Lead GOP Endless Frontier Act sponsor Sen. Todd Young of Indiana indicated after a Wednesday Senate Commerce Committee hearing that fellow Republicans are unlikely to support a floor vote on the bill by the end of the month, as hoped by lead Democratic sponsor Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. Senate Commerce Republicans raised a litany of concerns Wednesday about a to-be-filed revised version of the measure (see 2104130068), but most committee members appeared interested in some increase in science and tech research funding.
The U.S. should quickly pass a bipartisan bill that would increase U.S. investment in technology research and high-tech manufacturing, technology experts and academic leaders told the Senate April 14. Some lawmakers argued that the bill, which is partly aimed at boosting U.S. technology competition with China, should also include measures to better protect U.S. critical technologies from being stolen by the Chinese government.
Communications companies and federal agencies are still deciding when to bring more employees back for in-person work, experts said in interviews. But with no clear federal rules, executives are weighing benefits and risks. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is expected to release updated guidance in the next few weeks.
National Emergency Number Association officials urged its members during a Tuesday event to lobby lawmakers to modify next-generation 911 language in the Leading Infrastructure for Tomorrow’s (Lift) America Act (HR-1848) and pass the 911 Supporting Accurate Views of Emergency Services Act (HR-2351). Rep. Norma Torres, D-Calif., touted HR-2351 during the NENA event as necessary to “support and maintain the men and women of our 911 dispatcher community, who serve as our first emergency line of support.” The refiled measure would change the federal government's classification of public safety call-takers and dispatchers to "protective service occupations" (see 1904050054). NENA Government Affairs Director Dan Henry emphasized that the group backs HR-1848’s proposed $15 billion in NG-911 funding but seeks changes to some elements of the associated policy language, including broadening its definition of “commonly accepted standards,” clarifying its interoperability requirement and limiting the scope of a proposed NG-911 Advisory Board within NTIA (see 2104080003). “Both of the parties are hoping for a bipartisan solution here,” Henry said. He wants members to meet with House Commerce Committee lawmakers, as well as Senate Commerce Committee members, because a Senate-side companion to HR-1848 hasn't been filed.
Expect a committee markup on the Endless Frontier Act in the coming weeks, Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., told reporters Tuesday. He said he’s negotiating with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., lead sponsor of S-3832, after receiving text from the White House. The bill is meant to increase domestic semiconductor manufacturing and strengthen U.S. competitiveness with China. Schumer said he wants a vote this month, with the bill wrapped into an infrastructure package.
Expect a committee markup on the Endless Frontier Act in the coming weeks, Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., told reporters Tuesday. He said he’s negotiating with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., lead sponsor of S-3832, after receiving text from the White House. The bill is meant to increase domestic semiconductor manufacturing and strengthen U.S. competitiveness with China. Schumer said he wants a vote this month, with the bill wrapped into an infrastructure package.
NAB’s next president, Curtis LeGeyt, and the broadcasters who lead the trade group’s board blasted tech companies and called for legislation to protect local journalism, in a video discussion Monday for the virtual NAB Show. “Obviously these tech platforms have had a real disruptive impact,” said LeGeyt, the NAB chief operating officer who last week was named to replace President Gordon Smith at year-end (see 2104070045). Smith said during Monday’s event that he “has every confidence” in LeGeyt.
NAB’s next president, Curtis LeGeyt, and the broadcasters who lead the trade group’s board blasted tech companies and called for legislation to protect local journalism, in a video discussion Monday for the virtual NAB Show. “Obviously these tech platforms have had a real disruptive impact,” said LeGeyt, the NAB chief operating officer who last week was named to replace President Gordon Smith at year-end (see 2104070045). Smith said during Monday’s event that he “has every confidence” in LeGeyt.
Privacy and cybersecurity need to be factored into connected home building amid the growth in consumer adoption of connected devices, reported Frost & Sullivan Friday in a research project for the Continental Automated Building Association. The $130,000 project was funded by CABA members Acuity Brands, CommScope, Community Smart Living, CSA Group, CTA, National Research Council, Resideo Technologies, SnapAV and UL with the goal of setting a “measured response plan” for the industry to fast-track solutions that treat cybersecurity protections “as the norm.”
President Joe Biden has yet to choose a leader for the Bureau of Industry and Security, leaving the agency without a clear direction as it considers competing visions for the direction of American technology policy. The rival factions seeking to influence Biden’s choice underscore how much of an outsized role the once relatively unknown agency will play in implementing the Commerce Department’s efforts to outpace China in emerging technologies and control what lawmakers say is an overdue set of critical technologies.