Issa Asks to Attend Treaty Talks: Rep. Darrell Issa wants to attend the next round of negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a treaty with primarily Asian countries that is expected to include piracy protections for digital content. The California Republican sent a letter last week to U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk requesting that Issa and his staff be allowed to attend this week's San Diego talks as an observer. Along with Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, Issa has led an effort by lawmakers to make the talks public. Last year, Issa posted a draft of intellectual property provisions in the treaty online at KeepTheWebOpen.com.

Issa and Wyden were also the leading opponents of SOPA and PIPA, two controversial online piracy bills scuttled earlier this year. The pair teamed up to offer a slew of amendments aimed at stalling SOPA during a marathon markup; the strategy worked, as the increasing public opposition forced sponsors to abandon the effort. Despite being publicly rebuked by the broader Internet community, the content industries have continued to pursue their pro-IP enforcement agenda both publicly and privately, urging the Obama administration to step up its already heightened enforcement efforts. But the coalition that formed to oppose SOPA and PIPA has remained, perhaps sensing an opportunity in the nascent area of Internet policy. Members of the coalition include liberals, Web companies, privacy advocates and even some groups representing the Tea Party movement.

Their message has been clear: No longer will the federal government be able to tilt policy in favor of content providers without at least having to explain its actions. The TPP is the first real litmus test of the new political landscape in the post-SOPA era. Expect the pressure to increase as the talks heat up.

Broadcast Case Would Have Hurt Wireless Companies: The Supreme Court's decision not to hear a case presented by broadcasters to lift ownership limits is good news for wireless companies seeking to buy spectrum from media companies, according to Stifel Nicolaus analysts. The appeal sought to do away with FCC restrictions that prevent broadcasters from controlling a newspaper and television station in the same market, and limit the number of stations one company can own. Had the justices taken the case and ruled in favor of broadcasters, the analysts contend, "It could have made their business more attractive and given them more incentive to keep their spectrum rather than sell it off for wireless auction and use."

The court also turned down the opportunity to reinstate the FCC's $550,000 fine against CBS for Janet Jackson's infamous "wardrobe malfunction" during the 2004 Super Bowl. After a lower court threw out the fine, the FCC appealed the decision. An earlier decision from the Court this session has left it unclear whether the FCC still has the authority to policy the broadcast airwaves for indecency.

First Responders Rely on FEMA for Communications: The aftermath of this weekend's severe storms left much of the Capital region and parts of the Midwest without power and prompted the Federal Emergency Management Agency and to join other federal agencies in coordinating the response. It's also an excellent opportunity for public safety officials to emphasize the need for a national, interoperable public safety communications network, as recommended by the 9/11 Commission. FEMA said is has deployed a Mobile Emergency Response Support team and mobile communication office vehicles to West Virginia, where they will provide voice, video and information services to support to state response operations. Congress has approved the creation of a public safety network using revenue from the upcoming spectrum auction, but the funding and governance structure remain uncertain. Demand Progress Joins MegaUpload Case: The liberal advocacy group Demand Progress filed a legal brief on June 29  in U.S. vs Kim Dotcom, also known as the MegaUpload case. The group argues that the U.S. government acted improperly by seizing the files of legitimate MegaUpload users; the brief also challenges a filing from the Motion Picture Association of America that urges the court to assume guilt for all MegaUpload users and return only selected files to their owners. The case is just the latest flare-up between Hollywood and online activists, who have begun mounting a concerted campaign to counter the entertainment industry's constant push for stronger intellectual property enforcement. Critics of the government's actions argue feds are threatening innovation by overreaching at the behest of the content industries. Ambreen Ali contributed to this edition of the Morning Take. We will be on hiatus until Monday, July 9. In the meantime, please check back for any breaking news.