Lobbying
FCC Auction Generates Much Lobbying On Hill
     The FCC's pending release of rules to auction spectrum from the transition to digital television generated plenty of meetings and other lobbying activities this week before a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the issue. Stakeholders also have been seeing each other on the 8th floor of the FCC in recent weeks as they meet with agency staffers. The auction isn't expected until January, but the FCC likely will announce rules at the end of the month. Consumers groups have formed the Public Interest Spectrum Coalition, which is pushing for anonymous bidding. They also favor rules to let one company gain a nationwide chunk of the spectrum in order to create an alternative to using telephone or cable companies for high-speed Internet access. "These newly available airwaves are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to revolutionize Internet access in our country," said Adam Green of MoveOn.org Civic Action.

Telecom
Senators In Both Parties Pan FCC's Plan For USF
     Senate lawmakers from both parties sharply criticized the FCC for changes that it wants to make to the universal service fund. The rancor revealed dissension over how to update the fund, which subsidizes telecommunications offerings in rural and low-income areas. "Someone is putting their head in the ground. This is an ostrich approach as far as I'm concerned," Ted Stevens of Alaska, the ranking Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee, complained during a hearing. Stevens was one of several lawmakers to blast a May 1 recommendation to temporarily cap USF subsidies flowing to competitive telecom carriers, mostly wireless firms. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, warned that the safety of rural Americans could be jeopardized if planned cellular towers are scrapped as a result of the plan. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D.; Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; and Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., raised various concerns about the fund and urged the FCC to make sweeping changes.

Broadband
Net Neutrality Fans Aim For A Statement In Maine
     Supporters of safeguards to ensure the equal treatment of high-speed Internet celebrated as lawmakers in Maine made a statement about the issue by adopting a nonbinding resolution. The measure directs the state's public advocate to study the extent of the state's authority to enforce so-called network neutrality rules. The resolution also expresses support for "full and nondiscriminatory access to the Internet." Earlier this year, legislation was introduced in Maine to prohibit broadband network operators from charging premium rates for high-speed access. That proposal was replaced with resolution to commission the study. Opponents of the resolution, including Verizon Communications, have argued that the state does not have the constitutional authority to enforce net neutrality regulations. Its supporters said the nonbinding language still made Maine the first state to take an official stance on network neutrality.

Privacy
Appropriators Move To Halt Funds For Data-Mining Plan
     House appropriators have some advice for the Homeland Security Department about its so-called ADVISE program: If you want more money to mine databases for information on suspected terrorists, protect the privacy of innocent people first. The Appropriations Committee moved to halt funding for the program until such protections are ensured. The fiscal 2008 spending bill for the department, debated at length in the House this week, would stop funding until a privacy-impact assessment is submitted. Appropriators noted that the Government Accountability Office recently concluded that "until a privacy-impact assessment is conducted, little assurance exists that privacy risks have been rigorously considered and mitigating controls established." A Homeland Security spokesman said privacy assessments will be done as the department determines how ADVISE will be used and what kind of data will be fed into it. The White House has threatened to veto the underlying bill for unrelated reasons.

Labor
Techies Want Cut Of Aid For Trade-Related Job Loss
     A federal program that aids manufacturing workers who lose their jobs due to international trade should be changed so software workers and other service industry employees also get assistance, lawmakers and technology workers said. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., told the House Ways and Means Committee that when jobs in his state's software, aerospace and other service-based industries "are outsourced abroad" because of global economic pressures, "the workers are left without any resources or assistance from the Trade Adjustment Assistance program." Smith spoke at a hearing on reforming TAA, which provides income support and retraining for displaced workers. The program is set to expire in September. "It is critical to me and thousands of workers in Washington state that Congress expand the TAA program to include service workers," Smith stated.

Trade
Lawmakers May Protest Import Ban On Mobile Chips
     Two lawmakers voiced concerns about last week's U.S. International Trade Commission decision to bar the import of new models of cellular telephones containing chips made abroad by San Diego-based Qualcomm. The decision "seriously and adversely" affects consumers and would result in products being taken off the market, said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., added that the move "will stifle innovation by cell-phone manufacturers." The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is currently reviewing the decision and theoretically could protest the order in the next two months. Schiff said it could be "one of those extraordinary cases when USTR intervention is warranted." A USTR spokesman said the commission has received the ITC's order and is following normal procedures, including a review of the case under the authority delegated by the president. Qualcomm has filed for an emergency stay of the ruling.

Intellectual Property
Panel's GOP Senators Want Changes To Patent Bill
     A majority of Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee voiced serious concerns about components of a bill to overhaul the U.S. patent system. Sam Brownback of Kansas, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Charles Grassley of Iowa, Jon Kyl of Arizona and Jeff Sessions of Alabama sent a letter to the panel's leaders. The move came less than a week after a panel hearing to discuss the legislation. Those lawmakers concerned about the bill, S. 1145, said "it is important to update our nation's patent system to ensure better patent quality and to preserve property rights in the inventions that drive our economy." But the hearing showed "there are multiple issues that need to be reviewed and discussed" before the bill gets a committee vote. Further discussion is needed among members, staff, the Patent and Trademark Office, the Justice Department and industry players, the senators wrote.

Politics
CNN, YouTube Share Plans For Presidential Debate
     Executives from CNN and the YouTube video-sharing site released details of the first online debate for Democratic presidential candidates and announced plans for a similar Republican debate. The debate structure calls for voters to submit video questions to the candidates. The Democratic event will be held July 23 in Charleston, S.C., and video submissions will be accepted now through July 22. The Republican event will be held Sept. 17 in Florida. David Bohrman, senior vice president and Washington bureau chief for CNN, said during a conference call that videos must be less than 30 seconds and be "clear, concise and creative." The videos will be screened by CNN, and 20 to 30 are expected to be addressed on the air.