Bipartisan wireless legislation may yet be introduced in the Senate this Congress, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., confirmed Thursday in an interview at the Capitol. Rubio is, as expected (see 1412090051), working on legislation dealing with wireless siting to make it easier for carriers to build out on federal land, and partnering with Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. McCaskill spokespeople haven't confirmed that any legislation is in the works. Some people suspected an introduction as soon as Wednesday, but the legislation wasn't introduced then, and Rubio said the senators encountered a procedural snag. The lawmakers are “working through something” with the Capitol's parliamentarian, and it’s possible the bill could still be introduced this week, said Rubio. “We’re working on it,” he said. “I don’t know if it’ll be introduced in this Congress or the next. It might be [this week].” Congress was initially expected to recess Thursday but will remain in session to work through a government funding bill and certain other measures.
Four cybersecurity-related bills now await President Barack Obama’s signature after activity in the House and Senate Wednesday and Thursday. The House unanimously approved the National Cybersecurity Protection Act (S-2519) Thursday, a day after the Senate approved the bill, previously known as the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center Act. S-2519, which included language from the House-passed National Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act (HR-3696), would codify the Department of Homeland Security’s current cybersecurity role, including the role of the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (see 1412100052). The House also unanimously passed the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (S-2521) Wednesday. The bill, which would revise the existing Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), had faced opposition from House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who wrote a similar House-passed FISMA reform bill (HR-1163). The Senate passed the Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act (HR-2952) Thursday, which combined an existing version of HR-2952, previously known as the Critical Infrastructure Research and Development Advancement Act, with language from the DHS Cybersecurity Workforce Recruitment and Retention Act (S-2354). The revised HR-2952 would deal with DHS cybersecurity workforce development issues. Obama will also consider the Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act (S-1691), which passed the House Wednesday and also includes language from S-2354. Obama is likely to sign all four bills, since the White House hasn’t previously disapproved of the provisions included in the bills, an industry lobbyist told us.
Jason Everett was upped to Democratic chief counsel to the House Judiciary IP Subcommittee, said a House Judiciary spokeswoman Thursday. Everett was Democratic counsel to the subcommittee. David Greengrass, former legislative director to House Judiciary Committee member Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., will join the IP subcommittee as Democratic counsel.
The House Judiciary and Homeland Security committees will have several new Republican members next Congress, the committees announced Wednesday. Judiciary will include Reps. Mike Bishop of Michigan; Ken Buck of Colorado; John Ratcliffe of Texas; Dave Trott of Michigan; and Mimi Walters of California. Homeland Security will now include Reps. Buddy Carter of Georgia; Will Hurd of Texas; John Katko of New York; Barry Loudermilk of Georgia; Martha McSally of Arizona; Ratcliffe; and Mark Walker of North Carolina. Democrats haven't announced new committee members.
The topic of the final House Communications Act update white paper is, as expected (see 1410020036), video policy, the committee said Wednesday. “As we often noted during our work to reauthorize the satellite television law, the marketplace for video content and distribution has changed dramatically in recent years and continues to evolve,” said Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., and Communications Subcommittee Greg Walden, R-Ore., in a joint statement. “We are long removed from the days of one TV per household, bulky box sets that often doubled as living room furniture. Now, Americans are clamoring for more content and choices, and the ability to view videos whether home or on the go on the platform of their choosing.” The document is the sixth white paper that House Republicans have issued over the past year, seeking feedback in a broader goal to overhaul the Communications Act. Responses to the six-page white paper are due Jan. 23. It asks five overarching questions, examining broadcasters’ role as a “public trustee” and how a new Communications Act should treat over-the-top video services. “How have market conditions changed the assumptions that form the foundation of the Cable Act?” the paper asked. “What changes to the Cable Act should be made in recognition of the market?”
The Senate Commerce Committee approved Tuesday night by voice vote the nomination of Willie May to be undersecretary of commerce for standards and technology . Lawmakers had met in an executive session to consider multiple nominees.
Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., pressed Senate Commerce Committee leadership to advance the Anti-Spoofing Act (HR-3670). She's a backer of the bill, which would take on what Meng calls the “national plague” of caller ID spoofing and modify the Truth in Caller ID Act. “I strongly urge you to favorably consider the unanimous consent petition that has been filed,” she said in a Tuesday letter, “and to discharge this legislation from the Senate Commerce Committee so that it may be considered by the Senate before the end of this Congressional term.” Meng knows of no opposition, she said. The House approved the bill in September.
Sens. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., are expected to team up to introduce wireless spectrum legislation Wednesday, at the end of the 113th Congress. An industry official and Democratic Senate staffer confirmed the partnership and pending introduction. The legislation is expected to make it easier for carriers to build out networks on federal land. The Senate staffer referred to it as the “shot clock” bill. Rubio has introduced two spectrum bills this year, one piece without co-sponsors on spectrum reallocation and one with Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., on spectrum sharing. Rubio outlined a desire to introduce legislation dealing with wireless siting, and in September told us he doubted the prospects for any of his wireless legislation in this Congress (see 1409220044). He already was talking with incoming leadership of the Commerce Committee for the next Congress and also was seeking Democrats to back his bills, he said then. Given the busy lame-duck session, with much attention now focused on funding the government and a Senate report on U.S. CIA torture practices, it’s hard to see such legislation moving in this Congress, the Senate staffer said. The current session of Congress is expected to end as soon as Thursday. Spokespeople for McCaskill and Rubio didn’t comment. Both senators are members of the Communications Subcommittee.
The Senate passed the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (S-2521) on a voice vote Monday. The bill would update the existing Federal Information Security Management Act, and direct the Department of Homeland Security to create rules for federal agencies’ response to government data leaks. The Senate Homeland Security Committee cleared the bill in June (see 1406270036). The House will need to sign off on S-2521, which differs from a House-passed version of the bill (HR-1163). House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who sponsored HR-1163, doesn’t support S-2521 and is continuing to encourage the Senate to approve HR-1163, a spokeswoman said. The Senate is still expected to consider the National Cybersecurity Protection Act (S-2519) before the lame-duck session ends this week, an industry lobbyist told us. S-2519 would codify the DHS's current cybersecurity role, including the role of its National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (see 1412080071). The version of S-2519 up for Senate consideration includes language from an earlier version of S-2519 and the House-passed National Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act (HR-3696). The House is also expected to consider the Senate-passed Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act (S-1691), which includes language from the DHS Cybersecurity Workforce Recruitment and Retention Act (S-2354), the lobbyist said. The Senate passed S-2354 in September (see 1411070037).
The Senate Commerce Committee was scheduled to consider the nomination of Willie May to be undersecretary of commerce for standards and technology Tuesday around 6 p.m. in an executive session. The session was to take place off the Senate floor in S-216 between two roll call votes. The agenda did not include FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly, a Republican the White House renominated for a full five-year term as commissioner. Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., had told us Commerce was discussing including O’Rielly on its agenda and wanted to advance the renomination (see 1412040031). Senate Republicans have indicated they don't believe O’Rielly requires a full hearing for advancement, with a staffer suggesting to us that the renomination could be simply discharged or reported from committee and moved on the Senate floor this week (see 1412050032).