The United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK) continued to ratchet up additional pressure on Russia this week, while the European Union (EU) and UK appear to have different opinions on how best to continue to coordinate the pressure campaign against Russia. The UK and US aligned this week with high-level visits to India, part … Continue Reading
This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases. POTUS’ Schedule* 11:00 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT departs Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, en route the White House 12:00 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT arrives at the White House… Continue Reading
Businesses of all sizes should consider how the Biden Administration’s “Build Back Better” economic plan would affect international supply chains. His strategy to revitalize the American economy rests on two pillars: strengthening Buy American provisions and reforming the tax code to incentivize domestic production.… Continue Reading
This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases. POTUS’ Schedule* *The US President (POTUS) and Vice President’s (VPOTUS) daily schedules are subject to change. 9:45 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart the White House en route to the Supreme … Continue Reading
This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases. POTUS’ Schedule* *The US President (POTUS) and Vice President’s (VPOTUS) daily schedules are subject to change. 9:00 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY participate in a signing of a Proclamation on the … Continue Reading
The United States has been experiencing large-scale protests in urban centers in response to the death of George Floyd, a black American citizen, in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 25 May. This is not the first time the country has seen protests related to racism against black Americans, but it comes amid a global … Continue Reading
The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) is requesting comments for newly initiated Section 301 investigations on digital services tax (DST) adopted or under consideration by Austria, Brazil, the Czech Republic, the European Union, India, Indonesia, Italy, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Comments are due by July 15. On June 2, USTR announced … Continue Reading
Turmoil on America’s streets has become the primary focus of attention for the White House in recent days, marking a pivot away from the around-the-clock pandemic response posture that characterized the Trump Administration’s activity this spring. President Donald Trump and his top advisors are reportedly set to meet in the coming days to begin the … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Tuesday, July 29: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing titled “Breaking the Logjam at BLM: Examining Ways to More Efficiently Process Permits for Energy Production on Federal Lands.” Tuesday, July 29: The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing titled “FERC Perspectives: Questions Concerning EPA’s Proposed … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Communications Subcommittee Approves STELA Reuthorization Bill Last Tuesday, March 25, the House Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology approved a bipartisan version of legislation to reauthorize the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELA). The updated version leaves open the question of blocking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from adopting new rules … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Subcommittee Schedules Markup Of STELA Reauthorization Bill The House Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology has scheduled a markup of draft legislation to reauthorize the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELA). The subcommittee will convene for opening statements on Monday, March 24 and will reconvene this Tuesday, March 25 to complete … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Passes Cell Phone Unlocking Bill Last Tuesday, February 25, the House passed the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act (H.R. 1123). The legislation, introduced by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), is intended to promote consumer choice and wireless competition by permitting consumers to unlock their mobile wireless devices without … Continue Reading
Regulatory Activity Funding for Autos The Department of Energy (DOE) has announced it will provide $50 million in funding for its FY 14 Vehicle Technologies Program to help “make plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) more affordable and convenient…within the next 10 years.” The funding will be dedicated to target areas including: advanced light-weighting, advanced battery development, … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Communications Act Update On January 15, the House Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology heard testimony from four former chairs of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), each of whom addressed a number of high-level legal and policy issues that Congress could consider as part of a review of … Continue Reading
In Verizon v. FCC, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia overturned the Federal Communications Commission’s (“Commission” or “FCC”) anti-discrimination and anti-blocking provisions of the Open Internet regime. The panel vacated each measure as “per se common carrier obligations” impermissibly imposed on providers of broadband Internet service, which … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Nominations for U.S. Department of the Interior and EPA On Tuesday, December 17, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will meet to consider the nomination of Neil Kornze to become the Director of the Bureau of Land Management at the Department of the Interior. The Committee will also consider at that time … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Commerce Committee Members Introduce Video Policy Bills Last Thursday, December 12, two members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee introduced video reform legislation that would eliminate or reform a number of provisions in current law governing video policy. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) introduced the Next Generation Television Marketplace Act (H.R. 3720), … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Do Not Track Kids Act Of 2013 Introduced Last Thursday, November 14, the Do Not Track Kids Act of 2013 (S. 1700 and H.R. 3481) was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL), and in the House by Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) and Rep. Bobby Rush … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Commerce Committee Holds Hearing On Patent Demand Letters Last Thursday, November 7, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a hearing titled “Demand Letters and Consumer Protection: Examining Deceptive Practices by Patent Assertion Entities.” Committee members heard testimony from the attorney general of Nebraska and various stakeholders from the technology industry. … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Confirms FCC Nominees Last Tuesday, October 29, the Senate unanimously confirmed the nominations of Tom Wheeler to become chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Michael O’Rielly to fill the empty Republican seat on the commission. The Senate vote followed Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) decision to lift his hold on Wheeler’s … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Rep. Upton and Rep. Green Introduce Energy Infrastructure Project Reform Legislation Last Tuesday, October 22, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Rep. Gene Green (D-TX), along with a bipartisan group of original cosponsors, introduced the North American Energy Infrastructure Act (H.R. 3301). The legislation would eliminate the State Department’s … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Rep. Goodlatte Introduces Patent Litigation Reform Bill Last Wednesday, October 23, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) introduced the Innovation Act (H.R. 3309), intended to curtail abusive patent litigation while fostering U.S. competitiveness. The bill has received bipartisan support from cosponsors including Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and is scheduled for a hearing … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Sen. Cruz Blocks Confirmation of FCC Chairman Last Wednesday, October 16, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) blocked an expected Senate vote on the nomination of Tom Wheeler to become the next chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Sen. Cruz held up the nomination over questions regarding Wheeler’s views on the FCC’s power to … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Privacy Working Group Holds Closed Door Meeting The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Privacy Working Group held a closed-door roundtable meeting last Thursday, September 26. The working group is co-chaired by Committee Vice Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT), and provides a forum to evaluate privacy policy issues so committee members … Continue Reading
