House Communications Subcommittee members are increasingly at ease with the trajectory of the planned Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) transition, since ICANN's approval last week of two transition-related plans, they said Thursday. They indicated they'll continue to exercise their oversight of the IANA transition process until its completion. ICANN sent NTIA its finalized IANA transition plan and a related set of recommended changes to ICANN's accountability mechanisms after the board passed both plans during its meeting in Marrakech, Morocco (see 1603100070). ICANN stakeholders strongly endorsed the IANA transition plan and the recommendations from the Cross Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability (CCWG-Accountability), saying during the hearing that the plans collectively meet NTIA criteria for the IANA transition.

House Communications Subcommittee members are increasingly at ease with the trajectory of the planned Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) transition, since ICANN's approval last week of two transition-related plans, they said Thursday. They indicated they'll continue to exercise their oversight of the IANA transition process until its completion. ICANN sent NTIA its finalized IANA transition plan and a related set of recommended changes to ICANN's accountability mechanisms after the board passed both plans during its meeting in Marrakech, Morocco (see 1603100070). ICANN stakeholders strongly endorsed the IANA transition plan and the recommendations from the Cross Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability (CCWG-Accountability), saying during the hearing that the plans collectively meet NTIA criteria for the IANA transition.

The Senate on March 16 voted 49-48 to strike down a motion for a cloture vote on Sen. Pat Roberts’, R-Kan., Biotechnology Labeling Solutions Bill, which would have established a national voluntary bioengineered food labeling standard and supersede applicable state laws, according to a summary of the bill (here). The legislation itself (here) would also direct the Agriculture Department to provide the public with science-based education, outreach, and promotion, alongside other federal agencies, regarding bioengineered food.

Less restrictive U.S. policies and further normalization of trade relations with Cuba would likely lead to a boost to U.S. agricultural trade, said a trade expert, a Texas rice farmer, as well as most GOP members at a House hearing on March 15. During a hearing of the House Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Trade (here), supporters of loosening existing restrictions on trade with Cuba said a more relaxed bilateral policy would help boost U.S. agricultural exports to the country, which tumbled from a peak of $709 million in 2008 to $149 million last year. Jason Marczak, director of the Atlantic Council’s Latin America Economic Growth Initiative, along with Texas rice farmer and U.S. Rice Producers Association board member Ray Stoesser, encouraged subcommittee members to advance legislation that is hoped to stimulate the waning competition of U.S. agricultural exports in the Cuban marketplace. According to Stoesser’s submitted testimony (here), U.S. exports occupied 10 percent of all Cuban rice market share in 2015, and were topped by the market shares of rice imported from the EU, Brazil, and Argentina.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, who circulated an NPRM Thursday on proposed privacy rules for ISPs requiring them to protect subscribers (see 1603100019), said in a Huffington Post blog post aimed at consumers: The FCC is protecting “your data.” The NPRM is set for a vote at the FCC's March 31 open meeting, as reported by Communications Daily (see 1602110054 and 1603100019). A senior FCC official said on a call with reporters the NPRM will explore a wide range of options. Wheeler said the proposal doesn't ask questions about edge providers like Facebook and Google but is sector specific. There's a long history in the U.S. of sector privacy rules and the FCC is the expert agency over ISPs, a senior agency official said.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, who circulated an NPRM Thursday on proposed privacy rules for ISPs requiring them to protect subscribers (see 1603100019), said in a Huffington Post blog post aimed at consumers: The FCC is protecting “your data.” The NPRM is set for a vote at the FCC's March 31 open meeting, as reported by Communications Daily (see 1602110054 and 1603100019). A senior FCC official said on a call with reporters the NPRM will explore a wide range of options. Wheeler said the proposal doesn't ask questions about edge providers like Facebook and Google but is sector specific. There's a long history in the U.S. of sector privacy rules and the FCC is the expert agency over ISPs, a senior agency official said.

Public interest and consumer groups pressed the FCC to move forward on a privacy rulemaking, which the agency is expected to do at its March 31 meeting (see 1603030066). The letter slams a “consensus” proposal offered last week by major associations representing ISPs (see 1603010069).

Public interest and consumer groups pressed the FCC to move forward on a privacy rulemaking, which the agency is expected to do at its March 31 meeting (see 1603030066). The letter slams a “consensus” proposal offered last week by major associations representing ISPs (see 1603010069).

The FCC’s net neutrality order goes beyond broadband regulation and threatens edge companies, the Internet, free speech, free enterprise and freedom in general, said three prominent critics at a Conservative Political Action Conference panel Thursday. If “you want to control the people, and you want to control the government and private enterprise, the first place you start is political speech control,” said former FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell. An FCC spokesman had no comment Friday.

The FCC’s net neutrality order goes beyond broadband regulation and threatens edge companies, the Internet, free speech, free enterprise and freedom in general, said three prominent critics at a Conservative Political Action Conference panel Thursday. If “you want to control the people, and you want to control the government and private enterprise, the first place you start is political speech control,” said former FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell. An FCC spokesman had no comment Friday.