President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address spurred reaction from Democrats and Republicans looking to move comprehensive privacy and child privacy bills. Biden announced a sweeping agenda to address a social media-linked children's mental health “crisis” during his Tuesday speech, as expected (see 2203010072). “Protecting kids online starts by establishing a national privacy and data security framework and enacting legislation that stops Big Tech’s harmful abuse of power,” said House Commerce Committee ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash. Biden issued a “powerful call to action on the youth mental health crisis exacerbated by social media, which can be addressed by the Kids Online Safety Act, Senate Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said of his bipartisan bill with ranking member Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. The president offered Congress a “blueprint,” and now it’s time to act, said Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Mass. Biden “clearly expressed what we know to be true: it’s time to prevent the abusive collection and retention of personal information online,” said Reps. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., and Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., in favor of their Democratic privacy proposal (see 2111180048). “If companies can’t collect data, they can’t use that data to manipulate Americans for profit.” Biden urged Congress to swiftly send him a compromise bill 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), which both include $52 billion in subsidies to encourage U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturing (see 2201260062). The House passed HR-4521 last month, but there has been no formal compromise between that measure and S-1260 (see 2202250054). “Let’s not wait any longer,” Biden said. “We used to invest 2% of our GDP in research and development. We don’t now. China is.” Biden praised Intel’s plan to build two new chip factories in Ohio, costing $20 billion (see 2201210027), as “the biggest investment in manufacturing in American history, and all they’re waiting for is for you to pass a HR-4521/S-1260 compromise. Biden also, as expected, touted the $65 billion in broadband money included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as a way to provide "affordable high-speed internet for every American -- urban, suburban, rural and tribal communities." Biden's broadband shutout was praised by Mignon Clyburn, co-chair of the Incompas-backed BroadLand campaign. "By taking an all of the above approach to deployment, we can build new future proof networks that benefit all Americans, urban and rural, who need access to low-cost internet solutions," she said. Free State Foundation Senior Fellow Andrew Long said Biden and Congress haven't "paid much attention -- big picture -- to how the various appropriations, agencies, and programs relating to the construction of broadband infrastructure will interoperate in a manner that uses precious taxpayer dollars wisely and efficiently. This must change."

President Joe Biden was to press Congress during his State of the Union speech Tuesday night to send a compromise bill 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) to his desk as soon as possible, a White House official said in a Monday conference call with reporters. The House passed HR-4521 last month, but there has been no formal compromise between that measure and S-1260 (see 2202250054). Both U.S. tech competitiveness measures include $52 billion in subsidies to encourage U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturing (see 2201260062) but differ in other areas. Biden was expected to tout Intel’s plan to build two new chip factories in Ohio, for $20 billion (see 2201210027), during the speech, an administration official said. Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger and Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen were to be among first lady Jill Biden’s guests at the speech, the White House said. Biden was also expected to tout the $65 billion in broadband money included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as a way to provide internet access “to every family in America,” a White House official said. Biden was to separately announce Tuesday night a sweeping agenda to address a social media-linked children's mental health “crisis” (see 2203010072).

Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., said Friday he plans to retire at the end of this Congress. Inhofe worked with current committee Chairman Jack Reed, D-R.I., in a bid to get the FCC to reverse its approval of Ligado’s L-band plan (see 2004160030). Inhofe’s opposition to Ligado at one point in 2020 led him to place a hold on then-FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly’s reconfirmation (see 2007280039) before then-President Donald Trump nixed the appointment. Inhofe endorsed current Chief of Staff Luke Holland to replace him as the GOP nominee in a special election expected to coincide with the regular Nov. 8 midterm elections.

Sen. Rick Scott of Florida’s 11-point plan for GOP policies to "rescue America” if the party wins control of Congress in the November elections and the White House in 2024 calls for the FCC to “hold online platforms and broadband providers accountable for not adequately providing tools for parents to keep” the “explosion of pornography and cyber predators … out of their homes.” Scott included the call for FCC action as part of a broader proposal for protecting “the American family” by defending it “from societal elements that erode it.” The National Republican Senatorial Committee's chairman, Scott believes the U.S. “must enforce existing federal obscenity laws. Our society has almost given up on demanding decency; we must aim higher.” His proposal also targets major U.S. tech companies, pressing for significant changes to Communications Decency Act Section 230. The federal government should treat “all social media platforms that censor speech and cancel people … like publishers and subject to legal action,” the proposal said. “We will require big tech platforms, like Facebook and Twitter, to receive express consent (not as a condition of use) before using Americans’ personal information in any manner, and make it simple for users to opt out.” Tech “platforms will also be required to obtain user consent to sell, share, or convey user data to a third-party entity,” the proposal said.

