House of Representatives Commerce Committee
House Commerce Committee Leaders Urge Facebook Oversight Board to Pressure to Change Harmful Policies
House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chair Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) voiced concern that Facebook’s new Oversight Board does not have the power it needs to change Facebook’s harmful policies. In letters to the 20 Board Members, the three Committee leaders encouraged the newly appointed members to exert pressure on Facebook to listen to and act upon their policy recommendations, something that is not currently included in the Board Members’ overall responsibilities.
Reps Pallone, Walden, Guthrie, and Matsui Introduce Bill to Promote Competitive and Secure 5G Equipment
House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR), and Reps Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Doris Matsui (D-CA) introduced the “Utilizing Strategic Allied (USA) Telecommunications Act of 2020“ in the House of Representatives. The bill would authorize up to $750 million for a grant program administered by the US Department of Commerce, in consultation with the Federal Communications Commission and other federal agencies, to promote and accelerate the deployment and use of open interfaced, standards-based, and interoperable 5G networks throughout the US.
House Commerce Committee Chairman Pallone Statement on GAO Report Confirming Failures During FCC's Net Neutrality Repeal
House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) released the following statement after the Government Accountability Office (GAO) unveiled a report recommending that the Federal Communications Commission take aggressive action to enhance the cybersecurity of its Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) and other information systems: “I requested this report because it was clear, after the net neutrality repeal comment period debacle, that the FCC’s cybersecurity practices had failed.
House Commerce Leaders Urge US Trade Rep Lighthizer Not to Include Sec 230 in Trade Agreements
House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR) sent a letter to US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer expressing their concerns regarding the export of language mirroring Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act in trade agreements. “As you may know, the effects of Section 230 and the appropriate role of such a liability shield have become the subject of much debate in recent years.
House Commerce GOP Leaders Probe Wireless Carriers and Third Parties Over Location Sharing Practices
Republican leaders of the House Commerce Committee and Subcommittees sent letters requesting information from six companies about the sale and misuse of cell phone geolocation data. The letters were sent to Zumingo, Microbilt, T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon. The letters seek to increase transparency surrounding how US wireless carriers and third parties are accessing, transferring, storing, and securing customer location information.
Rep Mike Doyle (D-PA) Named Chairman of Communications Subcommittee
House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) announced the full Democratic rosters for the six subcommittees in the 116th Congress, including the six subcommittee chairs and the full Committee Vice Chair, who were elected by the Democrats on the Committee. Rep Mike Doyle (D-PA) was selected as Chairman of the Communications Subcommittee. Additional chairmen:
Reps Pallone and Doyle to FCC: Do Not Terminate Sinclair Review
House Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Communications Subcommittee Ranking Member Mike Doyle (D-PA) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai urging the Commission to get to the bottom of allegations that Sinclair Broadcast Group lied to the FCC in the company’s failed attempt to acquire Tribune Media Company. In the letter, the lawmakers expressed their hope that the FCC’s Chief Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) would continue its ongoing review of the allegations against Sinclair.
Lawmakers Request Special Counsel Investigate FCC Commissioners' CPAC Appearance
House Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Ranking Member Mike Doyle (D-PA) sent a letter to the Office of Special Counsel requesting an investigation into all three Republican Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioners regarding their involvement with the 2018 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).
House Subcommittee Examines Current and Future Use of Data Prioritization
The House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing examining data prioritization and how it is critical to the internet’s function and growth. Members of the Subcommittee heard from a range of expert witnesses who testified on the how and why data is currently prioritized on the network, and potential needs for future prioritization.