National Journal Online


Expert Blogs Posted: Thursday, July 22, 2010 - 12:00am
Opposition Grows In Senate To FCC Regulatory Effort Seven Republican senators -- and one Democrat -- are lining up in opposition to the FCC's effort to reclassify broadband as a telecommunications service subject to tougher regulation, CongressDaily reported. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., and six GOP co-sponsors, introduced legislation Wednesday that aims to scale back the FCC's regulatory authority. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski "is attempting to impose unnecessary, antiquated regulations on the Internet in spite of court rulings limiting the FCC's authority," DeMint said in a statement. Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 9:24pm
Facebook Hits 500 Million Users As Facebook marked hitting the 500 million-user milestone Wednesday, it also highlighted its popularity on Capitol Hill, where more than 300 lawmakers now use the social networking site to communicate with constituents or have separate pages promoting their re-election bids. Federal agencies also have embraced the site since Facebook inked an agreement with the U.S. government in 2009 allowing agencies to have official Facebook pages. Agencies have launched more than 400 Facebook pages, including the White House, according to a Facebook spokesman. Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 6:39pm
Stearns Urges FCC To Slow Down House Energy and Commerce Communications Subcommittee ranking member Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., urged FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski Wednesday to refrain from putting the reclassification of broadband on the agency's September meeting agenda, saying it would be "disrespectful" to the ongoing House and Senate talks on this issue, CongressDaily reported. Stearns also said FCC action would shortchange the necessary review of all the public comments filed on this matter by last week's deadline. Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 6:09pm
FTC Seeks More Time For Possible Intel Settlement The FTC said Tuesday that it was extending by two weeks the temporary withdrawal of its antitrust case against Intel Corp. to give the commission more time to reach a settlement with the computer chip maker. The FTC filed the temporary withdrawal motion on June 21. The motion was set to expire on Friday, but it has since been extended until Aug. 6. Intel and the agency are reportedly nearing a settlement of the FTC's lawsuit against Intel, filed in December, that claimed the firm has "waged a systemic campaign to shut out rivals' competing microchips by cutting off their Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 4:40pm
FCC Defends Media Ownership Rules The FCC came under criticism Wednesday for its decision to defend media ownership rules that critics argue allow for greater media consolidation. The FCC filed a brief in the U.S. District Court of Appeals in Philadelphia defending the media ownership rules adopted in 2007 under Republican Chairman Kevin Martin. Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 4:24pm
Kagan Whip Count: 20-19 The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday put a positive stamp on Solicitor General Elena Kagan's nomination to the Supreme Court, clearing the way for a floor debate expected to begin soon. The committee approved Kagan's nomination by a 13-6 margin, with most GOPers voting against. Only Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) crossed the aisle to side with Dems. Reports indicate that the offices of retiring Sens. George Voinovich (R-OH) and Judd Gregg (R-NH) will not say how their bosses are voting. Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 3:29pm
UPDATED: Senior FCC Officials Fail to Defend Genachowski's D-Block Plan Under pressure from key members of Congress and public safety groups, senior FCC officials sidestepped repeated opportunities Wednesday to defend Chairman Julius Genachowski's proposal to auction the so-called D-block spectrum to commercial bidders. "The basic point that the allocation decision . . . is a congressional issue is one that everybody understands," said one of the officials. Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 3:24pm
Lincoln Down Big In Independent Poll In the latest sign of peril for Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), a Reuters poll released Tuesday shows her trailing Rep. John Boozman (R) 54%-35%, in her uphill bid for a third term. Only 10% of registered voters were undecided in the poll, which is even more notable because Ipsos Public Affairs, the survey firm that conducted the poll, did not allocate leaners to either candidate. The poll shows Boozman siphoning off 26% of Dems, while holding 85% of GOPers. Indies break for Boozman two-to-one: 42%-21%. Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 2:45pm
Berman Crafting New IP Bill House Foreign Affairs Chairman Howard Berman, D-Calif., said Wednesday that he is working on legislation with Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., that would aim to crack down on Web sites that provide pirated goods and content. Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 2:07pm

Expert Blogs

Posted: Thursday, July 22, 2010 - 12:00am

Opposition Grows In Senate To FCC Regulatory Effort

Seven Republican senators -- and one Democrat -- are lining up in opposition to the FCC's effort to reclassify broadband as a telecommunications service subject to tougher regulation, CongressDaily reported. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., and six GOP co-sponsors, introduced legislation Wednesday that aims to scale back the FCC's regulatory authority. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski "is attempting to impose unnecessary, antiquated regulations on the Internet in spite of court rulings limiting the FCC's authority," DeMint said in a statement.

Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 9:24pm

Facebook Hits 500 Million Users

As Facebook marked hitting the 500 million-user milestone Wednesday, it also highlighted its popularity on Capitol Hill, where more than 300 lawmakers now use the social networking site to communicate with constituents or have separate pages promoting their re-election bids. Federal agencies also have embraced the site since Facebook inked an agreement with the U.S. government in 2009 allowing agencies to have official Facebook pages. Agencies have launched more than 400 Facebook pages, including the White House, according to a Facebook spokesman.

Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 6:39pm

Stearns Urges FCC To Slow Down

House Energy and Commerce Communications Subcommittee ranking member Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., urged FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski Wednesday to refrain from putting the reclassification of broadband on the agency's September meeting agenda, saying it would be "disrespectful" to the ongoing House and Senate talks on this issue, CongressDaily reported. Stearns also said FCC action would shortchange the necessary review of all the public comments filed on this matter by last week's deadline.

Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 6:09pm

FTC Seeks More Time For Possible Intel Settlement

The FTC said Tuesday that it was extending by two weeks the temporary withdrawal of its antitrust case against Intel Corp. to give the commission more time to reach a settlement with the computer chip maker. The FTC filed the temporary withdrawal motion on June 21. The motion was set to expire on Friday, but it has since been extended until Aug. 6. Intel and the agency are reportedly nearing a settlement of the FTC's lawsuit against Intel, filed in December, that claimed the firm has "waged a systemic campaign to shut out rivals' competing microchips by cutting off their

Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 4:40pm

FCC Defends Media Ownership Rules

The FCC came under criticism Wednesday for its decision to defend media ownership rules that critics argue allow for greater media consolidation. The FCC filed a brief in the U.S. District Court of Appeals in Philadelphia defending the media ownership rules adopted in 2007 under Republican Chairman Kevin Martin.

Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 4:24pm

Kagan Whip Count: 20-19

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday put a positive stamp on Solicitor General Elena Kagan's nomination to the Supreme Court, clearing the way for a floor debate expected to begin soon.

The committee approved Kagan's nomination by a 13-6 margin, with most GOPers voting against. Only Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) crossed the aisle to side with Dems. Reports indicate that the offices of retiring Sens. George Voinovich (R-OH) and Judd Gregg (R-NH) will not say how their bosses are voting.

Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 3:29pm

UPDATED: Senior FCC Officials Fail to Defend Genachowski's D-Block Plan

Under pressure from key members of Congress and public safety groups, senior FCC officials sidestepped repeated opportunities Wednesday to defend Chairman Julius Genachowski's proposal to auction the so-called D-block spectrum to commercial bidders. "The basic point that the allocation decision . . . is a congressional issue is one that everybody understands," said one of the officials.

Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 3:24pm

Lincoln Down Big In Independent Poll

In the latest sign of peril for Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), a Reuters poll released Tuesday shows her trailing Rep. John Boozman (R) 54%-35%, in her uphill bid for a third term.

Only 10% of registered voters were undecided in the poll, which is even more notable because Ipsos Public Affairs, the survey firm that conducted the poll, did not allocate leaners to either candidate.

The poll shows Boozman siphoning off 26% of Dems, while holding 85% of GOPers. Indies break for Boozman two-to-one: 42%-21%.

Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 2:45pm

Berman Crafting New IP Bill

House Foreign Affairs Chairman Howard Berman, D-Calif., said Wednesday that he is working on legislation with Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., that would aim to crack down on Web sites that provide pirated goods and content.

Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 2:07pm

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