| Bankruptcy Court Allows At
Home to Reject Contracts with Cable Companies |
12/1. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court (NDCal) held a
hearing, and issued several orders, on November 30, in the At
Home Corporation bankruptcy proceeding. The Court granted At
Home's motion to permit it to reject its contracts with cable
companies, and hence, terminate broadband Internet access
service to cable subscribers. On Saturday, December 1, At Home
terminated service to AT&T's cable subscribers.
At Home Corporation, and others, filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy
petition in Bankruptcy Court in San Francisco on September 28,
2001. (See, Case No. 01-32495-TC.) The At Home operates the
Excite@Home high speed cable Internet access service.
Court Orders. The Court wrote in its Order
Denying Stay Pending Appeal that "On November 30,
2001, the court held a hearing on Debtor's motion to reject
certain executory contracts with Cox Communications, Inc.
(Cox) and other cable companies. The court granted the motion.
Cox then requested that the order be stayed pending appeal. It
appearing that (1) appellants are not likely to prevail on
appeal; (2) delaying the effect of the order would cause harm
to the bankruptcy estate that would be very difficult to
measure; (3) rejection need not lead to an immediate cessation
of Debtor's operations; and (4) the entire strategy of Cox and
the other cable companies in this proceeding has been to delay
consideration of Debtor's motion to prevent Debtor from
enjoying the benefits of a quickly wasting asset; the motion
for a stay pending appeal is denied." See also, Decision
Re Debtor's Motion to Reject Executory Contracts, and Order
Pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 365(a) Approving Rejection of
Executory Contracts Related to Access Services.
FCC Letter. On December 29, FCC Chairman Michael Powell
wrote a letter
[PDF] to the Bankruptcy Court regarding the the At Home
bankruptcy proceeding. He stated that "It has come to my
attention that, in the course of the Excite@Home bankruptcy
litigation now before you, you may be asked to permit or
perhaps order the service to be discontinued. I write to urge
you to balance not just the interest of one debtor and its
creditors, but also those of millions of customers and the
American public as you consider these requests. In particular,
in the event that you permit service to be discontinued, I
respectfully urge you, at a minimum, to provide for an orderly
transition rather than a precipitous shutdown of Excite@Home,
to avoid disrupting broadband service to a significant
percentage of U.S. customers."
Powell wrote that "more than 40% of the cable Internet
consumers and more than 27% of the total broadband consumers
-- are subscribers to cable Internet services jointly provided
by cable companies and Excite@Home." He cited no section
of the Bankruptcy Code as authority for this. However, he
asserted "the proposition that a bankruptcy court acts in
equity and can and should consider the interests of consumers
and the public at large."
On November 30, At Home issued a release
in which it stated that the Bankruptcy Court "granted the
Company's motion to reject the master distribution agreements
with its cable company customers because the agreements are
financially unfavorable to the company. Once rejected, the
cable companies must negotiate new agreements acceptable to
the company or risk the possibility that the @Home service may
be terminated." Then, on December 1, it issued a second release
in which it stated that "it was in negotiations with all
of its cable company customers other than AT&T regarding
arrangements for the continuation of Internet access and
related services. After determining that it would not be able
to reach agreement with AT&T, the company terminated
service to AT&T."
Also on November 30, NCTA
P/CEO Robert Sachs issued a release
in which he stated that "We are deeply disappointed by
the Bankruptcy Court's decision, which failed to take into
account the substantial impact it would have on consumers.
Most unfortunately, the court's decision is likely to result
in temporary disruptions for Excite@Home customers who have
enjoyed a service that has seen rapid deployment and produced
high customer satisfaction. Cable operators are working around
the clock to implement solutions to restore high speed
Internet service to Excite@Home customers." The NCTA is a
trade groups for cable companies. |
|
|
| FCC Chairman Powell
Addresses FCC Agenda |
| 11/30. FCC Chairman Michael Powell
gave a speech
to the ALTS Business Conference 2001 in Crystal City,
Virginia. He addressed reducing uncertainty, FCC enforcement,
inter carrier compensation, loops and UNE access, special
access, and building access and rights of way. He also stated
that one of the key proceedings for the upcoming year will be
a "Broadband NPRM". |
|
|
| Fed Governors Address the
Economy and High Tech |
11/30. Federal
Reserve Board Governor Edward
Gramlich gave a speech
titled "Asset Prices and Monetary Policy" at a Bank
of France symposium in Paris. He stated that "the U.S.
