Newest FCC member Nathan Simington appoints Carolyn Roddy, ex-NTIA, as wireline adviser and chief of staff; Erin Boone, ex-Wireless Bureau Competition and Infrastructure Division, for wireless adviser; Adam Cassady, who co-founded technology firm, as media adviser; Michael Sweeney, ex-White House Office of Presidential Personnel, for confidential assistant; and Carlos Minnix, formerly in then-FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s office, now staff assistant ... Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board Chairman Adam Klein to resign by time successor is confirmed to complete his term that ends in January 2024.
Newest FCC member Nathan Simington appoints Carolyn Roddy, ex-NTIA, as wireline adviser and chief of staff; Erin Boone, ex-Wireless Bureau Competition and Infrastructure Division, for wireless adviser; Adam Cassady, who co-founded technology firm, as media adviser; Michael Sweeney, ex-White House Office of Presidential Personnel, for confidential assistant; and Carlos Minnix, formerly in then-FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s office, now staff assistant ... Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board Chairman Adam Klein to resign by time successor is confirmed to complete his term that ends in January 2024.
Providers, regulators and advocacy groups urged the FCC to establish broad eligibility criteria for its $3.2 billion emergency broadband fund and begin the program as soon as possible (see 2101070052). Several suggested relying on Lifeline rules. Some urged working with other federal agencies on data-sharing agreements to ensure all eligible households can enroll. Comments were due Monday.
Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, is circulating online content-related legislation for potentially addressing civil rights violations in housing markets, Fordham University law professor Olivier Sylvain said Tuesday at the State of the Net conference. Hirono has been in discussions with Virginia Democratic Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine about Communications Decency Act Section 230 (see 1908060064). Her office didn’t comment about a potential bill.
The Commerce Department and NTIA during President Joe Biden’s administration will strive to end interagency spectrum infighting that became endemic in recent years, Commerce Secretary nominee Gina Raimondo told the Senate Commerce Committee Tuesday. She said during her confirmation hearing NTIA should play a role in other matters, including broadband funding.
Gina Raimondo, President Joe Biden’s nominee for commerce secretary, declined to say whether she plans to keep Huawei and other Chinese technology companies on the Entity List but made clear that Commerce will aggressively tackle illegal Chinese trade practices and human rights abuses. Speaking before the Senate Commerce Committee Jan. 26, Raimondo told lawmakers that the agency won’t make decisions on Chinese trade restrictions until completing a sweeping review of the measures and assessing their impact on U.S. national security (see 2101250049). “The President has been clear that we need to step back and review broadly our trade policies as it relates to China,” Raimondo said.
Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, is circulating online content-related legislation for potentially addressing civil rights violations in housing markets, Fordham University law professor Olivier Sylvain said Tuesday at the State of the Net conference. Hirono has been in discussions with Virginia Democratic Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine about Communications Decency Act Section 230 (see 1908060064). Her office didn’t comment about a potential bill.
The Department of Defense is revising its process for identifying critical technologies that should be subject to export controls after the Government Accountability Office said its current process is too broad and lacks interagency coordination. Although the DOD is tasked with sharing a list of critical technologies with agencies that oversee export controls -- including the State, Commerce and Treasury departments -- officials at all three agencies said they sometimes don’t receive the list. None of the agencies received the list in 2019, the GAO said, even though it could have helped them better protect against trade theft and illegal exports.
Keep consumers "front of mind" as the FCC prepares to roll out its emergency broadband connectivity fund, Common Cause, the National Consumer Law Center, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and United Church of Christ told acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, per a filing posted Friday in docket 20-445. The groups raised the importance of outreach and education about the fund and what happens when the program ends (see 2101070052). They want "price transparency requirements" for providers that opt in so eligible households know the total cost if they enroll. And "ensuring portability of the benefit to allow consumers to shop with their feet is another important program design feature." Pay special attention to non-English-speaking consumers and individuals with disabilities, the groups said.
The National Emergency Number Association and Center for Internet Security adopted a memorandum of understanding on working together on best cybersecurity practice and will host a summit. “As we continue to lead the transition from legacy 9-1-1 to NG9-1-1 technologies, it is imperative that we elevate 9-1-1 professionals’ knowledge of cybersecurity,” said NENA President Gary Bell.