House Commerce Committee members on Thursday vowed to find a bipartisan solution for updating Communications Decency Act Section 230.
House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta (Ohio) and Health Subcommittee Chairman Brett Guthrie (Ky.) are highlighting reaching a deal on an expansive spectrum legislative package as a top communications policy priority if they succeed retiring Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.) as the panel's lead Republican in the next Congress. Both contenders separately told us their spectrum focus wouldn’t waver if Rodgers and other congressional leaders reach a deal this year that restores the FCC’s lapsed auction authority and other airwaves-related priorities. Talks on spectrum legislation have largely stalled since early 2023, but Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and others are shopping new proposals (see 2403210063).
A bipartisan group of lawmakers Tuesday introduced the House version of the Kids Online Safety Act (see 2401300086). House Innovation Subcommittee Chairman Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., introduced KOSA with Reps. Kathy Castor, D-Fla.; Erin Houchin, R-Ind.; and Kim Schrier, D-Wash. Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., authored the Senate version, which the Senate Commerce Committee approved in July (see 2207270057). Castor also joined a bipartisan effort in introducing the House version of another Senate Commerce-passed kids’ safety bill, the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0). Castor introduced the bill with Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich. The House Commerce Committee is set to consider the bills and the American Privacy Rights Act (see 2404080062) at a legislative hearing Wednesday. “It is time for Congress to come together on comprehensive data privacy and security standards that put Americans back in control of their information online," House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., said in a joint statement with ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J.
A Tennessee bill restricting children on social media passed the Senate in a 30-0 vote Monday. HB-1891, which Gov. Bill Lee (R) supports, would require parental consent for kids younger than 18 on social networks (see 2403120065). The bill would take effect Jan. 1. Meanwhile, a Tennessee panel will study a broadband reporting bill during the summer, the state legislature’s House Commerce Committee decided by voice vote Tuesday. HB-2910 would have required state and federal broadband grant recipients to list unserved areas where they plan to deploy high-speed internet using government cash, and to say when they aim to have service in those places. The Senate unanimously passed the cross-filed SB-2907 last week (see 2404020060). But at the House Commerce Committee’s final meeting of this session, Chair Kevin Vaughan (R) said more time is needed to develop how the reporting will work. “We all need to know more about broadband throughout the state,” so legislators will work “diligently” on the bill over the summer, he said. Lawmakers should move quickly because of "disparities and inequities that exist among the haves and have-nots,” said Rep. Goffrey Hardaway (D). The legislator said he distrusts summer studies, which sometimes are used to “dismiss a bill altogether.” The chair assured Hardaway that won’t be the case here. Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R) supports continued work on the bill, Vaughan said. "We're off to do a real summer study."
A key privacy negotiator for House Republicans said Tuesday he’s “optimistic” privacy legislation can be expedited and signed into law “very soon.” House Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., said in a statement Tuesday he was “glad” to see House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., release “historic draft legislation” (see 2404080062). Bilirakis lauded the lawmakers for including a state preemption provision and data minimization measures: “The end result is a product that will help safeguard all Americans' sensitive data, maximize transparency, and empower users to control how their personal information is collected, used, and stored.” Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., an original member of the Senate Commerce Committee’s privacy working group (see 1906270053), said Tuesday he expects the panel will hold hearings and “produce a bill that protects consumers and fosters an environment which promotes innovators and job creators.” A comprehensive federal privacy law would help solve issues related to children’s online data collection and foreign access to U.S. user information, he said.
Some Minnesota lawmakers want to craft a net neutrality law even as the FCC prepares to vote on restoring federal open-internet rules. At a Tuesday meeting, the legislature’s Senate Commerce Committee laid over a bill (SF-3711) banning state contracts with companies that violate open-internet rules. While the action indefinitely postponed further Senate action on the measure, the proposal remains part of a pending House Commerce Committee omnibus (HF-4077). Also at the Senate Commerce hearing, members postponed action on a social media bill and advanced legislation meant to stop copper theft.
President Joe Biden called out congressional Republicans Saturday for Capitol Hill's failure so far to allocate stopgap funding for the FCC's ailing affordable connectivity program. The funding would keep ACP running through the end of FY 2024. Congress approved the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act FY 2024 minibus spending package last month without ACP money (see 2403210067). Advocates are eyeing other vehicles for appropriating the funding ahead of ACP's existing allocation running out in May (see 2403280001). “For months, I've called on Congress to extend the program,” but “Republicans in Congress still haven't acted, putting millions of their own constituents in a position where their internet costs could go up -- or they could lose connection altogether,” Biden tweeted. He proposed an additional $6 billion for ACP in an October supplemental domestic Appropriations request (see 2310250075). Republicans "have called the program ‘wasteful,’ and now threaten to cut it,” Biden said: “We can't let that happen” given it has “helped over 23 million households save $30-$75 each per month on their monthly internet bills.” House Commerce Committee ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., later echoed Biden, tweeting “House Republicans are playing political games and refusing to extend this vital program before it runs out of funding.”
The House Commerce Committee plans to mark up a bipartisan, bicameral privacy bill this month, Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., announced Sunday in a draft bill agreement with Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.
The Minnesota Senate’s comprehensive privacy bill will return to the Commerce Committee, the State and Local Government Committee decided on a voice vote Friday. It will be considered as part of a Commerce omnibus bill, SF-2915 sponsor Sen. Bonnie Westlin (D) told the committee at a livestreamed hearing. The committee amended the bill to keep it in harmony with the House version (HF-2309). Sen. Mark Koran (R) struggles with knowing how businesses can implement the Minnesota measure, he said. Westlin responded that a federal law would be best, but in the meantime, Minnesota aims to take the best parts of bills from Connecticut, Oregon, Colorado and Texas.
The House Commerce Health Subcommittee plans a Wednesday hearing on the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies for Health Act (HR-4189) and 14 other telehealth bills. HR-4189 and Senate companion S-2016 would make permanent a waiver of geographic restrictions on access to telehealth services, plus several temporary rules changes allowing expanded use of the technology Congress enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic (see 2006150032). “The pandemic opened our eyes to the many benefits telehealth services provide to patients,” said House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Health Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky. “We want to ensure patients continue to have the choice whether to go to a doctor in person or use telehealth when appropriate and more convenient for them. At the same time, we must also be vigilant that technological innovations provide value for both patients and the Medicare program as a whole.” Also on the agenda: HR-134, Knowing the Efficiency and Efficacy of Permanent Telehealth Options Act (HR-1110), Telemental Health Care Access Act (HR-3432), Expanded Telehealth Access Act (HR-3875), Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment Act (HR-5541), Helping Ensure Access to Local TeleHealth Act (HR-5611), Supporting Patient Education And Knowledge Act (HR-6033), Equal Access to Specialty Care Everywhere Act (HR-7149), Telehealth Modernization Act (HR-7623), HR-7711, Promoting Responsible and Effective Virtual Experiences through Novel Technology to Deliver Improved Access and Better Engagement with Tested and Evidence-based Strategies Act (HR-7856), Telehealth Enhancement for Mental Health Act (HR-7858), HR-7863 and draft Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act. The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. in 2123 Rayburn.