President Obama has issued a press release announcing that he will meet with Brazilian President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva at the White House on March 14, 2009 to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation on global and hemispheric challenges, ensure a productive agenda for the Summit of the Americas in April 2009, etc. (Press release, dated 03/06/09, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Upcoming-Working-Visit-by-President-of-Brazil-to-Washington)
The estimated $100 billion in technology funding in the economic stimulus package will be the impetus for technology to pull the country out of its “economic morass” and emerge stronger, said TechAmerica CEO Chris Hansen at a media briefing Friday. TechAmerica was formed from the merger of AeA, ITAA, GEIA and CSIA. The association estimates there’s $100 billion for technology in the legislation, including funding at the National Science Foundation, NASA and other science agencies, but concedes it won’t know for sure until there’s more specific accounting of the money.
On March 3, 2009, Senators Durbin (D-IL), Gregg (R-NH), Kennedy (D-MA) and Burr (R-NC), along with 4 cosponsors1, introduced the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510), bipartisan legislation that would give the Food and Drug Administration new authorities, tools and resources to comprehensively reform U.S. food safety systems.
The Senate Finance Committee has sent a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee expressing concern about many of the provisions in the fiscal year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill and accompanying Explanatory Statement, including almost 30 in the trade area alone, several of which could invite billions of dollars in retaliation against U.S. exports. (Letter, dated 03/03/09, available at http://finance.senate.gov/press/Gpress/2009/prg030409c.pdf)
On February 25, 2009, the House Science and Technology Committee held a hearing to examine the impact of current export controls on U.S. science and technology activities and competitiveness. Among other things, witnesses discussed the findings and recommendations of a study by the National Academies1 entitled Beyond "Fortress America": National Security Controls on Science and Technology in a Globalized World.
Satellite re-authorization, universal service and Internet privacy legislation are the top three immediate priorities for the House Communications Subcommittee, Chairman Rick Boucher, D-Va., said in an interview Tuesday. The subcommittee plans oversight hearings of NTIA once the agency has received its new $650 million funding for the DTV transition. It also will monitor how NTIA and RUS are implementing plans to spend the $7.2 billion in broadband funds just approved in the economic stimulus bill, Boucher said.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has posted its response to a request for an exclusion from the children's product lead content limits of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) for crystal and glass beads. Like other CPSC responses to such requests, CPSC states it lacks the authority to issue temporary or "emergency" final rules granting exemptions that do not comply with the procedures proscribed by the CPSIA. (See ITT's Online Archives or 02/17/09 news, 09021715, for BP summary of this and other exemption requests and similar CPSC responses.) (CPSC general counsel's response, dated 02/24/09, available at http://www.cpsc.gov/library/foia/foia09/petition/pp41_resp.pdf)
Although the recording industry’s legal campaign will evolve, lawsuits against unauthorized P2P file-sharing will “continue for the foreseeable future,” RIAA Gen. Counsel Steven Marks told the Digital Music Forum in N.Y.C. Mon.
The National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America has issued a third email notice (dated February 26, 2009) stating that NCBFAA subject matter experts (SMEs) continue to work with senior managers at U.S. Customs and Border Protection to answer additional questions on the startup of the Importer Security Filing (ISF). In response to additional forwarded questions, NCBFAA states that (partial list):
Broadband funds made available through the economic stimulus package and Universal Service Fund monies could play a big role in moving public safety answering points into a new world where they have to take a growing number of VoIP calls and otherwise modernize their systems, Greg Rohde, executive director of the E911 Institute said Wednesday. Rohde spoke at an FCC summit on the future of 911 and the problems local governments face trying to keep up in an IP era.