House committee to debate future of FTC

The four current members of the Federal Trade Commission will testify at a hearing being held by the House Commerce subcommittee on Trade. The hearing -- entitled “The FTC at 100: Where Do We Go from Here?” -- will examine the competition and consumer protection agency’s mission, budget and authority as it enters its second century. In its consumer protection capacity, the FTC deals with online privacy and data security. On the competition side, some say the agency should play a larger role in the net neutrality debate. The FTC is currently evenly split between party lines while it waits for the Senate confirmation of former Department of Justice attorney Terrell McSweeny, a Democrat, as a commissioner.