Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., quietly expanded his FCC Reauthorization Act (S-2644) less than a week before the Senate Commerce Committee plans to mark it up. He privately circulated a substitute amendment to S-2644 Thursday that would attach two measures with prominent bipartisan support -- the Kari’s Law Act (S-2553) and the Spoofing Prevention Act (S-2558). The markup is at 10 a.m. Wednesday in 253 Russell.
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., quietly expanded his FCC Reauthorization Act (S-2644) less than a week before the Senate Commerce Committee plans to mark it up. He privately circulated a substitute amendment to S-2644 Thursday that would attach two measures with prominent bipartisan support -- the Kari’s Law Act (S-2553) and the Spoofing Prevention Act (S-2558). The markup is at 10 a.m. Wednesday in 253 Russell.
Another Senate Republican imposed a hold on the renomination of FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told us this week. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., tore into Republicans Thursday for what he considers a broken deal and a private apparent suggestion from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., that he wouldn't touch the renomination this year. Rosenworcel, a Democrat whose term expired last summer, would be unable to serve past 2016.
Another Senate Republican imposed a hold on the renomination of FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told us this week. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., tore into Republicans Thursday for what he considers a broken deal and a private apparent suggestion from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., that he wouldn't touch the renomination this year. Rosenworcel, a Democrat whose term expired last summer, would be unable to serve past 2016.
An executive branch filing in support of the FCC set-top box proceeding (see 1604150003) is largely laudatory of the commission's proposal but also questions aspects of the agency's plans on privacy and copyright, which have also been a focus of the proposal's opponents. “The Commission should take steps to ensure that expansion of competition in navigation devices does not diminish existing privacy protections,” NTIA Administrator Larry Strickling said in the filing. Privacy and copyright concerns were the focus of a joint NCTA/MPAA news briefing denouncing the FCC plan last week (see 1604130052), which itself followed experts saying that access to consumer data may be the ultimate tech prize in the NPRM approved by a politically split FCC (see 1603080037).
An executive branch filing in support of the FCC set-top box proceeding (see 1604150003) is largely laudatory of the commission's proposal but also questions aspects of the agency's plans on privacy and copyright, which have also been a focus of the proposal's opponents. “The Commission should take steps to ensure that expansion of competition in navigation devices does not diminish existing privacy protections,” NTIA Administrator Larry Strickling said in the filing. Privacy and copyright concerns were the focus of a joint NCTA/MPAA news briefing denouncing the FCC plan last week (see 1604130052), which itself followed experts saying that access to consumer data may be the ultimate tech prize in the NPRM approved by a politically split FCC (see 1603080037).
An executive branch filing in support of the FCC set-top box proceeding (see 1604150003) is largely laudatory of the commission's proposal but also questions aspects of the agency's plans on privacy and copyright, which have also been a focus of the proposal's opponents. “The Commission should take steps to ensure that expansion of competition in navigation devices does not diminish existing privacy protections,” NTIA Administrator Larry Strickling said in the filing. Privacy and copyright concerns were the focus of a joint NCTA/MPAA news briefing denouncing the FCC plan last week (see 1604130052), which itself followed experts saying that access to consumer data may be the ultimate tech prize in the NPRM approved by a politically split FCC (see 1603080037).
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, recently grilled all five FCC commissioners about net neutrality, the Commerce Committee on which he sits disclosed last week. Cruz, an ardent net neutrality critic who at times incorporated that criticism into his campaign for president, submitted questions for the record to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and the other four commissioners about the topic following the committee's March 2 FCC oversight hearing (see 1603020051).
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, recently grilled all five FCC commissioners about net neutrality, the Commerce Committee on which he sits disclosed last week. Cruz, an ardent net neutrality critic who at times incorporated that criticism into his campaign for president, submitted questions for the record to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and the other four commissioners about the topic following the committee's March 2 FCC oversight hearing (see 1603020051).
Commissioner Mignon Clyburn called FCC rate-of-return USF changes a "win-win" for rural consumers wanting broadband and phone consumers paying into the USF. Clyburn said she was proud the FCC went beyond fixing a stand-alone broadband problem that prevented rural telcos from receiving USF support when customers with high-speed Internet access dropped traditional phone service. "We are also establishing a blueprint to connect unserved households and modernize the Connect America Fund to ensure that rate-of-return carriers use finite resources as efficiently as possible," she said in a statement that accompanied the 249-page Order and Further NPRM released Wednesday (see 1603300065).