7/22. The Senate Commerce Committee (SCC) approved S 3605 [LOC | WW | PDF], the "America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010". This bill authorizes appropriations over five years for the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Department of Energy (DOE) and other agencies.

Sen. John Rockefeller (D-WV), the Chairman of the SCC, introduced this bill on July 15, 2010. See, SCC bill summary.

Sen. Rockefeller wrote in his opening statement that "The original America COMPETES Act was a response to a National Academies report showing that America was in danger of losing its edge in science, technology, research and development. This bill continues key investments in research and development and STEM education -- drivers of America's economy and keys to our competitiveness in the global marketplace. A strong high-tech workforce is fundamental to addressing the challenges of the 21st century -- from developing clean sources of energy to discovering cures for diseases. The small investments we make now will pay incredible dividends down the road." (STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.)

Sen. Kay Hutchison (R-TX), the ranking Republican on the SCC, wrote in her opening statement that "I do believe we must reauthorize this Act to ensure that our nation continues to innovate and remain competitive globally. Science and technology are at the core of America's ability to compete in an increasingly globalized economy".

She added that "While I appreciate the Chairman's willingness to work with me to reduce the funding levels by about 10 percent from the measure introduced, I believe we will need to further adjust the funding levels before this bill can be joined with the Titles from the HELP and Energy Committees and pass the full Senate. We’ve come a long way in streamlining the bill, but we have more work to do. But I will certainly join in supporting the bill being reported today and look forward to helping move it through the legislative process in a bipartisan manner."

The original COMPETES Act authorized appropriations through FY 2010. See, HR 2272 (110th Congress) [LOC | WW], the "America Competes Act of 2007", Public Law No. 110-69.

The House bill authorizes $85 Billion over five years.

The House passed its version of this bill, HR 5116 [LOC | WW], also titled the "America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010" on May 28, 2010. See, story titled "House Passes Competes Reauthorization Bill" in TLJ Daily E-Mail Alert No. 2,091, June 3, 2010.

Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN), the Chairman of the House Science Committee (HSC), and the sponsor of the House bill, stated in a release that "I applaud Senator Rockefeller for his work moving this important piece of legislation.  The legislation that the Senators voted on moved the funding levels in line with what passed the House in May. I applaud their work, balancing importance of these investments with realities of our current fiscal environment. This pragmatic approach -- and the bipartisan manner with which it passed -- will go a long way toward getting this important piece of legislation signed into law, and protecting our nation’s scientific and economic leadership. I look forward to working with Senator Rockefeller and Senator Hutchinson as the process moves along."

7/22. Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA) and Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE) introduced of HR 5828 [LOC | WW | PDF], the "Universal Service Reform Act of 2010". See also, sponsors' bill summary [MS Word] and section by section summary [MS Word].

Rep. Boucher (at left) and Rep. Terry, both of whom are long time members of the House Commerce Committee (HCC) and its Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet (SCTI), stated in a joint release that "The Universal Service Fund is broken."

They wrote that "Consumers currently pay more than thirteen percent of long distance revenues into the fund and have at times this year contributed over fifteen percent. Our legislation is a comprehensive and forward-looking measure, which will control the spiraling growth of the Universal Service Fund while ensuring that sufficient universal service support is available on a technology-neutral basis to the carriers which rely on it to provide service. The measure will expand who pays into the Fund, control the growth of the Fund and modernize the Fund by allowing its use for the deployment of high-speed broadband service".

Rep. Terry (at right) also stated that "This bill is a comprehensive approach that will ensure high speed broadband service is available to many more customers in Nebraska and across the nation, especially in rural areas".

The two have been working together on universal service reform for years. See, for example, HR 5072 (109th Congress), the "Universal Service Reform Act of 2006", and story titled "Reps. Terry and Boucher Introduce Universal Service Bill" in TLJ Daily E-Mail Alert No. 1,345, April 7, 2006.

The bulk of this bill is its Title I, which pertains to universal service reform. It would expand the range of entities subject to universal service taxation, and expand the services eligible for subsidies. (This bill, the current statute, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), all use the term "contribution" for taxation, and "support" for subsidy.)

The bill provides a definition for the term "communications service provider", and provides that all such communications service providers (CSPs) are subject to universal service taxation, and only a CSP can be designated eligible to receive universal service subsidies.

