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Intellectual Property
May 16, 2008
Anti-Piracy Caucus Releases Watch List
Intellectual property crimes in China, Russia and Canada will get more scrutiny on Capitol Hill in the coming year, leaders of the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus said. [read more]
May 15, 2008
Senate Panel Approves 'Orphan Works' Copyright Bill
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation that would rework part of U.S. copyright law that deals with musical tracks, writings, images or videos whose owners cannot easily be located, known as "orphan works." [read more]
May 15, 2008
Issa: Votes Not There To Yank Royalty Exemption
A House bill that would remove AM and FM radio's long-standing exemption from paying royalties for broadcasting music does not have the votes or leadership support needed to reach the floor in the 110th Congress, a key co-sponsor said. [read more]
May 14, 2008
Report Finds Software Piracy Worsening Worldwide
Piracy of computer software declined in many countries in 2007, but fast-growing personal computer markets in some of the world's highest piracy nations caused overall numbers to worsen, according to a new report commissioned by the Business Software Association. [read more]
May 14, 2008
Brownback To Offer Internet Radio Royalties Measure
Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., still intends to offer a plan that he believes would set fair royalties for Internet radio operators despite a new proposal from the music industry that would be less than what the Copyright Royalty Board said should be paid to artists and musicians. [read more]
May 14, 2008
Amendment Might Signal Restart Of Fight On Music Royalties
Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., plans to introduce a curious amendment to a copyright bill scheduled to come before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday that he believes would set reasonable royalties for Internet radio operators to pay musicians and record labels. The language mirrors a bill he introduced last year with Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and signals the resurgence of a lobbying blitz. [read more]
May 13, 2008
Fight Over Broadcast Royalties Resurfaces In The Senate
A fight over legislation to nix an exemption granted to AM and FM radio stations that allows them to broadcast music without paying royalties has resurfaced in the Senate. [read more]
May 13, 2008
Supporters Of IP Measure Look For Slot In Senate Calendar
The Senate Judiciary Committee hopes to make progress on intellectual property legislation after the Memorial Day recess, but finding a time slot for a hearing amid competing issues of interest could be difficult, according to an aide for Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy. [read more]
Homeland Security
May 16, 2008
Key Dems Seek To Withhold Funding For Satellite Office
House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson and Homeland Security Intelligence Subcommittee Chairwoman Jane Harman, D-Calif., asked other House chairmen to withhold funding for a new Homeland Security Department office designed to access space satellites in support of operations within the United States. [read more]
May 15, 2008
Senate GOP Offers FISA Compromise To House Democrats
Senate Republicans have given House Majority Leader Hoyer a proposal for rewriting the nation's surveillance laws that would have a secret court determine whether telecommunications firms should be immune from lawsuits arising from their role in the Bush administration's warrantless domestic spying activities. [read more]
May 14, 2008
FEMA Under Fire For Slow Progress On New Alert System
House lawmakers took aim at the Federal Emergency Management Agency's effort to modernize the nation's emergency alert system, saying progress has been too slow and legislative action may be needed to pressure the agency to work faster. [read more]
May 13, 2008
TSA Gets Cheers, Jeers During Senate Commerce Hearing
The Transportation Security Administration received an unusually positive review from GAO but then got aggressive questioning from Senate Commerce Committee members, particularly over its plans to impose a passenger fee increase to pay for additional baggage screening technology. [read more]
May 12, 2008
Nominees For Privacy Board Await Action
Senate Majority Leader Reid sent a list of Democrats that he wants to be considered for a federal panel charged with examining privacy and civil liberties issues to the White House more than a month ago, but the Bush administration has not responded, according to a leadership aide. [read more]
Trade
May 16, 2008
Treasury Will Not Cite China For Manipulating Currency
The Treasury Department said it will not cite China for manipulating its currency to gain unfair trade advantages, despite growing pressure from Congress to retaliate for a U.S. trade deficit with China that reached $256.3 billion last year. [read more]
May 15, 2008
Hoyer Praises Colombia Extraditions, But Deal Still Facing High Hurdles
House Majority Leader Hoyer called it a "very positive development" that the Colombian government has agreed to extradite 14 paramilitary figures to the United States, as lawmakers weigh a free-trade pact with Colombia amid human rights concerns. [read more]
