The Senate confirmed Eric Lander to be director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (see 2105200066), by voice vote Friday.

The House Consumer Protection Subcommittee passed by voice vote Thursday legislation to restore FTC Section 13(b) authority (see 2104280028), despite Republican opposition. The Consumer Protection and Relief Act (HR-2668), from Rep. Tony Cardenas, D-Calif., advanced to the full committee. House Commerce Committee ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and subcommittee ranking member Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., criticized a “rushed” legislative process. They cited lack of commissioner input at the bill’s legislative hearing and partial responses from DOJ (see 2105170040). Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., claimed Republicans didn’t offer any potential changes until Thursday morning. Republicans’ core concern is the potential for lack of due process and proper analysis, said Rodgers. Republicans offered amendments that were ultimately withdrawn. Subcommittee Chair Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., committed to working with Republicans on provisions including an amendment from Bilirakis that would alter the statute of limitations. Rushing the bill to committee reflects a “broken process,” McMorris Rodgers said. The legislation is “urgently needed,” said Schakowsky: Nothing in the FTC Act can replace authorities gutted by the Supreme Court. Bilirakis “sincerely” appreciates introduction of the bill because it attempts to address a gap in consumer protection, but he accused the majority of wanting to ram this through without bipartisan input. Congress needs to restore FTC authority, said Cardenas.

The Commerce Department’s plan for implementing the pending U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (S-1260) was one of the few tech and telecom policy matters that drew Senate Appropriations Commerce Subcommittee members’ attention during a Wednesday hearing on President Joe Biden’s proposed FY 2022 Commerce Department budget. The administration in April proposed Commerce get $11.4 billion, up almost 28% from FY 2021 (see 2104090041). The administration is expected to release its full budget proposal Friday. Commerce is “hard at work putting together” its plans for implementing S-1260 if it’s enacted, Raimondo told Senate Appropriations Commerce Chairwoman Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.: The measure would mean further expansion of Commerce’s scope on semiconductor and open radio access network matters, and the department has “expertise” in expanding to meet its mission. S-1260, previously known as the Endless Frontier Act, includes $52 billion to boost U.S. chipmaking and $1.5 billion to implement the Utilizing Strategic Allied Telecom Act. The semiconductor money includes $49.5 billion to implement the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors for America Act (see 2105210056). The Senate was expected to continue considering amendments to S-1260 into Thursday, before a potential final vote that day on the measure. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Wednesday “there’s no reason we can’t finish this bill by the end of the week. That’s my intention.” Senate Appropriations Financial Services Subcommittee Chairman Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., noted his desire for S-1260 to direct Commerce to enter into a National Academies of Science contract to provide updates on emerging tech, saying the U.S. “got caught behind on 5G.” Senate Appropriations Commerce ranking member Jerry Moran, R-Kan., raised concerns about the department’s cybersecurity “shortcomings” given it was a federal agency affected by the Russia-linked SolarWinds hack (see 2012170050). He believes the budget needs to make the department’s “role in closing the digital divide” a priority given the increased importance of telework and remote learning during the pandemic. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., noted his concerns about the entire federal government’s “disjointed” cybersecurity apparatus.

President Joe Biden’s cybersecurity executive order is a welcome step in improving federal cybersecurity (see 2105240072), and GAO’s December supply chain report shows agencies aren’t prepared, House Science Committee members said during a joint hearing Tuesday. The supply chain risk management audit is “truly alarming,” said Investigations Subcommittee ranking member Jay Obernolte, R-Calif. More than half the 23 agencies analyzed didn’t implement basic best practices, he noted, saying this points to a failure of governance. Subcommittee Chairman Bill Foster, D-Ill., questioned whether agencies are doing enough to enforce best practices. The EO calls for bold action, he said. It's a “sea change” in how the federal government approaches cybersecurity, said Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairwoman Haley Stevens, D-Mich. She highlighted the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s role. Research and Technology Subcommittee ranking member Michael Waltz, R-Fla., called the EO a good starting point, saying there’s much work ahead. The auditor report really is “alarming” and shows foundational practices and guidance aren’t being followed, he said. NIST is committed to develop standards, best practices and key guidance for securing critical software, said Information Technology Laboratory Computer Security Division Chief Matthew Scholl. GAO is examining unknowns about the SolarWinds cyberattack, which had unprecedented sophistication, said GAO Information Technology and Cybersecurity Director Vijay D’Souza: The attack wasn’t surprising given findings in December's study.