A CSP would be "any entity that ... use telephone numbers or Internet protocol addresses, or their functional equivalents or successors, to offer a service or capability ... (i) that provides or enables real-time 2-way voice communications; and (ii) in which the voice component is the primary function" or "offers directly to the public, or to such classes of users as to be effectively available directly to the public, a physical transmission facility, whether circuit-switched, packet-switched, a leased line, or using radio frequency transmissions (regardless of the form, protocol, or statutory classification of the service) that allows an end user to obtain access from a particular end user location to a network that permits the end user to engage in electronic communications (including telecommunications) with the public". (Parentheses in original.)

Entities subject to universal service taxation would thus include not only those currently covered, but also VOIP providers, and broadband internet access service providers, among others.

The bill provides for universal service support for broadband. Currently, the Communications Act references "telecommunications carriers" and "telecommunications services".

The bill does not fully define broadband. It provides that "high-speed broadband" means "a 2-way network that uses Internet protocol ... and services, facilities, equipment, or applications that enable an end-user to receive communications in Internet protocol format, regardless of whether the communications are voice, data, video, or any other form ...". It would require the FCC by rulemaking to "adopt a minimum data rate requirement for high-speed broadband service".

The bill also addresses developing a new cost model for universal service support or subsidies, limiting universal service subsidies in competitive areas, and the competitive bidding process to determine eligibility of mobile wireless communications service providers. The bill also addresses contribution or taxation methodology.

Title II addresses accountability at the FCC.

Title III addresses intercarrier compensation reform. It provides that the FCC shall have "authority to reform intercarrier compensation systems for both interstate and intrastate traffic", but that "Entities that are required to participate in intercarrier compensation shall be permitted to enter into agreements by mutual agreement for the exchange of traffic without regard to" the FCC's rules.

Title III also addresses network traffic identification accountability standards and traffic pumping or stimulation.

Title IV of the bill addresses rural health care support.

Kyle McSlarrow, head of the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA), stated in a release that this bill "represents a sound first step in modernizing the USF program to bring it into the competitive era and refocus the program on broadband adoption and deployment where support is needed. Building on a proposal that NCTA filed with the FCC last year, the bill would establish a permanent mechanism by which the Commission would reassess support levels in competitive areas and reduce or eliminate support where adequate competition exists. The bill also recognizes the importance of resolving the difficult, but very important, issues surrounding intercarrier compensation reform."

Walter McCormick, head of the USTelecom, stated in a release that "Ensuring that all Americans can enjoy the benefits of broadband is a goal USTelecom strongly supports. Getting there requires a robust, efficient, and effective universal service program, which shifts from the old circuit-switched era to today’s voice and broadband technologies. We strongly support and share Chairman Boucher and Congressman Terry's commitment to these principles, and we are proud to endorse their USF legislation. The bill’s comprehensive approach on USF and intercarrier compensation reforms will spur private investment in broadband facilities in areas in which no business case exists today. It is an important step in moving America closer to fulfilling the objectives of the National Broadband Plan.”

2:00 PM. The House Judiciary Committee's (HJC) Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties held a hearing titled "Americans with Disabilities Act at 20 -- Celebrating Our Progress, Affirming Our Commitment". The event was both a celebratory gathering, and a substantive hearing.

The witnesses who contributed primarily to the celebration were Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Rep. James Langevin (D-RI), Richard Thornburg, Cheryl Sensenbrenner, Adrian Villalobos, Casandra Cox, and Jonathan Young.

Thomas Perez, Assistant Attorney General (AAG) in charge of the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Civil Rights Division (CRD), testified and took questions from members of the Subcommittee regarding the ongoing activities and operations of the CRD, including its statements of intent to write regulations that would expand the scope of the ADA to reach the internet, software, electronic devices and new information technologies.

On April 22, 2010, Samuel Bagenstos, the DOJ/CRD Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General,  first disclosed that the CRD intends to write regulations. See, story titled "DOJ CRD May Write Regulations to Expand the ADA to Cover the Internet and Information Technologies" in TLJ Daily E-Mail Alert No. 2,080, April 26, 2010. AAG Perez reiterated this intent in a speech on July 19, 2010. See, story titled "Perez Addresses ADA and New Technologies" in TLJ Daily E-Mail Alert No. 2,107, July 19, 2010. And, Attorney General Holder mentioned it in a speech on July 21, 2010. See, story titled "Holder Says DOJ Will Write Rules Expanding ADA to Cover Web Sites, Movies and 911" in TLJ Daily E-Mail Alert No. 2,109, July 21, 2010.

