The Senate Commerce Committee “should heed” a request by ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss., to hold a hearing on ethics concerns about Democratic FCC nominee Gigi Sohn’s role as a board member for Locast operator Sports Fans Coalition, due to the shuttered sports rebroadcaster’s $32 million lawsuit settlement (see 2201180064), the Taxpayers Protection Alliance said Thursday. “It’s troubling that Sohn signed a $32 million settlement agreement with broadcasters and now wants to regulate them,” said TPA Telecom Policy Director Johnny Kampis. “This raises serious conflicts of interest concerns.” Senators need “all of the facts before voting on Sohn’s confirmation and they don’t have them yet,” Kampis said. He cited “reports that Sohn was negotiating a recusal deal with broadcasters to address those concerns, but those negotiations have not been made public.” Americans for Tax Reform said Wednesday it backs additional scrutiny of Sohn. Recusal agreements like the one Sohn is reportedly negotiating “have no force of law,” said ATR Federal Affairs Manager Katie McAuliffe. “A recusal from ruling on broadcast licenses, retransmission or copyright relating to the parent companies of ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, who filed suit against Locast, would severely limit” Sohn’s “ability to do any of the primary work of the Commission.” Consumer Action for a Strong Economy and FreedomWorks also support Wicker's hearing request. Senate Commerce Democrats are highly unlikely to agree to hold the hearing (see 2201130071). The White House and committee didn’t comment.
The House Science Committee passed legislation by voice vote Wednesday that would promote federal research on “privacy enhancing technologies.” Sponsored by Reps. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., and Anthony Gonzalez, R-Ohio, the Promoting Digital Privacy Technologies Act (HR-847) would direct the National Science Foundation to develop “standards for integration of PETs into public and private sector data use.” Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Deb Fischer, R-Neb., introduced companion legislation.
House Communications Subcommittee member Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., and House Armed Services Cyber Subcommittee Chairman Jim Langevin, D-R.I., said Tuesday they won’t seek reelection this year. “I am very proud of the many accomplishments that my staff and I have achieved in Congress,” including “securing major investments in infrastructure,” public safety and broadband, McNerney tweeted. “I have always fought tirelessly for those in need, and I will continue to do so.” McNerney is the sixth Communications member to decide against seeking reelection in 2022. The others: Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa. (see 2111120002); G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C.; Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill.; Billy Long, R-Mo.; and Peter Welch, D-Vt. Langevin partly cited his role in leading “efforts in Congress to strengthen” U.S. cybersecurity “and prepare our nation for the threats of the 21st century.”
Legislation introduced Tuesday would ban the use of personal data for targeted advertisements. Introduced by Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif.; Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill.; and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., the Banning Surveillance Advertising Act allows contextual ads, or “advertising based on the content a user is engaging with.” The bill targets “the unseemly collection and hoarding of personal data to enable ad targeting,” said Eshoo. “Broad location targeting to a recognized place, such as a municipality” would be allowed.
The Senate Judiciary Committee should hold a legislative hearing before marking up a bill that would ban Big Tech platforms from self-preferencing, TechNet wrote the committee Monday. The American Innovation and Choice Online Act (S-2992) is set for markup Thursday, after being held over one week (see 2201140049). Now isn’t the time for lawmakers to “rush through a bill that would raise costs on hardworking Americans and small businesses across the country,” said Senior Vice President Carl Holshouser: The bill “would fundamentally alter our economy and would negatively impact conveniences that individuals and businesses rely on.”
Library of Congress' Congress.gov added committee hearing transcripts dating to the 103rd Congress, it said Tuesday. When a committee meeting has a transcript available, search results will show "transcript available" to the right of the title of the meeting, it said.
Treasury Department rules for American Rescue Plan Act broadband funds "highlights the [Biden] administration's misplaced priorities and misguided approach to infrastructure," said FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr on Friday. The rules "greenlight spending to overbuild existing, high-speed networks" rather than "directing those dollars to the rural and other communities that lack access to any broadband," Carr said. They require projects to provide service that "reliably meets or exceeds 100 Mbps download speed and between at least 20 Mbps and 100 Mbps upload speeds and be scalable to a minimum of 100 Mbps symmetrical." Funding recipients "may choose to consider any available data," which also concerned Carr.
The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the nomination of Katherine Vidal to lead the Patent and Trademark Office on a 17-5 vote Thursday. Voting no: Jon Ossoff, D-Ga.; Josh Hawley, R-Mo.; John Kennedy, R-La.; Ted Cruz, R-Texas; and Mike Lee, R-Utah. Kennedy, the only opposing voter to speak on the nomination, said Vidal gave nonanswers to his questions about Big Tech’s influence over the PTO. He voted against prior nominees because they’re “in the pockets” of Big Tech, he said. Kennedy said Big Tech “doesn’t like” patents because they interfere with market dominance. Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told Kennedy: “I don’t want to step on any news that will be issued after this meeting, but buckle your seatbelt. This committee is going to be taking some forays into the field you just mentioned.” Durbin is a co-sponsor of S-2992, the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, which the committee held over Thursday, as expected (see 2201110053). Durbin called Vidal a “well-qualified” nominee with a deep understanding of the PTO. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., voiced his support for Vidal, saying she will continue the “reforms” started by former Director Andrei Iancu (see 2201050046) for the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and Big Tech. He credited Iancu for “going after” Big Tech, which is making it difficult for small innovators to protect intellectual property. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., agreed with Tillis.
Legislation for promoting coordination on cybersecurity between the Department of Homeland Security and state and local governments passed the Senate unanimously Wednesday. Introduced by Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., and ranking member Rob Portman, R-Ohio, the State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act (S-2520) encourages federal cyber experts to share with state and local officials cyber information and resources about threats and breaches. The bill awaits House consideration.
The Senate Judiciary Committee scheduled an antitrust bill for markup Thursday morning (see 2110210003). The American Innovation and Choice Online Act would prohibit online platforms from self-preferencing their products. This is the first time S-2992 has appeared on the agenda, meaning the committee expects to hold it over a week. Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., introduced the measure. Klobuchar said she looks forward to voting the bill out of committee. The proposal would “bring greater fairness for small businesses and more transparency for consumers to these dominant online platforms,” said Grassley. “Gerrymandering regulations around a handful of leading businesses will skew competition and leave consumers worse off,” said Computer and Communications Industry Association President Matt Schruers. “By hamstringing successful U.S. tech companies without even imposing corresponding obligations on foreign rivals, this shortsighted legislation will put the data and security of U.S. users at risk.” NetChoice criticized the committee for not holding a legislative hearing on the bill. “A bill that threatens to remove choice, increase prices, and expose our personal information to foreign actors should, at a minimum, start with a hearing and transparent debate,” said Vice President Carl Szabo. The markup is set for 9 a.m. in 216 Hart.