’s older broadband-loan programs raises doubts about its role in doling out $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus money, according to a report on an audit by the Inspector General’s Office in the agency’s parent Agriculture Department. The office said it remains worried about the “current direction of the Broadband program, particularly as they receive greater funding under the Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, including provisions for transparency and accountability.” The RUS has made loans in places that aren’t rural, such as suburbs, said the report, released this week. Congress told the service in farm legislation last year to update its definition of “rural,” and that work continues. The broadband program begun in 2001 differs from the stimulus program in that all the money was meant for rural areas. The stimulus law allows some RUS money to go to more urbanized places.
Past mismanagement of the RUS’s older broadband-loan programs raises doubts about its role in doling out $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus money, according to a report on an audit by the Inspector General’s Office in the agency’s parent Agriculture Department. The office said it remains worried about the “current direction of the Broadband program, particularly as they receive greater funding under the Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, including provisions for transparency and accountability.” The RUS has made loans in places that aren’t rural, such as suburbs, said the report, released this week. Congress told the service in farm legislation last year to update its definition of “rural,” and that work continues. The broadband program begun in 2001 differs from the stimulus program in that all the money was meant for rural areas. The stimulus law allows some RUS money to go to more urbanized places.
U.K. law on interception of communications jeopardizes user privacy, the European Commission said Tuesday. Citing numerous complaints by Internet users -- and “extensive” discussion with U.K. authorities -- over online behavioral advertising technology “Phorm,” the EC launched the first stage of proceedings aimed at forcing Britain to align its law with EU e-privacy and data protection legislation. Meanwhile, Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding warned the EC will act whenever countries fail to ensure that new technologies such as behavioral advertising and radio frequency identification (RFID) don’t respect privacy rights.
U.K. law on interception of communications jeopardizes user privacy, the European Commission said Tuesday. Citing numerous complaints by Internet users -- and “extensive” discussion with U.K. authorities -- over online behavioral advertising technology “Phorm,” the EC launched the first stage of proceedings aimed at forcing Britain to align its law with EU e-privacy and data protection legislation. Meanwhile, Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding warned the EC will act whenever countries fail to ensure that new technologies such as behavioral advertising and radio frequency identification (RFID) don’t respect privacy rights.
On April 2, 2009, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1256, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act by a vote of 298-112.