The House Homeland Security Committee will conduct “rigorous” oversight of the Department of Homeland Security’s disinformation board, committee Republicans wrote Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas Thursday (see 2205040061 and 2205050056). “Your recent testimony and media statements regarding the board, as well as a recent briefing for Committee staff, have only created more questions and concern,” said the letter led by ranking member John Katko, R-N.Y. “This Committee will carry out rigorous oversight of this board.” He noted committee members can obtain information from the Homeland Security Advisory Council and other bodies: “There are standards that must be met for the sake of transparency.” DHS didn’t comment.

One Country Project defended founder and former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., from criticisms Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., leveled at Heitkamp for opposing FCC nominee Gigi Sohn (see 2205050050). Sohn “made several public comments that call into question her commitment to rural communities, such as her testimony” during a 2020 House Communications Subcommittee hearing that “policymakers have focused disproportionately on broadband deployment in rural areas of” the U.S. (see 2001290052), One Country said Thursday in a statement. As Heitkamp “has stated, ‘Given the significant progress that has been made in closing the rural digital divide in recent years, and all the important work that remains to fully close the gap, Gigi Sohn’s deeply cynical view of rural broadband is far less than what rural Americans need or deserve,’” One Country said. Heitkamp first criticized Sohn in March just before Senate Commerce tied 14-14 on advancing the nominee to the floor (see 2203030070).

The Department of Homeland Security’s disinformation board director should brief the House Judiciary Committee about formation of the board and its intent, ranking member Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, wrote the department Thursday (see 2205040061). Jordan’s letter questions past political statements from Nina Jankowicz, her views on disinformation, and what First Amendment safeguards will be in place for the board. Jordan requested all documents on the formation of the board, its mission, authority and communications it had with social media platforms. DHS didn’t comment.

The Senate voted 78-17 Wednesday to reject a proposal from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to eliminate $10 billion for NASA’s lunar exploration program, Artemis, from Congress’ China package (see 2204010045). The Senate did a series of votes on nonbinding motions to instruct conferees as the two chambers move to conference on the China package. Sanders is seeking to cut funding that might go to Blue Origin, the space company owned by Jeff Bezos (see 2203290018). The Senate cleared by voice vote two motions -- from Sens. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz. -- aimed at maintaining language to strengthen U.S. semiconductor manufacturing. HR-4521 and S-1260 both include $52 billion in subsidies to encourage U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturing (see 2201260062). The chamber also approved by voice language from Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., seeking inclusion of a provision directing the White House Office of Management and Budget to "develop guidance for executive agencies requiring adequate security measures for any transfer, storage or use of digital yuan," China's currency, "on information technology."

The Senate Commerce Committee plans to mark up on Wednesday a Democratic bill that would restore the FTC’s Section 13(b) authority to seek equitable monetary relief, as expected (see 2205030056). The Consumer Protection Remedies Act (S-4145), led by Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., would restore the 13(b) authority, which the Supreme Court stripped last year (see 2104220068). Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., signed on as cosponsors. Cantwell initially sought GOP support for the bill (see 2106210054) with committee ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss. Also on the agenda: the Funding Affordable Internet with Reliable Contributions Act (S-2427) and the Network Equipment Transparency Act (S-3692). S-2427 would direct the FCC to study “the feasibility of funding Universal Service Fund through contributions supplied by edge providers” like Google-owned YouTube and Netflix (see 2107210067). S-3692 would require the FCC to determine as part of future Telecom Act Section 706 broadband deployment reports “whether a lack of network equipment significantly impacted the deployment of advanced telecommunications capability during the applicable year.” The markup will begin at 10 a.m. in 253 Russell.

The Open Markets Institute may be using its close relationship with FTC Chair Lina Khan to block Elon Musk’s Twitter deal (see 2204290074), House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, wrote the agency Wednesday. Jordan asked the FTC if the agency played any role in OMI’s statement requesting enforcers block the deal and if the agency took any action in response to the statement. Khan was OMI’s legal director before joining the FTC. Jordan asked the agency to preserve any records on Musk’s pending deal. “OMI appears to believe that the FTC will be receptive to its cavalier effort to influence a federal agency that is run by its former employee,” Jordan wrote. OMI and the agency didn’t comment.

The Senate was still voting Wednesday afternoon on 28 motions to instruct a conference committee charged with marrying elements of the House-passed America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology and Economic Strength Act (HR-4521) and Senate-passed U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (S-1260), including two aimed at maintaining language aimed at strengthening U.S. semiconductor manufacturing. HR-4521 and S-1260 both include $52 billion in subsidies to encourage U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturing (see 2201260062). The Senate approved by voice vote a motion from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., to instruct conferees to "insist" a final measure bar federal funds from being "used for gain-of-function research conducted in China." Other motions up for votes later Wednesday included one from Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., to insist the final bill "include incentives to support investments" in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, including "investments in the fabrication, assembly, testing, advanced packaging" and R&D of chips. A motion from Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., aims for the bill to "strengthen" supply chain resilience and security, including provisions that "reinvigorate" U.S. semiconductor manufacturing. Language from Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., seeks inclusion of a provision directing the White House Office of Management and Budget to "develop guidance for executive agencies requiring adequate security measures for any transfer, storage or use of digital yuan," China's currency, "on information technology."

Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., will introduce legislation this week to restore the FTC’s Section 13(b) authority (see 2106210054), her office said Monday. Cantwell attempted to reach bipartisan consensus with ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss. Her bill would “authorize monetary remedies for consumers” harmed by violations, ensure the FTC “may sue for injunctions and consumer redress for prior conduct,” affirm the FTC “must argue its cases in front of a neutral federal judge” and create a 10-year statute of limitations for FTC lawsuits. The statute of limitations would mirror the Consumer Protection and Recovery Act (HR-2668) from Rep. Tony Cardenas, D-Calif. The Supreme Court’s decision eliminating the FTC’s 13(b) authority has allowed companies to keep hundreds of millions of dollars in redress owed to consumers, said Cantwell. Her office issued a related report.

Republicans introduced legislation Tuesday to defund the Department of Homeland Security’s newly announced disinformation governance board. Sens. Todd Young of Indiana and Tom Cotton of Arkansas introduced the bill. Sponsors include Ted Cruz of Texas, Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Marco Rubio of Florida. “The idea that a ‘disinformation board’ of unelected government bureaucrats should enforce speech rules is both radical and unconstitutional,” said Young.

Senate Public Works Committee ranking member Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., filed the Rural Broadband Protection Act (S-4126) Tuesday in a bid to change FCC vetting rules for participants in USF high-cost programs. The measure would require the FCC to “initiate a rulemaking proceeding to establish a vetting process” for USF high-cost applicant ISPs, including requiring them to provide “sufficient detail and documentation for the Commission to ascertain that the applicant possesses the technical capability, and has a reasonable plan, to deploy the proposed network.” The FCC would be required to evaluate new applications based on “reasonable and well-established technical standards,” including those the commission adopted for its Form 477 Data Program “for purposes of entities that must report broadband availability coverage.” Meetings with “small rural service providers and state and local officials in West Virginia … made it abundantly clear the FCC needs congressional direction to ensure taxpayer money is being used properly to fund broadband deployment in rural areas,” Capito said in a statement. “By verifying that providers can actually deliver on the promises made to bring high-speed internet to specific areas, we can maximize the influx of broadband dollars.” Capito’s office cited support from NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield.