Only two Democrats took the opportunity to question Facebook and Twitter at a recent hearing on Silicon Valley’s alleged anti-conservative political bias (see 1904100072). Senate Constitution Subcommittee ranking member Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, told us her colleagues weren’t necessarily sending a message they rejected the premise by not attending, though she considers the issue a “sham.”
Section 230
Senate Constitution Subcommittee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, expects a follow-up hearing to focus exclusively on Google, he said Wednesday during a hearing before which he rejected the company’s witness. Google didn’t provide a witness with seniority comparable to representatives sent by Facebook and Twitter, Cruz said. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., rejected a Google witness for the same reason in 2018 (see 1809050057).
Additional hearings are needed to examine questions about Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and other tech issues, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., told us. Members of both parties blamed each other for not properly addressing hate- and race-related activity, at a hearing earlier Tuesday.
The House Rules Committee appears likely to clear at least some of 17 amendments to the Save the Internet Act net neutrality bill for floor consideration this week, said communications sector lobbyists and officials in interviews. A final vote on HR-1644 is expected Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning.
With Colorado poised to enact net neutrality legislation, observers said the state might be less likely than others to attract a lawsuit. Longtime net neutrality supporter Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) is expected to sign SB-78 to restrict high-cost support or other state broadband funding to companies that adhere to open internet principles, and require government entities give preference in procurements to ISPs that follow rules.
Republicans will actively oppose the Save the Internet Act net neutrality bill (HR-1644) when it comes up for a House floor vote next week, but there's unlikely to be a repeat of the protracted amendments fight seen during the House Commerce Committee's Wednesday markup, said ranking member Greg Walden, R-Ore., in a Thursday interview. House Commerce cleared HR-1644 Wednesday night on a 30-22 party-line vote, as expected (see 1904030077). That followed a more than nine-hour, sometimes-heated debate and series of votes on 15 amendments, including 13 sought by Republicans.
A patchwork of 50 conflicting state privacy laws would be “unworkable” for industry, said FTC Commissioner Christine Wilson Wednesday, a day after meeting with industry groups. Speaking at an American Enterprise Institute event, Wilson said she met with a room “full of large companies” Tuesday. She declined to name the companies when asked on the sidelines at Wednesday’s event.
House Commerce Committee Republicans are likely to file “several” amendments to the Save the Internet Act net neutrality bill for consideration at the committee's Wednesday markup but see virtually no chance to defeat the bill outright given prospects for uniform support from panel Democrats, said ranking member Greg Walden, R-Ore., in an interview. HR-1644 and Senate companion S-682 would add a new title to the Communications Act that reverses the FCC order rescinding its 2015 rules. The bill retroactively would restore reclassification of broadband as a Communications Act Title II service (see 1903060077).
The House Communications Subcommittee advanced the Save the Internet Act net neutrality bill (HR-1644) Tuesday on a party-line 18-11 vote, clearing the way for a likely full House Commerce Committee vote on the bill next week. HR-1644 and Senate companion S-682, filed earlier this month, would add a new title to the Communications Act that says the FCC order rescinding its 2015 rules "shall have no force or effect." The bill retroactively would restore reclassification of broadband as a Communications Act Title II service (see 1903060077).
The U.S. should make concerns about China less of a central factor in developing 5G deployment plans, said Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., during an appearance on C-SPAN's The Communicators online and set to have been televised over the weekend. House Commerce Committee ranking member Greg Walden, R-Ore., meanwhile, continued during a separate interview also set to be shown then to push lawmakers to consider whether edge providers should be considered common carriers given their importance as online gatekeepers (see 1903080032). The lawmakers differed on whether the Save the Internet Act net neutrality bill (HR-1644/S-682) will get significant bipartisan support.