At the July 22 hearing Perez read from prepared testimony [PDF], and took questions.

He wrote in his prepared testimony, and stated at the hearing, that "We are also moving forward to issue advance notices of proposed rule-making, seeking public comment on four important issues: The captioning and video description of movies. The provision of accessible equipment, including the provision of accessible medical equipment. Making websites accessible for persons who are blind or have low vision, and How state and local government emergency call centers should address the use of 9-1-1 calls from voice, text, or video technologies, called Next Generation 9-1-1."

He did not elaborate. Subcommittee members extracted a few more details.

Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) asked what is an advanced NPRM? (The DOJ has used both the word "advance" and "advanced".) Perez said that there would be two documents. He added that "it ensures that the NPRM that comes out later is more fully informed".

Perez did not explain the meaning of the words "website" or "equipment". Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the Chairman of the Subcommittee, asked about cell phones, kiosks, and websites. Perez said that "we are looking at all of those".

Rep. Nadler also asked about the DOJ/CRD's "timeline" for writing rules.

Perez said that the DOJ/CRD will issue the advance NPRMs "very soon", and that it hopes to complete the process "in the very near future".

There was no discussion of the term "movie". Does the DOJ/CRD merely mean movies played in movie theaters, and thereby attempt to leverage its Title III jurisdiction over movie theaters as public accommodations? Does it also mean broadcast movies? Cable movies? Internet movies? DVDs? User generated videos posted to social networking web sites? There was no discussion of this at the hearing.

Perez's list of four topics nevertheless reveals that there is considerable overlap between the regulatory regime that the DOJ/CRD intends to create by rulemaking, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) based regulatory regime that would be established by HR 3101 [LOC | WW], the "Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010", which the House Commerce Committee (HCC) marked up on July 21, and S 3304 [LOC | WW], also titled the "Equal Access to 21st Century Communications Act", which the Senate Commerce Committee (SCC) marked up on Thursday, July 15, 2010. See, story titled "Senate Commerce Committee Approves Disability Access Bill", and related stories, in TLJ Daily E-Mail Alert No. 2,107, July 19, 2010.

No one at the July 22 HJC hearing mentioned the proposed FCC regulatory regime. Similarly, no one at either of the two Commerce Committee mark ups mentioned the proposed DOJ/CRD regulatory regime.

Congressional committees are proceeding as though they are oblivious of the circumstance that two redundant, overlapping, and potentially inconsistent regulatory regimes are being created.

TLJ spoke with Perez outside the hearing room after his testimony. He refused to answer any questions.

7/22. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), the ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee (HJC), sent a letter [PDF] to President Obama in which he urged the President to direct the Attorney General to appoint a special counsel to investigate the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Civil Rights Division (CRD).

Rep. Smith's request first addresses the dismissal during the Obama administration of a case brought during the Bush administration, in which three persons were charged with criminal violation of the Voting Rights Act in connection with their intimidation of voters at a polling place.

Rep. Smith noted that "The Department's initial decision to drop the case created significant controversy, since the Justice Department had effectively won an injunction against all of the defendants. Its continued refusal to give any legitimate reason for the dismissal has only increased suspicions that race and politics played a role in the decision. Recent allegations from a former Civil Rights Division attorney confirm our concerns that the Justice Department has adopted a policy of race-based non-enforcement of federal voting rights laws. If these allegations are true, it means that the Justice Department has become politicized and only an independent entity can effectively investigate this matter."

Rep. Smith also raised the matter of non-enforcement of the National Voter Registration Act's (NVRA) provisions requiring states ensure that ineligible voters are not on their voter rolls. Rep. Smith cited the testimony before the U.S. Civil Rights Commission of a former career CRD attorney who testified that an Obama administration political appointee at the CRD told a meeting of CRD employees that "We have no interest in enforcing this provision of the law. It has nothing to do with increasing turnout, and we are just not going to do it."

Rep. Smith alleges politicization only in the Obama CRD. The DOJ's CRD has a long history of partisan and politically based actions, in both Democratic and Republican administrations. For example, the DOJ's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) reported that hiring of career personnel in the CRD in the Bush administration was political and ideological.

See, June 24, 2008, report [115 pages in PDF] of the DOJ/OIG, and story titled "IG Report Finds DOJ Engaged in Political and Ideological Hiring Practices" in TLJ Daily E-Mail Alert No. 1,785, June 24, 2008. See also, story titled "Commentary: Politics and Policy in the Civil Rights Division" in TLJ Daily E-Mail Alert No. 2,080, April 26, 2010.