House Commerce Committee ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Communications Subcommittee ranking member Bob Latta, R-Ohio, pressed committee Democrats Tuesday to set an FCC oversight hearing on implementation of the $7.17 Emergency Connectivity Fund and $3.2 billion emergency broadband benefit. EBB and ECF “could be subject to waste, fraud, and abuse,” Latta and Rodgers said in a letter including to Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J. “The Commission still is without a permanent Chair and short-handed with only four commissioners.” The GOP leaders want the committee hearing to examine what they view as acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s “lack” of “commitment to free speech.” They cited the letter Reps. Anna Eshoo and Jerry McNerney, both D-Calif., sent providers in February asking them to justify carrying Fox News, Newsmax and One America News Network (see 2102220068). Rosenworcel “ignored” Commerce Republicans’ “request that she denounce efforts of these Federal government officials to silence speech,” Latta and Rodgers said. Commerce Democrats and the FCC didn’t comment. The committee's last FCC oversight hearing was in September (see 2009170068).

House Agriculture Committee ranking member Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania and 21 other committee Republicans filed the Broadband for Rural America Act Thursday in a bid to give the Agriculture Department more power to oversee rural connectivity buildout at the FCC's expense. The measure would codify USDA’s ReConnect broadband program and set annual funding for its rural connectivity programs at $3.7 billion. It would set minimum speeds for recipients’ services at 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload. USDA “is the one that has the expertise” to effectively oversee rural broadband buildout, Thompson told reporters Thursday. The FCC “had their chance and they haven’t gotten it done,” said Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga.

Legislation introduced Thursday would authorize $1.1 billion over five years to “promote the use of smart city technologies and enhance federal coordination.” Introduced by Democratic Reps. Suzan DelBene, Wash., and Yvette Clarke, N.Y., the Smart Cities and Communities Act would provide resources to localities.

The House Science Committee will host a subcommittee hearing virtually on the SolarWinds cyberattack and software supply chain at 2 p.m. Tuesday. Witnesses: Matthew Scholl, Computer Security Division chief, National Institute of Standards and Technology Information Technology Laboratory; Atlantic Council Cyber Statecraft Initiative Director Trey Herr; Luta Security CEO Katie Moussouris; and GAO Information Technology and Cybersecurity Director Vijay D’Souza.

Senate Republicans are eyeing agreeing to more broadband money in an infrastructure deal, and issues remain unresolved, Commerce Committee ranking member Roger Wicker of Mississippi told us. He was among GOP legislators who met Tuesday with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on a GOP counterproposal to President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan, which includes $100 billion for broadband (see 2103310064). “We’re looking at” increasing the broadband spending Republicans agree to, Wicker told us. He suggested add-ons could include additional money to “speed up” FCC rollout of Rural Digital Opportunity Fund money and to “speed up” fixing its broadband coverage data maps. He’s “listening but skeptical of the administration’s position about going through NTIA” to distribute additional broadband money allocated here. Much “hasn’t been fully negotiated,” Wicker said. He and Public Works Committee ranking member Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said they were encouraged by the meeting and believe they’re getting closer to an agreement with the administration. The Republicans’ original counteroffer allocated $65 billion for broadband (see 2105180070). Buttigieg and Raimondo are “digesting what we proposed, and I think the plan is for them to react to that” soon, Capito told reporters. The White House expects to “follow up with” the Republicans “later this week,” a spokesperson said. The Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility (E-Bridge) Act, which Capito and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., refiled Wednesday, would remove regulatory barriers to Economic Development Administration grants for broadband deployments in a way that would allow localities to partner with the private sector (see 2005070055).

House Commerce Committee ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and other top Republicans urged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Tuesday to end proxy voting and other changes instituted last year in response to COVID-19, amid recent changes in Centers for Disease Control guidance. Lawmakers were expecting such changes to persist through much of 2021 (see 2102190049). Top House Republicans eye forcing a vote as soon as Wednesday to end a mask mandate and other precautions. “Follow the science, lead by example, and fully return to work,” the GOP leaders wrote. “More than 272 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered and at least 75 percent of members of Congress have been fully vaccinated.” Pelosi’s office didn’t comment.