economy has now slowed very sharply. One factor has been the
apparent reconsideration of expected profitability in the high
tech sector. This reassessment depressed equity prices for
high tech firms, and it has significantly restrained
investment in these types of equipment, which had been
substantial contributors to the previously rapid rate of
economic growth. Slowing investment and a shift from a
positive to a negative wealth effect on consumption have
significantly damped the growth in aggregate final demand
since late last year. The associated inventory correction has
accentuated the decline in production. Since the September 11
terrorist attacks, heightened uncertainty and concerns have
also weighed on the U.S. economy. These factors, and many
others, have informed our decision to shift the stance of
monetary policy aggressively and reduce the target federal
funds rate by 4-1/2 percentage points since the beginning of
the year."
11/27. Federal
Reserve Board Governor Laurence
Meyer gave a speech
titled "Before and After" to the National
Association of Business Economics in St. Louis, Missouri. He
stated that "As a result of a coincidence of forces, the
economy slowed much more steeply than the Fed expected or
intended. ... But most important was the shock that hit the
economy in late 2000 and early 2001 -- a reassessment of the
profitability of producing and owning high tech equipment.
This shock was manifest in both the financial markets and in
the real economy. It resulted in a sharp correction in equity
prices in the technology sector -- the bursting of the
technology bubble -- and, at the same time, it led to a sharp
retrenchment in the demand for and production of high tech
equipment. The economy slowed to the point where real GDP was
nearly flat in the second quarter of this year and likely
would have been nearly flat in the third quarter, even without
the events of September 11." |
|
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| PPI Reports Economy Shows
Signs of Recovery |
| 11/30. In contrast to the Federal Reserve Governor's
assessments, the Progressive
Policy Institute (PPI), a Democratic think tank, released
a paper
titled "The Economy is Showing Signs of Recovery".
The paper concludes that "the U.S. economy is actually
poised for recovery." Moreover, this has policy
consequences. Congress is currently considering a massive
"stimulus" bill. The PPI report continues that
"Congress wants more ``stimulus´´ for two main reasons.
First, it feels obliged to do something when times
are bad. Second, in a recession, members of Congress can dole
out new tax cuts to favored groups for lofty economic reasons,
and thereby sidestep the usual, less high minded
characterizations of their actions. Making matters worse,
NeoReaganites and big government liberals are fanning fears of
a deep recession to resurrect economic theories that rightly
fell out of favor in the 1990s." The report concludes
that "Americans should not allow the ``stimulus´´
bandwagon to get out of control. Neither the 1980s style
supply side tax cuts nor the 1970s style fiscal policies of
Keynesian liberals will work as a short term economic
stimulus, and neither represents a sound long term economic
policy." The report was written by Jeff Lemieux. |
|
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| SEC and FASB Reform |
| 11/29. Rep. John
Dingell (D-MI), the ranking Democrat on the House Commerce Committee,
released a statement
on Enron. He wrote:
"Where was the SEC? Where was
FASB? ...
This problem is not limited to Enron. There are likely other
ticking time bombs out there with smoke and mirror earnings.
Our accounting and auditing system and its oversight are
seriously broken and need immediate reform." |
|
|
| SEC Files Complaint Against
HitsGalore |
| 11/28. The SEC filed a
civil complaint in U.S.
District Court (CDCal) against Hitsgalore.com, Inc., its
former President, Stephen Bradford, Life Foundation Trust (LFT),
and its administrator, Jeanette Wilcher, alleging violation of
federal securities laws. The complaint alleges that Hitsgalore
and Bradford issued three false and misleading press releases
regarded purported investments by the LFT in Hitsgalore. The
releases made statements regarding a purported $10 Million
private placement investment by LFT in Hitsgalore, and an
agreement in principle between LFT and Hitsgalore for an
additional $100 Million investment. The releases also stated
that LFT would be purchasing shares as a long term investor.
However, the complaint further alleges that LFT sold its
shares within weeks, at a huge profit. The complaint alleges
that Hitsgalore and Bradford violated § 10(b) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder,
that the LFT and Wilcher aided and abetted those violations,
and that LFT violated the securities registration provisions
of §§ 5(a) and 5(c) of the Securities Act of 1933. (D.C.