Whether the CRD is more political and partisan in Democratic or Republican administrations is debated issue. Democrats complain of politicization during Republican administrations. Republicans complain of politicization during Democratic administrations.

This oft political and partisan office now seeks to establish itself as a regulator of web based businesses, communications services providers, makers of consumer electronics equipments, and the providers of other new and yet to be invented information technologies.

The House may meet at 9:00 AM for legislative business. See, Rep. Hoyer's schedule for the week of July 19. The House will not meet.

The Senate will not meet.

10:00 AM. The Department of Justice (DOJ) will hold an event related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The speakers will include Eric Holder (Attorney General) and Tom Perez (Assistant Attorney General in charge of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division). Location: DOJ main building, Great Hall, 950 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.

Deadline to submit comments to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) regarding a proposal to add eight questions to the Census Bureau's October 2010 Current Population Survey (CPS) to gather data on broadband usage. See, notice in the Federal Register, May 24, 2010, Vol. 75, No. 99, at Pages 28781-28782.

Deadline to submit reply comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to the FCC's Public Notice [3 pages in PDF] regarding Purple Communication's petition for clarification or waiver regarding implementation of a call forwarding service for internet based Telecommunications Relay Service users. This item is DA 10-1253 in CG Docket No. 10-51.

The House will meet at 12:30 PM. Votes will be postponed until 6:00 PM.

The Senate will meet at 3:00 PM. It will resume consideration of S 3628 [LOC | WW], a bill to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA). Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) introduced this bill on July 21.

8:00 AM - 5:30 PM. Day one of a two day joint meeting of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) titled "Enabling the Convergence of Communications and Medical Systems: Ways to Update Regulatory and Information Processes". See, FCC Public Notice (DA 10-1071 in ET Docket No. 10-120). The deadline to register to attend is 5:00 PM on July 19, 2010. The deadline to submit written comments is June 25, 2010. Location: FCC, Commission Meeting Room, 445 12th St., SW.

Deadline to submit comments to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding its proposed consent agreement with Twitter. See, notice in the Federal Register, June 30, 2010, Vol. 75, No. 125, at Pages 37806-37808.

Deadline to submit reply comments to the Department of Energy (DOE) regarding the communications requirements of utilities, including, but not limited to the requirements of the Smart Grid. See, notice in the Federal Register, June 14, 2010, Vol. 75, No. 113, at Pages 33611-33612.

Deadline to submit reply comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to its Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) regarding unlicensed personal communications services devices in the 1920-1930 MHz band. The FCC adopted this NPRM on May 4, 2010, and released the text [19 pages in PDF] on May 6, 2010. It is FCC 10-77 in ET Docket No. 10-97. See, notice in the Federal Register, June 11, 2010, Vol. 75, No. 112, at Pages 33220-33226.

Deadline to submit reply comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to its Notice of Inquiry (NOI) regarding regulation of ownership of media companies. The FCC adopted and released this item on May 25, 2010. It is FCC 10-92 in MB Docket No. 09-182. See, FCC June 11, 2010, Public Notice (DA 10-1066), and notice in the Federal Register, June 11, 2010, Vol. 75, No. 112, at Pages 33227-33237. See also, story titled "FCC Adopts Broadcast Ownership NOI" in TLJ Daily E-Mail Alert No. 2,087, May 26, 2010.

Deadline to submit reply comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding expanding the range of products and services covered by the FCC's e-rate subsidy program. The FCC adopted this NPRM on December 1, 2009, and released the text [43 pages in PDF] on December 2, 2010. It is FCC 09-105 in CC Docket No. 02-6. See, notice in the Federal Register, June 9, 2010, Vol. 75, No. 110, at Pages 32692-32699. See also, story titled "FCC Expands and Seeks Comments on List of Items Eligible for E-Rate Subsidies" in TLJ Daily E-Mail Alert No. 2,019, December 2, 2009.

Deadline to submit reply comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding the FCC's e-rate tax and subsidy program. The FCC adopted and released this NPRM on May 20, 2010. It is FCC 10-83 in CC Docket No. 02-6 and GN Docket No. 09-51. See, notice in the Federal Register: June 9, 2010, Vol. 75, No. 110, at Pages 32699-32719. See also, story titled "FCC Adopts Another E-Rate NPRM" in TLJ Daily E-Mail Alert No. 2,087, May 26, 2010.

