Bipartisan legislation announced Thursday would set certain federal funding and operational bans for drones made in China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela and Cuba. Introduced by Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., and Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., the Stemming the Operation of Pernicious and Illicit (STOP Illicit) Drones Act would prohibit the FAA from providing federal funds to companies based in the listed countries. The bill would also bar the FAA and its contractors from “procuring or operating drones produced” in those countries. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr has drawn agency attention to the issue in the past (see [RefL2110190051]).

Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., praised the FCC Thursday for approving an order clarifying that interoperable videoconferencing services like Zoom and Microsoft Teams must comply with the commission’s accessibility rules under the 2010 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (see 2306080043). Markey and Eshoo noted the FCC’s order mirrors their proposal in the Communications, Video and Technology Accessibility Act, which would require audio descriptions as part of all video, including in broadcasts, cable, streaming and on social media (see 2303100043). “Today’s unanimous vote will ensure that everyone has access to the tools and technologies that are essential to everyday life,” Markey and Eshoo said.

The Senate Commerce Committee “has received” required paperwork from the White House on new FCC nominee Anna Gomez and renominated sitting Commissioners Brendan Carr and Geoffrey Starks, Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., told us Thursday. The panel has been trying to schedule a June hearing on the trio but couldn’t until the Biden administration submitted information (see 2306070073). “We’re going through all” the submitted paperwork now and “will schedule a hearing soon,” she told us: “We’d like to get” pending FAA reauthorization legislation “off the board first.”

A bill that would allow news outlets to negotiate with the tech industry for compensation when platforms like Google and Facebook host news content is back on the Senate Judiciary Committee agenda. The Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (see 2303310047) was held over during a markup Thursday, meaning it could receive a vote as early as next week. The committee passed the bill 15-7 last Congress. A similar bill is advancing at the state level in California (see 2306060082). Ranking member Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., drew attention Thursday to reports Instagram’s algorithms are driving users to child sex abuse material. Graham suggested the committee should hold a hearing on the topic and find a way to hold platforms accountable, especially when they’re made aware of the harmful content on their platforms. Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said he couldn’t agree more and he hopes recently passed online child safety legislation will advance to the Senate floor soon. House Commerce Committee ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., said Wednesday he’s “appalled” by the reports: “Social media platforms have long been guilty of deliberately driving users to the most extreme, dangerous content possible for the sole purpose of getting more clicks to increase their ad dollars, but this latest example is beyond the pale.” Durbin again held over the Cooper Davis Act (S-1080) (see 2306010074) to allow further negotiation.

TikTok misled Congress about storing sensitive user data in China, Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., wrote the company Tuesday. They sought answers about a report claiming the company “stored the sensitive financial information of U.S. TikTok creators in China, including social security numbers and tax information” (see 2306020033). The reports “directly contradict statements you and other TikTok representatives have made to the public and under oath before Congress about where TikTok stores U.S. user data and the ability of employees in China to access that information,” they wrote CEO Shou Zi Chew. They cited comments from Public Policy Head Michael Beckerman, who told the Senate Consumer Protection Subcommittee in October 2021 that “U.S. user data is stored in the United States. Our backups are in Singapore.” The company said in a statement Wednesday: "We are reviewing the letter. We remain confident in the accuracy of our testimony and responses to Congress.”

President Joe Biden signed the Fiscal Responsibility Act debt limit measure Saturday, enacting language that rescinds “unobligated” COVID-19 emergency funding for the FCC and Agriculture Department Rural Utilities Service’s Distance Learning, Telemedicine and Broadband Program enacted as part of the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (see 2305300071). The Cares Act originally allocated $200 million in emergency funding to the FCC and $25 million for the RUS program (see 2003270058). The Senate passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act 63-36 Thursday night; the House approved it earlier in the week (see 2306010080).

High-level resignations at Twitter raise questions about whether the company is complying with its FTC agreements, Democratic senators wrote the company in a letter released Monday. Claims from employees and “hasty” product launches call into question the company’s handling of its 2011 and 2022 consent decrees, which resulted from data privacy lapses at the company, they wrote. The letter was written after the resignations of Ella Irwin, Twitter’s trust and safety chief, and A.J. Brown, head-brand safety and advertising quality. They noted that after Elon Musk bought the company, he made “numerous hasty personnel and product decisions and in April of this year, confirmed that over 80 percent of the workforce had left Twitter since he became CEO.” In November 2022, days before the company’s deadline to issue a report to the agency, Twitter’s chief privacy officer, chief information security officer and chief compliance officer resigned, they said. “These personnel changes, firsthand accounts from employees, and hasty launch of new products raise questions about whether Twitter is able to comply with its obligations under the FTC consent decree,” they wrote. “In apparent dismissal of concerns regarding reducing his workforce, Mr. Musk’s team has said he is ‘used to going to court and paying penalties, and was not worried about the risks.’” Twitter’s press office responded Monday with a message containing a poop emoji, an auto-reply implemented after Musk took over the company.

Broadcast groups representing all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico urged Congress to pass the AM in Every Vehicle Act (HR-3413/S-1669), which would mandate automakers retain AM radio capability in all future vehicles (see 2305170051). "AM radio serves as the backbone of the Emergency Alert System ... and is therefore a critical source of information in times of crisis," the groups said in a resolution NAB publicized Friday. "AM radio stations play a crucial role serving as the vast majority of Primary Entry Points (PEPs) across the country, designated radio stations whose signals cover 90% of the American population and have a direct connection to" FEMA and the National Weather Service. It "uniquely can reach listeners in a wide geographic area and is available in urban and rural areas, regardless of internet access and without paid subscriptions" and "plays a vital role in serving minority, non-English-speaking and other underrepresented communities with free, in-language and religious programming," the groups said. The House Communications Subcommittee plans a hearing Tuesday on the issue, but it's unclear whether there's sufficient appetite for a mandate (see 2305260034).

The Senate appeared likely to begin votes as soon as Thursday night on the House-passed Fiscal Responsibility Act debt limit measure (HR-3746), which includes language that would rescind “unobligated” COVID-19 emergency funding for the FCC and Agriculture Department Rural Utilities Service’s Distance Learning, Telemedicine and Broadband Program enacted as part of the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (see 2305300071). The Cares Act originally allocated $200 million in emergency funding to the FCC and $25 million for the RUS program (see 2003270058). The House passed HR-3746 314-117 Wednesday.

The House Oversight Committee is investigating ex-FTC Commissioner Christine Wilson’s allegations about Chair Lina Khan “abusing” her power and “disregarding the rule of law,” Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., announced Thursday. The committee cited Wilson’s decision to resign (see 2303020048) from the agency “after concerns about the integrity of the FTC under Chair Khan’s leadership, citing abuses of power and disregard for the rule of law and federal ethics standards.” Comer is seeking “documents and communications to understand these allegations and Chair Khan’s actions in this role.” The agency confirmed receiving Comer’s letter and said: “Under Chair Khan the FTC is proud to be defending American consumers from harm and ensuring fair competition in the economy. We look forward to working with Congress to dispel former Commissioner Wilson's imaginative allegations.”