Case No. SACV 01-1133 GLT (ANx).) See, SEC
release. |
|
|
| Trade Promotion Authority
News |
| 11/29. Rep. Gary
Condit (D-CA) entered a statement in the Congressional
Record in which he criticized trade promotion authority. He
wrote that "Under TPA, Congress cannot remove or amend
offensive agricultural provisions, it can only reject the
entire WTO negotiated pact. Under these conditions, American
agriculture is at risk when negotiators are willing to
compromise U.S. producers' interests in exchange for new
market access for U.S. telecommunications firms, banks and
other service providers in other nations." See, Cong.
Record, November 29, 2001, at E2180. The House is scheduled to
vote on HR 3005,
the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2001, on
December 6. |
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| People and Appointments |
11/30. The Senate
Judiciary Committee approved the nomination of James
Rogan to be head of the USPTO on
November 29, and the full Senate confirmed his nomination on
November 30. See, Cong. Record, Nov. 30, 2001, at S12273.
11/29. The Senate
Judiciary Committee approved the nominations of eight
federal judges: Harris Hartz (to be U.S. Circuit Court
Judge for the 10th Circuit), John Bates (U.S. District
Court Judge for the District of Columbia), Kurt Engelhardt
(Eastern District of Louisiana), Joe Heaton (Western
District of Oklahoma), William Johnson (District of New
Mexico), Clay Land (Middle District of Georgia), Frederick
Martone (Arizona), Danny Reeves (Eastern District
of Kentucky), and Julie Robinson (Kansas). The nominees
have yet to be confirmed by the full Senate.
11/30. Gov.
James Gilmore (R-VA) will step down as head of the Republican National Committee.
See, statement
by Gov. Gilmore and statement
by President Bush.
11/30. President Bush announced his intent to nominate James
Comey to be U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New
York. Comey is currently an Assistant U.S. Attorney in
Richmond, Virginia. He was a partner at the law
firm of McGuire Woods from
1993 to 1996, an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern
District of New York from 1983 to 1993, and an associate at
the law firm of Gibson Dunn
& Crutcher from 1986 to 1987. See, White
House release.
11/30. The President nominated Michael Shelby to be a
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas. Shelby is
currently an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of
Arizona, Phoenix Division. He was previously an Assistant U.S.
Attorney for the Southern District of Texas. See, White
House release and release.
11/30. The Senate confirmed Arden Bement as director of
the Commerce Department's National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He succeeds
Raymond Kammer, who retired in December 2000. See, DOC
release.
11/30. Gov.
Gray Davis (D-CA) announced the appointments of Lisa
Lench, Luis Lavin, Joe Hilberman, Michael
Stern, and Anne Egerton as judges of the Los
Angeles County Superior Court. Stern is a litigator who
focuses on federal and state civil litigation, including
intellectual property. Egerton is the former SVP and General
Counsel, West Coast, for NBC. Before joining NBC in 1990, she
worked for the law firm of Munger
Tolles & Olson from 1983 to 1990. She previously
worked in the Washington DC office of the law firm of Wilmer Cutler & Pickering. |
|
|
| Second Circuit Upholds DMCA
and Corley Injunction |
11/28. The U.S.
Court of Appeals (2ndCir) issued its opinion
in Universal
City Studios v. Eric Corley, upholding the
constitutionality of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA),
and an injunction issued by U.S. District Court Judge Lewis
Kaplan to enforce the DMCA.
Defendant. Defendant Corley publishes a print magazine
and the 2600 web site for
hackers. In November 1999 he published a copy of the
decryption computer program named DeCSS on his web site.
DeCSS. The DeCSS program was written by a Norwegian
teenager named Jon Johansen and others to circumvent certain
encryption protection for DVDs. DVD is sometimes known as
Digital Versatile Disc. CSS is a Content Scrambling System for
DVD to protect intellectual property rights by means of
encryption. DeCSS is Johansen's decryption tool, which enables
a user to copy a DVD's files and place these copies on the
user's hard drive. These files can then be played on a non CSS
compliant player. They can also be and copied, manipulated,
and transferred. Hence, DeCSS can be used to infringe
copyrights.
Plaintiffs. The Plaintiffs are Universal City Studios
and seven other motion picture studios.
District Court. The plaintiffs filed a complaint in
U.S. District Court (SDNY) against Corley and others. Corley
raised First Amendment and other arguments. The District
Court, Judge Lewis Kaplan presiding, granted plaintiffs
injunctive relief under the DMCA. See, Universal City Studios,
Inc. v. Reimerdes, 111 F. Supp. 2d 294 (S.D.N.Y. 2000).
