Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo will testify at a Wednesday Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the Commerce Department's FY 2023 budget priorities, the panel said. The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. in 253 Russell. President Joe Biden's FY23 spending proposal for Commerce includes $67 million for NTIA (see 2203280069). The Patent Office would get $4.25 billion, NIST would get $1.47 billion and the Bureau of Industry and Security would get $199.55 million.

Apple CEO Tim Cook’s comments last week criticizing new antirust legislation on privacy grounds suggest he’s “terrified” of competition, and that the company doesn’t want U.S. consumers circumventing the App Store (see 2204120062), said Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., in a statement Friday. Cook spoke about privacy concerns about the Open App Markets Act (S-2710), introduced by Blackburn and Blumenthal, leaders of the Senate Consumer Protection Subcommittee. “It misses the mark to say we can’t have both consumer privacy and competition in the app marketplace,” they said. The Senate Judiciary Committee-passed bill “acknowledges this balance. Suggesting otherwise is a scare tactic to justify closing markets off to competition.” They agreed with Cook about the need for comprehensive privacy legislation and said there are active discussions among parties.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo cited a need to "make sure we change" the ongoing lack of broadband in tribal and rural communities during a Thursday White House event to roll out Biden administration equity action plans. Commerce aims to address "digital inequalities to promote not only the availability of reliable, affordable high speed broadband access but also the adoption and meaningful use of broadband for all Americans," the department's action plan said. It cited the rollout of the Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives within NTIA's Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth as an early accomplishment of that goal. The White House cited NTIA's implementation of more than $48 billion in connectivity money from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as one way the administration is acting to address equity, noting the money will "help close the digital divide, particularly for rural and Tribal communities." DOD, meanwhile, is "advancing the safe and equitable use of" AI technology "to mitigate algorithmic bias by investing in agency-wide responsible AI development and investing in the development of a more diverse AI workforce, including through partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs)," the White House said.

The Senate confirmed National Institute of Standards and Technology director nominee Laurie Locascio by voice vote Thursday (see 2203030070).

The Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court in a 53-47 vote Thursday (see 2204050064). Republicans Susan Collins, Maine; Lisa Murkowski, Alaska; and Mitt Romney, Utah, voted with Democrats and Independents in favor.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Thursday named Democratic members to the China package conference (see 2204060074). Schumer named 13, including Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell of Washington; Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner of Virginia; Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Gary Peters of Michigan; Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown of Ohio; and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden of Oregon. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., announced his selection to the conference committee. Pelosi Democratic members from 15 committees as conferees for Congress’ China package House Commerce Committee conferees are Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey; Anna Eshoo of California; Jan Schakowsky of Illinois; Doris Matsui of California; Paul Tonko of New York; Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware; and Darren Soto of Florida. Judiciary Committee members are Chairman Jerry Nadler of New York and Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania. House Financial Services Chair Maxine Waters of California and House Science Committee Chair Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas were included. Suzan DelBene of Washington made the list as a member of the Ways and Means Committee. Homeland Security Committee members are Dina Titus of Nevada and Val Demings of Florida. House Commerce Committee ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., announced Republican members from her panel: Larry Bucshon of Indiana; Buddy Carter of Georgia; Jeff Duncan of South Carolina; and Dan Crenshaw of Texas. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a Thursday statement she looks forward to “working with these lawmakers and their soon-to-be-named Senate counterparts to better secure our supply chains, create good-paying jobs across the country, invest in scientific innovation and revitalize American semiconductor manufacturing.” TechNet continued its call for Congress to remove the Stopping Harmful Offers on Platforms by Screening Against Fakes in E-commerce (Shop Safe) Act (see 2203080027) from the package.