Deadline to submit reply comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to its Notice of Inquiry (NOI) [12 pages in PDF] regarding the survivability in broadband communications networks and ways to reduce network vulnerability to failures in network equipment or severe overload conditions, such as would occur in natural disasters and pandemics. The FCC adopted and released this item on April 21, 2010. It is FCC 10-62 in PS Docket No. 10-92. See, notice in the Federal Register, May 11, 2010, Vol. 75, No. 90, at Pages 26180-26183.

Deadline to submit reply comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to its Public Notice (PN) regarding Global-Tel Corporation's March 4, 2010, Petition for Expedited Clarification and Declaratory Ruling regarding application of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This PN is DA 10-997 in CG Docket No. 02-278. See, notice in the Federal Register, June 30, 2010, Vol. 75, No. 125, at Pages 37803-37804.

EXTENDED TO AUGUST 2. Deadline to submit comments to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) regarding its draft [76 pages in PDF] of its "FY 2010-2015 Strategic Plan". See, notice in the Federal Register, July 9, 2010, Vol. 75, No. 131, at Pages 39493-39494. See also, story titled "USPTO Releases Draft Five Year Plan" in TLJ Daily E-Mail Alert No. 2,102, July 12, 2010. See, notice of extention.

8:00 AM - 5:30 PM. Day two of a two day joint meeting of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) titled "Enabling the Convergence of Communications and Medical Systems: Ways to Update Regulatory and Information Processes". See, FCC Public Notice (DA 10-1071 in ET Docket No. 10-120). The deadline to register to attend is 5:00 PM on July 19, 2010. The deadline to submit written comments is June 25, 2010. Location: FCC, Commission Meeting Room, 445 12th St., SW.

9:00 AM - 4:45 PM. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and the International Trade Administration (ITA) will host an event titled "Cybersecurity and Innovation in the Information Economy". See, notice in the Federal Register, June 28, 2010, Vol. 75, No. 123, at Pages 36633-36634. Location: Amphitheater, Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.

9:30 AM. The Department of Commerce's (DOC) Bureau of Industry and Security's (BIS) Sensors and Instrumentation Technical Advisory Committee (SITAC) will hold a partially closed meeting. The open portion of this meeting is open to public attendance, and will also be teleconferenced. See, notice in the Federal Register, July 13, 2010, Vol. 75, No. 133, at Page 39920. Location: DOC, Room 3884, 14th Street between Constitution and Pennsylvania Aves., NW.

10:15 AM. The House Judiciary Committee (HJC) will hold a hearing titled "Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division". See, notice. The HJC will webcast this event. Location: Room 2141, Rayburn Building.

11:00 AM. The House Judiciary Committee's (HJC) Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law will hold a hearing titled "Federal Rulemaking and the Regulatory Process". See, notice. Location: Room 2141, Rayburn Building.

1:00 PM. The House Commerce Committee's (HCC) Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing titled "Implementation Of The HITECH Act". See, notice. Location: Room 2322, Rayburn Building.

1:30 PM. The House Ways and Means Committee's (HWMC) Subcommittee on Trade will hold a hearing titled "Enhancing the U.S.-EU Trade Relationship". See, notice. Location: Room 1100, Longworth Building.

2:30 PM. The Senate Commerce Committee (SCC) will hold a hearing titled "Consumer Online Privacy". See, notice. Location: Room 253, Russell Building.

Deadline to submit reply comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding amending Part 87 of the FCC's rules to allow use of the frequency 1090 MHz by aeronautical mobility mobile stations for airport surface detection equipment (ASDE-X), also known as vehicle squitters. The FCC adopted this item on March 11, 2010, and released the text [19 pages in PDF] on March 16, 2010. It is FCC 10-37 in WT Docket Nos. 09-42 and 10-61. See, notice in the Federal Register, April 28, 2010, Vol. 75, No. 81, at Pages 22352-22356.

9:00 AM. Day one of a two day meeting of the Department of Commerce's (DOC) Bureau of Industry and Security's (BIS) Information Systems Technical Advisory Committee (ISTAC). The July 28 agenda includes "Smart Grid", "Civil Satellite Telecommunications", and "GPU/CPU/Accelerators". The July 28 portion of this meeting is open to the public, and will also be teleconferenced. See, notice in the Federal Register, July 13, 2010, Vol. 75, No. 133, at Pages 39919-39920. Location: DOC, Room 3884, 14th Street between Constitution and Pennsylvania Aves., NW.