DMCA. The DMCA is found at 17
U.S.C. § 1201 et seq. § 1201(a)(1)(A) provides, in
part, that "No person shall circumvent a technological
measure that effectively controls access to a work protected
under this title." § 1201(b)(1) provides that
"No person shall manufacture, import, offer to the
public, provide, or otherwise traffic in any technology,
product, service, device, component, or part thereof, that (A)
is primarily designed or produced for the purpose of
circumventing protection afforded by a technological measure
that effectively protects a right of a copyright owner under
this title in a work or a portion thereof; (B) has only
limited commercially significant purpose or use other than to
circumvent protection afforded by a technological measure that
effectively protects a right of a copyright owner under this
title in a work or a portion thereof; or (C) is marketed by
that person or another acting in concert with that person with
that person's knowledge for use in circumventing protection
afforded by a technological measure that effectively protects
a right of a copyright owner under this title in a work or a
portion thereof."
Appeals Court. Corley presented several arguments on
appeal. His main arguments were that the DMCA as applied to
his dissemination of DeCSS violates the First Amendment
because computer code is speech, and the DMCA fails to survive
the strict scrutiny standard, and that the DMCA violates the
First Amendment and the Copyright Clause by unduly obstructing
the fair use of copyrighted materials.
The Court affirmed Judge Kaplan's judgment. It declined to
apply the strict scrutiny test to the computer code at issue
in this case. It further rejected the fair use argument, on
several grounds. The Court wrote that "the Appellants do
not claim to be making fair use of any copyrighted materials,
and nothing in the injunction prohibits them from making such
fair use. They are barred from trafficking in a decryption
code that enables unauthorized access to copyrighted
materials."
Code Can Be Speech. The Court also wrote that
"Computer programs are not exempted from the category of
First Amendment speech simply because their instructions
require use of a computer. ... computer code, and computer
programs constructed from code can merit First Amendment
protection ..." |
|
|
| District Court Dismisses
Felton's DMCA Challenge |
11/28. The U.S.
District Court (DNJ) announced its opinion from the bench
in Felten
v. RIAA dismissing this challenge to the anti
circumvention provision of the DMCA.
On June 6, 2001, Edward Felten
and others filed a complaint
against the RIAA,
SDMI Foundation, and others, seeking a declaration that the
anti circumvention provision of the Digital
Millennium Copyright Act is unconstitutional as a
violation of free speech. The SDMI Foundation had initially
sought to prevent Felton from publishing a paper. It wrote a letter to
Felten, an associate professor in the Department of Computer
Science at Princeton
University, and others, warning them that public release
of information concerning the Secure Digital Music Initiative
(SDMI) "could subject you and your research team to
actions under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ..."
Cary Sherman, General Counsel of the RIAA, had this reaction:
"We are happy that the court recognized what we have been
saying all along: there is no dispute here. As we have said
time and again, Professor Felten is free to publish his
findings." |
|
|
| Criminal Copyright
Infringement |
| 11/30. Inder Deot plead guilty in U.S.
District Court (NDTex) to conspiracy and criminal
infringement of a copyright, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 371
and 2319.
The Information states that he was involved in a conspiracy to
replicate, manufacture, and distribute counterfeit copies
Windows 95 and Windows Office 95. This case is being
prosecuted by Erin Cox of the Computer Hacking and
Intellectual Property (CHIP) Unit of the Dallas United States
Attorney's Office (USAO). See, USAO
release. |
|
|
| Copyright Office Announces
COL Adjustment |
| 11/30. The Copyright
Office published a notice
in the Federal Register announcing, pursuant to 17 U.S.C.
§ 118, a cost of living adjustment of 2.1% in the royalty
rates paid by colleges, universities, or other nonprofit
educational institutions that are not affiliated with National
Public Radio for the use of copyrighted published nondramatic
musical compositions. The effective date is January 1, 2002.
See, Federal Register, November 30, 2001, Vol. 66, No. 231, at
Pages 59698 - 59699. |
|
|
| Senators Introduce Bill To
End Diversion of USPTO Fees |
11/30. Sen. Patrick Leahy
(D-VT), Sen. Orrin Hatch
(R-UT), and others, introduced S 1754, a bill to authorize
appropriations for the USPTO
for fiscal years 2002 through 2007.
Sen. Leahy stated that "The costs of running the PTO are
entirely paid for by fees collected by the PTO form users,
individuals and companies that seek to benefit from patent and
trademark protections. However, since 1992 Congress has
diverted over $800 million of those fees for other government
programs unrelated to the PTO. This bill sends a strong
message that Congress should appropriate to the PTO a funding
level equal to these fees." See, Cong. Record, November
30, 2001, at S12262.
Sen. Hatch stated that "the USPTO has been under mounting
pressure on three fronts, increased filings, increased
complexity in the filings, and increased difficulty retaining
valuable and experienced examiners in the face of more
lucrative offers in the private sector. These pressures, if
unaddressed, can lead to delays for applicants of months or
years, or to reduced quality and reliability of the
determinations that issue from the USPTO. Indeed, the USPTO
estimates that the patent pendency period could rise to 38
months by 2006. I hate to think that innovative products could
sit on the shelf for more than three years awaiting government
review. This is especially troubling when we realize that in
many high tech sectors the shelf life of a product is often
less than half that time." See, Cong. Record, November
30, 2001, at S12262. |
|
|
|
| Monday, Dec 3 |
The House will not be in session. The Senate will consider HR
10, the Comprehensive Retirement Security and Pension
Reform Act of 2001.
8:00 AM. The U.S.
International Trade Commission will begin an evidentiary
hearing in its Section 337 investigation regarding importation
of certain set top boxes. Administrative Law Judge Paul
Luckern will preside. See, notice in
Federal Register, and USITC release.
This is Investigation No. 337-TA-454. Location: Courtroom B,
USITC Building, 500 E Street SW.
9:30 AM - 12:00 NOON. The FCC's Office of Engineering and
Technology will host a tutorial by the TDD Coalition on
Time Division Duplex (TDD) Technology. Location: FCC, 445 12th
Street SW, Room TW-C305.
10:00 AM. The U.S. Court of
Appeals (FedCir) will hear oral argument in Datapoint
Corporation v. Standard Microsystems, No. 99-1239, and Charles
E. Hill & Associates v. Compuserve, No. 00-1562.
Location: Courtroom 402, 717 Madison Place, NW.
12:30 PM. Ivan Seidenberg, P/CEO of Verizon will deliver a
luncheon address. Location: Ballroom, National Press Club, 529 14th
St. NW, 13th Floor.
Deadline to submit comments to the Federal Election Commission (FEC)
regarding its proposed rule changes affecting political
activity on the Internet. The FEC is the agency charged with
enforcing the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), which
regulates political contributions and expenditures. While the
FEC had previously considered wide ranging regulation of
political speech on the Internet, this NPRM merely proposes to
permit certain personal political web sites, and to allow
corporations and unions to put certain hyperlinks and press
releases in their web sites. See, TLJ
story of September 27, 2001. See also, FEC release,
and notice
in the Federal Register. |
|
|
| Tuesday, Dec 4 |
The House will meet at 12:30 PM for morning hour and 2:00 PM
for legislative business. No recorded votes are expected
before 7:00 PM. The House will consider several measures under
suspension of the rules.
Day one of a two day conference hosted by the Business Software Alliance (BSA)
titled "Global Tech Summit." See, agenda.
Location: Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street, NW.
LOCATION CHANGE. 9:00 AM -
5:00 PM. There will be an interagency public workshop on Gramm
Leach Bliley (GLB) Act privacy notices. A joint announcement
states that the "workshop will provide a forum to
identify successful GLB Act privacy notices, discuss
strategies for communicating complex information, and
encourage industry self regulatory efforts and consumer and
business education." The participating agencies are the FTC,
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, CFTC, Treasury Department,
Comptroller of the Currency, Office of Thrift Supervision, FDIC,
National Credit Union Administration, and the SEC. See, also
FTC
page on workshop. FTC Chairman Timothy Muris will give
opening remarks at 9:00 AM. FTC Commissioner Mozelle Thompson
will speak at 12:00 NOON. New location: Ronald Reagan Building
and International Trade Center, Pennsylvania Avenue and 13½
Street, NW.
9:00 AM. Bureau of Export
Administration's (BSA) Regulations and Procedures
Technical Advisory Committee (RPTAC) will hold a meeting. It
will be partly open and partly closed. The open agenda
includes an update on Wassenaar Arrangement and a
review of encryption regulations. See, notice
in Federal Register. Location: Room 3884, Herbert Hoover
Building, 14th Street between Constitution and Pennsylvania
Avenues, NW.
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Day one of a three day meeting of NIST's
Computer System
Security and Privacy Advisory Board (CSSPAB). See, notice
in Federal Register. Preregistration is required to attend; to
register, contact Elaine Frye by November 30, 2001, at elaine.frye@nist.gov or
301 975-2819. Location: NIST, Administration Building, Lecture
Room B, in Gaithersburg, MD.
10:00 AM. The Senate
Judiciary Committee will hold another hearing in its
ongoing series of hearings titled "DOJ Oversight:
Preserving Our Freedoms While Defending Against
Terrorism." This hearing began on December 28. It is
scheduled to continue at 2:00 PM, and again at 10:00 AM on
December 6. This hearing will focus on military tribunals, and
will be chaired by Sen.
Charles Schumer (D-NY). Location: Room 226, Dirksen
Building.
10:00 AM. The Senate
Finance Committee will meet to mark up S 1209,
to amend the Trade Act of 1974 to consolidate and improve the
trade adjustment assistance programs, to provide community
based economic development assistance for trade affected
communities. Location: Room 215, Dirksen Building.
2:00 PM. The House
Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Telecommunications
and the Internet will hold a hearing titled The Status of
Competition in the Multi Channel Video Programming
Distribution Marketplace. Location: Room 2123, Rayburn
Building.
2:00 AM. The Senate
Judiciary Committee will hold another hearing in its
ongoing series of hearings titled "DOJ Oversight:
Preserving Our Freedoms While Defending Against
Terrorism." This hearing began on December 28. It is
scheduled to continue 10:00 AM on December 6. This hearing
will focus on detainees, and will be chaired by Sen. Russ Feingold
(D-WI). Location: Room 226, Dirksen Building. |
|
|
| Wednesday, Dec 5 |
The House will meet at 10:00 AM.
Day two of a two day conference hosted by the Business Software Alliance (BSA)
titled "Global Tech Summit." See, agenda.
Location: Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street, NW.
The Supreme Court of
the United States will hear oral argument in Verizon
Maryland v. Public Service Commission of Maryland, Nos.
00-1531 and 00-1711.
9:00 AM. The Senate
Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Science, Technology,
and Space will hold a hearing "to examine the technology
sector in times of crises". Location: Room 253, Russell
Building.
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Day two of a three day meeting of NIST's
Computer System
Security and Privacy Advisory Board (CSSPAB). See, notice
in Federal Register. Preregistration is required to attend; to
register, contact Elaine Frye by November 30, 2001, at elaine.frye@nist.gov or
301 975-2819. Location: NIST, Administration Building, Lecture
Room B, in Gaithersburg, MD.
10:00 AM. The House
Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and
Consumer Protection will hold a hearing titled Electronic
Communications Networks in the Wake of September 11th.
Room 2123, Rayburn Building.
10:00 AM. The FCC's Technological Advisory
Council will hold a meeting. See, notice
in Federal Register. Location: FCC, 445 12th St. SW, Room
TW-C305.
10:00 AM. The Senate
Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on pending
judicial nominations, including Callie Granade (to be U.S.
District Judge for the Southern District of Alabama), Marcia
Krieger (Colorado), James Mahan (Nevada), Philip Martinez
(Western District of Texas), and Ashley Royal (Middle District
of Georgia). Sen. Dick
Durbin (D-IL) will preside. Location: Room 226, Dirksen
Building.
12:15 PM. The Federal
Communications Bar Association's (FCBA) Cable Practice
Committee will host a luncheon. The speaker will be Barbara
Esbin, Associate Bureau Chief, FCC Cable Services Bureau.
The price to attend its $15. RSVP to Wendy Parish. Location: NCTA,
1724 Massachusetts Avenue, NW.
12:15 PM. The FCBA's
Mass Media Practice Committee will host a brown bag lunch. The
topic will be "Meet the Mass Media Trade Press".
RSVP to: Barry
Umansky. Location: NAB, ground
floor conference room, 1771 N Street, NW.
1:00 - 3:00 PM. The FCC's International
Bureau will hold a roundtable discussion on the Bureau's
Electric Filing System (IBFS). Location: FCC, Room 6B516, 445
12th Street, SW.
2:00 - 5:00 PM. Day one of a two day business meeting of the U.S. National Commission on
Libraries and Information Science. See, notice
in Federal Register. Location: Conference Room, NCLIS Office,
1110 Vermont Ave., NW, Suite 820. |
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