The Senate gaveled out Thursday for a two-week Easter/Passover recess, meaning further floor action on FTC nominee Alvaro Bedoya and FCC nominee Gigi Sohn will be delayed until at least April 25, as expected (see 2204050064). Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., filed cloture Thursday on Bedoya but hadn't scheduled a vote at our deadline. The chamber voted 51-50 last week to discharge Bedoya from Senate Commerce Committee jurisdiction and must hold a similar vote on Sohn because the committee cast tied votes on both nominees last month (see 2203030070). Senate Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., told us before the chamber voted to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court (see 2204070058) that she doubted further pre-recess action on either nominee was likely unless the chamber stayed in session past Thursday. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, continued to believe Sohn’s confirmation prospects are dimming amid chatter about potential Democratic holdouts on the nominee (see 2203300069). “That’s why Schumer's not bringing her to the floor” before the recess, Sullivan said. Democrats who are facing tough re-election battles this year who might vote in Sohn’s favor would be delivering their GOP opponents “a campaign ad on a silver platter.” The Chamber of Progress, CompTIA, Computer & Communications Industry Association, Consumer Technology Association, Incompas, Internet Infrastructure Coalition and NTCA pressed the Senate Thursday to “move expeditiously” to confirm Sohn. “The absence of a fifth Commissioner hamstrings the agency when U.S. leadership on technology policy is most needed,” the groups said in a letter to Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. “As authoritarian regimes around the world move to supplant U.S. leadership and restrict access to an open and free internet, we must ensure the U.S. government is well positioned to thoroughly consider and advance policies that promote democratic values.”

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is compiling a list of “systemically important” critical infrastructure entities to ensure the U.S. can depend on organizations providing vital, everyday services under threat from cyberattack, Executive Assistant Director-Cybersecurity Eric Goldstein told the House Cybersecurity Subcommittee during a hearing Wednesday. Chair Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., said Congress is searching for the next cyber proposal to tackle after passing a new law requiring such entities to report cyber incidents to CISA. She noted the Cyberspace Solarium Commission recommended a new designation for critical infrastructure entities that are systemically important to national security. She asked about the need to codify the new designation into law, which would include new security requirements for entities. CISA is developing a list that aligns closely with the Solarium Commission’s recommendation, said Goldstein. This would mean CISA could drive more effective collaboration with organizations to drive down risks, he said. A much smaller list of systemically important entities is needed so Americans can be assured they can depend on certain services, said the White House’s acting Principal Deputy National Cyber Director Robert Knake.

House Commerce Committee Democratic leaders hailed lawmakers Tuesday for passing (see 2204050066) the Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act (HR-1218) and Spectrum Coordination Act (HR-2501). HR-1218 and Senate-passed companion S-198 “will incorporate maternal mortality and morbidity data into” the FCC’s “health mapping platform to better understand how access to broadband can improve our country’s response to maternal challenges and, ultimately, save mothers’ lives,” said House Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa. HR-2501 would mandate changes to the FCC’s 2003 memorandum of understanding with NTIA, which will “improve their efforts to collectively oversee our airwaves.” The GPS Innovation Alliance praised the House for passing HR-2501. It’s “a step toward codifying important aspects of the FCC and NTIA’s recently announced” spectrum coordination work (see 2202150001) “and we strongly agree that improving the spectrum coordination process through a whole-of-government approach is necessary to strengthen our spectrum policy decision making,” said GPSIA acting Executive Director Alex Damato.

The House passed the Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act (HR-1218) and Spectrum Coordination Act (HR-2501) Tuesday by lopsided margins. The chamber voted 409-11 for HR-1218. It and Senate-passed companion S-198 would require the FCC to include data on certain maternal health outcomes in its broadband health mapping tool (see 2203030037). The House voted 418-6 for HR-2501, which would mandate changes to the FCC’s 2003 memorandum of understanding with NTIA. "Securing American leadership in next generation communications technology is essential to winning the future," said House Commerce Committee ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Communications Subcommittee ranking member Bob Latta, R-Ohio. "The bipartisan bills passed today will enhance interagency spectrum coordination, as well as improve our existing broadband health mapping tools by incorporating public data on maternal health." The Competitive Carriers Association and Wireless Infrastructure Association also hailed House passage of both measures.