10:00 AM. The Senate Judiciary Committee (SJC) will hold a hearing titled "Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation". The witness will be FBI Director Robert Mueller. See, notice. The SJC will webcast this event. Location: Room 226, Dirksen Building.

11:00 AM - 12:00 NOON. The Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) WRC-12 Advisory Committee will meet. See, notice in the Federal Register, June 30, 2010, Vol. 75, No. 125, at Pages 37802-37803. Location: FCC, Commission Meeting Room, 445 12th St., SW.

1:00 - 2:30 PM. The American Bar Association (ABA) will host a webcast and teleconferenced event titled "New Developments and Trends in Music Publishing Law". The speakers will be Zeina Hamzeh (Warner Chappell Music, Inc.) and Ed Pierson. See, notice. Prices vary. CLE credits.

2:00 PM. The House Judiciary Committee's (HJC) Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security will hold a hearing titled "Online Privacy, Social Networking, and Crime Victimization". See, notice. The HJC will webcast this event. Location: Room 2141, Rayburn Building.

2:30 PM. The Senate Judiciary Committee (SJC) will hold a hearing titled "Nominations". The witnesses will be Kathleen O'Malley, nominated to be a Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit), Beryl Howell (U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia), and Robert Wilkins (USDC/DC). See, notice. The SJC will webcast this event. Location: Room 226, Dirksen Building.

5:00 - 7:00 PM. The New America Foundation (NAF) will host a panel discussion titled "Digital District: Local News and Online Media Access in Washington". The speakers will be Dan Silverman, Veronica Davis, Ariel Valdez, Justin Jouvenal, and Steve Coll (NAF). See, notice. Location: NAF, Suite 400, 1899 L St., NW.

9:00 AM. Day two of a two day meeting of the Department of Commerce's (DOC) Bureau of Industry and Security's (BIS) Information Systems Technical Advisory Committee (ISTAC). The July 29 agenda is undisclosed. The July 29 portion of this meeting is closed to the public. See, notice in the Federal Register, July 13, 2010, Vol. 75, No. 133, at Pages 39919-39920. Location: DOC, Room 3884, 14th Street between Constitution and Pennsylvania Aves., NW.

10:00 AM. The Senate Judiciary Committee (SJC) will hold an executive business meeting. The agenda currently does not include consideration of any technology related bills, federal judicial nominees, or technology related executive branch nominees. See, notice. The SJC will webcast this event. Location: Room 226, Dirksen Building.

The House is scheduled to "complete its business for the July work period". See, Rep. Steny Hoyer's June 18 release.

RESCHEDULED FROM JUNE 25. 12:15 - 1:30 PM. The Federal Communications Bar Association's (FCBA) Young Lawyers Committee will host a brown bag lunch titled "Bridging the Gap: Broadband 101 -- An Introduction to Broadband Regulation and Policy". The speaker will be Dan Brenner (Hogan Lovells). For more information, contact Micah Caldwell at mcaldwell at fh-law dot com or Mark Brennan at mark dot brennan at hoganlovells dot com. Location: Harris Corporation, Suite 850E, 600 Maryland Ave., SW.

Deadline to submit reply comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to its Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) regarding amateur radio use of the allocation at 5 MHz. The FCC adopted this NPRM on May 4, 2010, and released the text on May 7, 2010. It is FCC 10-76 in ET Docket No. 10-98. See, notice in the Federal Register, June 15, 2010, Vol. 75, No. 114, at Pages 33748-33752.

Deadline to submit comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to its Public Notice [PDF] regarding revisions to FCC Forms 470 and 471. This item is DA 10-1248 in CC Docket No. 02-6.

Deadline to submit reply comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to its Public Notice [PDF] regarding Dish Network's Application for Certification as a qualified carrier pursuant to the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010. See, Section 105 of S 3333 [LOC | WW], signed into law on May 27, 2010. See also, story titled "Obama Signs Satellite TV Bill" in TLJ Daily E-Mail Alert No. 2,089, May 28, 2010. This item is DA 10-1036 in MB Docket No. 10-124.

Deadline to submit initial comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to its Public Notice [21 pages in PDF] requesting input and data on mobile wireless competition for the FCC's Fifteenth Annual Report on the State of Competition in Mobile Wireless. This item is DA 10-1234 in WT Docket No. 10-133.

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