On The Hill
Extension Proposed On PATRIOT Act Provisions
     Four Senate Democrats have proposed a three-month extension of provisions in a 2001 anti-terrorism law if the Senate is not able to approve the controversial language before it expires at the end of the year. "We shouldn't rush ahead to enact wrong legislation just to meet an arbitrary deadline -- it's in our power to extend that deadline," Senate Judiciary Committee top Democrat Patrick Leahy from Vermont said. When asked how Congress could reach such a decision, Leahy said that if the Senate cannot agree on a final bill when it arrives on the floor, the chamber could vote to extend the provisions' life. Leahy and three of the bills' other conferees, Democratic Sens. John Rockefeller of West Virginia, Edward (Ted) Kennedy of Massachusetts and Carl Levin of Michigan, proposed the extension in a letter to the chairmen of the House and Senate Judiciary committees.

Taxes
R&D Could Benefit From Tax Bill
     The House passed a $56 billion tax cut measure by a comfortable 234-197 margin, with nine Democrats joining a near-unanimous Republican vote of support for the bill. In a victory for the Bush administration, the measure includes an extension of the rate reduction on capital gains and dividends that was left out of the Senate-passed version of the reconciliation tax package. The tax reconciliation vote brings to $94 billion the total tax cuts passed by the House this week -- including a $7 billion package of tax cuts for businesses affected by Hurricane Katrina and a $31 billion bill to prevent new taxpayers from having to pay the alternative minimum tax. House Republicans hope to begin a conference on the tax reconciliation measure as early as next Tuesday when the Senate returns.

Lobbying
Tech Sector Shouts Out For Commitment To U.S. R&D
     Top technology industry executives and academic leaders called on the Bush administration Tuesday to revitalize America's commitment to basic research and development and to grow the national pool of scientists and engineers. At a meeting convened at the Commerce Department by Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., a chorus of 40 executives and top university presidents warned of dire consequences if America fails to boost its investment in federal R&D funding for the physical sciences. In other news, Sens. John Ensign, R-Nev., and Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., plan to unveil a new research and education "innovation" bill based largely on an influential report from the Council on Competitiveness.

Security
Former 9-11 Commission Dismayed With Federal Response
     The former 9-11 Commission said it is "scandalous" that Congress and the Bush administration have not acted to implement all the recommendations the group made 17 months ago. The former National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9-11 Commission, met for the last time Monday to push lawmakers and President Bush to enact several of their proposals in the final days of the 109th Congress. Meanwhile, as the Homeland Security Department finalizes a contentious program to pre-screen airline passengers, the Data Privacy and Integrity Advisory Committee provided the department with a framework for the initiative. In other news, the House Homeland Security Committee said it wants airports to opt out of the Transportation Security Administration's aviation screening program as part of an agency reorganization the panel proposed.

Telecom
Concerns Complicate Cable Programming Debate
     The FCC's interest in granting consumers more flexibility in their choice of cable channels and in pressing for more family cable shows has prompted one legislator to revive his campaign against "retransmission consent" deals between broadcast networks and cable operators. But Rep. Nathan Deal's concerns could complicate the picture. Satellite and cable operators cite these retransmission agreements as the key reason they do not offer a family-friendly tier. These agreements require the operators to carry multiple cable channels, including adult-themed shows, on their basic tier. Deal, R-Ga., kicked off last year's dialog on "a la carte," or channel-by-channel choice with a request that the FCC study the issue. He is now preparing a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, asking him to reassess the subject.

On The Hill
Senate Panel Pares Down Indecency Forum
     A Dec. 12 follow-up to last month's day-long Senate Commerce Committee forum on indecency will be shorter in length, fewer in presenters and narrower in scope, focusing mostly on a possible revamp of the television ratings system. Earlier this week, a panel spokeswoman acknowledged that the follow-up might not occur at all due to scheduling constraints and the emergence of a voluntary industry initiative to simplify the ratings icons. But the committee announced that the session is on and that Jack Valenti, former head of the Motion Picture Association of America, and Kyle McSlarrow, president and CEO of the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, would participate. In other news, Sen. John Sununu, R-N.H., a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, sharply criticized the $6 billion universal service program and said it should be reined in -- putting him odds with several powerful lawmakers who want to maintain or expand its size and scope.

Lobbying
CapNet Dissolves, But Offspring Group Is In The Works
     The troubled lobby group CapNet informed its members late last week it will close down at the end of the December. But from its ashes a new association will arise led by CapNet former chief Tim Hugo. CapNet was founded in 1999 and served as an early high-tech chamber of commerce in Washington. The group was particularly known for its soirees with lawmakers and raised more than $1 million for congressional campaigns, according to Hugo. He left the organization in April.

E-Government
FBI Will Not Award Sentinel Contract Until 2006
     The FBI will not name a winner for a massive contract to overhaul the agency's antiquated computer system until early next year, an FBI official said. Spokespersons for the defense contractors Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman separately confirmed that the companies are currently vying for the information technology system dubbed Sentinel. "We are going to make sure it is done right this time," said the official. "We are taking the extra time to ensure that this project is a success," she said. According to the official, no time limit has been set by the FBI for selecting a winner but the agency is anticipating a final selection will be made in early 2006. The official said the FBI was in the process of source selection.

Intellectual Property
French Assembly Nears Vote On Copyright Bill
     The French National Assembly is expected to vote this month on a new copyright law that includes language banning free, open-source software and criminalizing copying of music discs for personal use. The bill, which aims to protect against counterfeiting, would establish tough anti-piracy, or digital rights management, protection for software, music, movie and other optical disc products. It also would require DRM standards for radio transmissions. Common practices such as duplicating music for personal use on a computer would be considered copyright infringement and punishable by law. Server software, including peer-to-peer and instant-messaging software permitting downloads, would be susceptible to the new law. It would prohibit the transmission of non-protected files via instant messaging or e-mail messages, and it would establish a system to track such transmissions.