Members of Congress sent a clear message on Wednesday to international telecom regulators looking to assume a greater role in the oversight of the Web: Not on our watch. Citing concerns about censorship and democratization, the full House Energy and Commerce Committee approved a resolution by voice vote that would reject proposed changes to the governance of the Internet. The vote is the latest sign U.S. lawmakers are united in opposition to any power grab by the United Nations.
Several U.N. bodies have called for changes to international law that would give them more authority over the Web. The proposals will be put forth at a December conference of the International Telecommunication Union in Dubai. The resolution (H Con Res 127) would urge U.S. delegates to reject the proposed changes, which would give the ITU veto power over decisions made by the nonprofits that currently manage the Web, such as ICANN. Backing the changes are countries such as China and Russia, which actively censor portions of the Web. American officials fear that an international body would be more likely to ignore such actions, or even sanction the censoring of content by some governments. With protecting global Internet freedom a key issue for both President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, don't expect the U.S. to soften on this position any time soon.
Senate Panel Approves Funding Shifts at National Weather Service: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration received some respite on Wednesday when Senate appropriators announced they would allow the agency to reprogram $35 million within its National Weather Service unit. National Weather Service chief Jack Hayes resigned last month after Congress discovered that funds designated for technology upgrades at NWS were improperly shifted in an apparent bid to save jobs. The appropriators remain less than pleased by the unauthorized budget manipulations, and plan to hold a hearing today on the request. Expect plenty of criticism from Subcommittee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., and ranking Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas. The House Appropriations Committee must also sign off on the request. Hutchison Want NASA Spaceflight Funded: Hutchison urged NASA to avoid shortchanging its spaceflight program in favor of boosting the commercial space industry at a Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee hearing on Wednesday. Hutchison, who has announced her retirement, has been a longtime supporter of NASA's human spaceflight program, which has been largely shelved under the Obama administration. Hutchison urged NASA to continue development of projects like its Space Launch System rocket, which is designed to reach deep space. Appropriators diverted the bulk of funds intended for commercial spaceflight back toward NASA's space exploration systems in the funding bill approved by the Senate in April (S 2323). Lawmakers Repeat Request for Hearing on Verizon-Cable Spectrum Deal: Reps. Anna Eshoo and Henry Waxman are not giving up on their request for a hearing on the proposed sale of spectrum from a group of cable companies to Verizon. The California Democrats sent a second letter (PDF) to House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., and Telecom subpanel Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., following up on their April request for a hearing on the deal. Both the Justice Department and FCC are reviewing the transaction, which has raised significant concerns about its potential impact on competition in the broadband, wireless, and pay-TV markets. Lawmakers Want Airwaves Cleared for Auction: Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, and four other members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee sent a letter (PDF) to Obama on Wednesday urging him to identify federal airwaves that can be cleared for auction to wireless companies. The letter acknowledged the National Information and Telecommunications Administration's recent report on re-using the 1755-1850 MHz band and urges federal agencies to identify other spectrum that could be similarly cleared and sold to companies to meet the rising demand for wireless broadband. Senate Passes Intelligence Authorization Bill: The Senate passed a bill on Wednesday that would authorize two unspecified, classified intelligence programs. The bill (S 3314) is a technical correction measure that would ensure the programs comply with a federal law that requires specific authorization for spending on intelligence activities. Both programs were funded in excess of their authorized levels. On the Move: FCC chairman Julius Genachowski announced Wednesday that Josh Gottheimer will leave his post as senior counselor to the chairman and director of public-private initiatives in July. Deputy director of PPI Jordan Usdan will take over as acting director of public-private initiatives. Gottheimer previously worked as a speechwriter to President Clinton.