May 14, 2008
Farm Bill Provision Would Freeze Proposed 'First Sale' Rule
The farm bill moving toward final passage this week contains a provision that would effectively delay a proposed Customs and Border Protection rule that has retailers, manufacturers and other import-reliant businesses up in arms. [read more]
May 13, 2008
Grassley, Baucus Set To Accelerate TAA Negotiations
Senate Finance Chairman Baucus and ranking member Charles Grassley plan to accelerate trade adjustment assistance talks with a goal of trying to finish in time to move the Colombia Free Trade Agreement this year, Grassley said. [read more]
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Telecommunications
May 16, 2008
Senate Votes To Overturn Looser Media Ownership Rules
Despite a veto threat from the White House, the Senate acted quickly to approve legislation that would annul the FCC's relaxation of media ownership limits. [read more]
May 14, 2008
FCC Launches New Bid To Auction 'D Block' Spectrum
The FCC went back to the drawing board to plan an auction of a critical slice of communications spectrum for first-responders by soliciting comments on whether its efforts to forge a public-private partnership should be maintained or scrapped. [read more]
May 14, 2008
Some Broadcasters Seek Conditions For Satellite Radio Deal
With FCC negotiations on the proposed merger of the XM and Sirius satellite radio services expected to intensify in the coming weeks, the National Association of Broadcasters remains firmly opposed to a deal -- but some of its members are hedging their bets. [read more]
May 13, 2008
EarthLink To Pull Plug On Wi-Fi In Philadelphia
EarthLink Inc. is pulling the plug on its troubled wireless high-speed Internet network in Philadelphia, once touted as a model for how big cities should deploy Wi-Fi. [read more]
Other Stories of Interest
May 16, 2008
Timing, Cost Concerns Still Pose Hurdle For Child Abuse Bill
A bill to improve the government's coordination of cases involving sexual exploitation of minors, which passed the Senate Judiciary Committee, was a big win for child safety advocates but they acknowledge the bill could still face significant hurdles. [read more]
May 16, 2008
House Panel Vote Shapes Extenders Debate
The House Ways and Means Committee approved a $57 billion tax bill backed by an array of interests ranging from multinational financial services and manufacturing firms to advocates for the poor on a near party-line, 25-12 vote. [read more]
May 15, 2008
House Committee Punts Tanker Dispute To Appropriators
The House Armed Services Committee averted a showdown over the Air Force's hotly disputed contract award for aerial refueling tankers, punting any challenges to the procurement deal to appropriators. [read more]
May 15, 2008
Dems Sustain $372M Cut To European Missile Defense Site
Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee succeeded in thwarting Republican efforts to reverse a $372 million cut to the Pentagon's $712 million request for a missile defense site in Europe. [read more]
May 15, 2008
Leahy, HELP Leaders Reach Deal On IT Privacy Accords
Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee leadership reached a deal on privacy protections that, in part, free up legislation meant to facilitate adoption of interoperable electronic medical records. [read more]
May 14, 2008
House Armed Services Agrees To Boost Submarine Funds
The House Armed Services Committee agreed to add $422 million to the Navy's Virginia-class submarine program but resisted Republican efforts to fully fund the Army's Future Combat Systems. [read more]
May 14, 2008
Librarians Have Catalog Of Issues To Share With Lawmakers
Librarians are not thought of as lobbying heavyweights, but when it comes to protecting patron privacy, lawmakers could get an earful. Hundreds of literature lovers plan to canvass Capitol Hill armed with talking points about revisions to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, national security letters and a host of other topics important to the 110th Congress. [read more]
May 14, 2008
Extenders Bill Skips Targeting Oil And Gas Firms For Offsets
A roughly $55 billion tax bill being readied for House action favors alternative energy production at the expense of hedge fund managers and multinational corporations, as Democratic leaders seek to capitalize on election-year anxieties over soaring gas prices. [read more]
May 14, 2008
Tanker Contract Likely To Fuel Long House Markup Debate
The House Armed Services Committee expects to battle over several amendments during its markup of the FY09 defense authorization bill, including one or more attempts to challenge the Air Force contract award to Northrop Grumman Corp. and EADS, the European consortium behind Airbus, for a fleet of aerial refueling tankers. [read more]
May 13, 2008
Key Senators Negotiate Bill On Electronic Health Records
Negotiators may be nearing a deal on health information technology legislation. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee staff are reviewing a revised amendment from Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, a HELP Committee aide said. [read more]