The National Institute of Standards and Technology is seeking comment by Dec. 6 on Chinese government policies that influence international standards for emerging technologies, NIST said in Thursday's Federal Register in docket 211026-0219. The agency will use the comments to determine whether it can “mitigate any undue influence” by China and “bolster United States public and private sector participation in international standards-setting bodies” for a range of new technologies, including AI and blockchain. China's embassy didn't reply to our request for a response.
Funding for next-generation 911 is the “biggest challenge and would make the biggest difference,” said Public Safety Bureau Deputy Chief David Furth during an FCBA CLE webinar. “It’s not something the FCC can make happen.” Others agreed about the importance of funding. Congress is considering NG-911 money via the Build Back Better Act budget reconciliation package (HR-5376), but the measure's prospects remain unclear.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology is seeking public comments on Chinese government policies that influence international standards for emerging technologies, NIST said Nov. 3. The agency will use the comments to determine whether it can “mitigate any undue influence” by China and “bolster United States public and private sector participation in international standards-setting bodies” for a range of new technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum information technologies and blockchain. Comments are due 5 p.m. Dec. 6. Technology experts have warned about China’s growing leadership and influence in standards-setting bodies (see 2006240039), and industry has urged the Commerce Department to establish a blanket exemption for U.S. people and companies to participate in standards-setting bodies that have members designated on the Entity List (see 2109150036).
A draft bill released this week could expand certain CBP enforcement authorities over exports. The legislation, which is being drafted by Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., would broaden CBP's authority to suspend and fine traders for illegal exports, including counterfeit shipments or goods that violate intellectual property rights, according to a draft summary of the bill. It would also grant “discretionary authority” for the seizure of exports and “excludes goods summarily forfeited from notice requirements.” The bill is aimed at modernizing U.S. customs laws to better address “national and economic security, enhance data integrity, confront international adversaries, and better facilitate trade by utilizing emerging technologies.”
Despite “complex mechanics and forces at work,” the outlook is favorable for strong retail sales growth this holiday season,” said National Retail Federation Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz Tuesday in a holiday season forecast follow-up. Kleinhenz repeated NRF's optimistic forecast last week (see 2110270035) of Nov. 1-Dec. 31 sales growing 8.5%-10.5% to $843.4 billion-$859 billion, excluding sales of autos, gasoline and restaurants. "Even at the low end of the forecast, that would be both the largest growth rate -- topping last year’s 8.2 percent -- and the largest total amount -- beating last year’s $777.3 billion -- on record," he said.
Some House Homeland Security Emergency Preparedness Subcommittee members signaled interest during a Tuesday virtual hearing in beefing up first responders’ communications infrastructure around the National Mall, the Capitol Building and other federal facilities in Washington, in response to the Jan. 6 insurrection. Other members cited the need for improving foreign language speakers’ access to wireless emergency alerts and other public safety communications platforms, and pressed Federal Emergency Management Agency Director-Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Antwane Johnson on how that entity has implemented fixes to prevent a repeat of the 2018 false missile alert in Hawaii (see 1801160054). The Tuesday hearing was a follow-up to an October one that highlighted communications issues first responders continue to face 20 years after the Sept. 11 attacks (see 2110070059).
President Joe Biden extended a national emergency that authorizes certain sanctions against people and entities in Sudan, the White House said Oct. 29. Sudan has “made strides in its transition toward democracy.” but the “military takeover of the government and arrest of civilian leaders now threaten those positive gains,” the White House said. The emergency was extended for one year beyond Nov. 3.
FCC Wireline Bureau attorney-adviser Douglas Slotten plans to retire ... Competitive Carriers Association promotes Josh Perez to associate policy counsel ... In ViacomCBS' buying a majority of Spanish-language content company Fox TeleColombia & Estudios TeleMexico from Disney and the founding family (see 2110280007), Samuel Duque Rozo, founder-CEO of the company being purchased, continues "to exclusively support the business from a creative and strategic advisory position, and Samuel Duque Duque, current president, will lead the business," which comes "under the remit" of ViacomCBS International Studios and Networks Americas President JC Acosta.
A revised draft of the Build Back Better Act budget reconciliation bill (HR-5376) released Thursday retains funding for next-generation 911, the FCC Emergency Connectivity Fund and other telecom programs included in a House Commerce Committee-approved proposal, albeit with less money than first proposed and as expected (see 2110010001). The $1.75 trillion measure also includes reduced amounts of broadband affordability and some other telecom money Senate Democrats sought (see 2109020072).
Obaidullah Syed, a Chicago-based technology executive, pleaded guilty to illegally exporting computer equipment to a nuclear research agency owned by the Pakistani government, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois said. Syed owned Business System International USA, based in Chicago, along with Business System International stationed in Pakistan, both of which produce high-performance computing platforms, servers and software application solutions. From 2006 to 2015, Syed conspired with other BSI employees in Pakistan to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by shipping computer equipment to the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission without obtaining prior authorization from the Commerce Department, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. The PAEC is a government agency responsible for designing and testing explosives and nuclear weapons parts, and was designated by the U.S. as an entity that could pose a national security threat, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Syed and his co-conspirators lied to U.S.-based computer manufacturers that his shipments were headed to Pakistani universities or Syed's other businesses, Syed admitted. BSI Pvt. Ltd. was also charged as a corporate defendant.