The House Consumer Protection Subcommittee plans a hearing at 10:30 a.m. March 1 on bills for “holding Big Tech accountable.” The hybrid hearing will be in 2123 Rayburn. The subcommittee will consider the Banning Surveillance Advertising Act (HR-6416) (see 2201190004) and the Algorithmic Accountability Act (HR-6580). HR-6580 would direct the FTC to require companies to conduct “impact assessments” of automated decisions and the potential for bias.

President Joe Biden signed off Friday on a continuing resolution (HR-6617) to extend existing federal funding levels through March 11, the White House said. The Senate voted 65-27 Thursday to pass the CR, averting a government shutdown that would otherwise have begun when a previous CR expired Friday.

The Senate was expected to vote as soon as Thursday night on a continuing resolution (HR-6617) to extend existing federal funding levels through March 11. The chamber voted 65-30 Thursday to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the CR, but further votes on the measure hadn’t been set Thursday afternoon. “It’s a typical CR exercise,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters. “We’ll have some amendments, and then we’ll pass the CR and the government won’t be shut down.” Senate passage of the CR would avert a government shutdown that would otherwise begin when an existing CR expires Friday night. The House passed the measure last week (see 2202090041).

House Transportation Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., said Thursday he wants President Joe Biden to pick a successor to retiring FAA Administrator Steve Dickson who’s “committed to the highest standards of aviation safety,” which in part “means someone who will … ensure the safe coexistence of 5G wireless service and aviation.” Some House Transportation members criticized Dickson and FCC officials during a hearing this month for the interagency spat over the aviation safety implications of rolling out 5G service on the C band (see 2202030081). Dickson told FAA staff Wednesday he will resign March 31; he still had two years left in the term he began in 2019. “After sometimes long and unavoidable periods of separation from my loved ones during the pandemic, it is time to devote my full time and attention to them,” Dickson said. Dickson “has led FAA through a difficult three years, & I have appreciated working with him" to “address serious concerns about 5G deployment near the nation’s airports,” tweeted Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Rick Larsen, D-Wash.

The House and Senate should take "immediate action" to reconcile their China competition bills and authorize funding for the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors Act and other domestic semiconductor sector investments by sending the combined legislation to President Joe Biden, more than 20 tech, automotive and business groups wrote congressional leadership Wednesday. The Business Roundtable signed the letter, as did CTIA, the Information Technology Industry Council, the Semiconductor Industry Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and others. A prolonged negotiation on a compromise bill “risks placing our country further behind in the competition for economic growth, supply chain resilience, technology leadership, and strengthened national security,” said the groups. “We urge immediate action to commence negotiations and work towards a final compromise bill that can swiftly pass both chambers and send this vital legislation to the president’s desk.” House Democrats should allow an official score from the Congressional Budget Office on the chips legislation before it advances further, House Budget Committee ranking member Jason Smith, R-Mo., and House Science Committee ranking member Frank Lucas, R-Okla., wrote Wednesday. House Democrats have passed more than $7.5 trillion of new spending since President Joe Biden took office, they wrote. “It’s irresponsible to proceed without knowing the true costs of this legislation,” said Lucas.

Newly declassified documents show the CIA has been conducting a “secret bulk collection program” and mishandling American data, Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., alleged Thursday. The CIA conducted the program with authority under executive order 12333 (see 2003300055). It was “entirely outside the statutory framework that Congress and the public believe govern this collection, and without any of the judicial, congressional or even executive branch oversight,” they said. A Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board report describes the “secret nature” of the CIA’s activities, they said. The declassified documents reveal “serious problems associated with warrantless backdoor searches of Americans,” they said. The program is "so secretive the CIA won't even tell the public what kind of information it is sweeping up," said Demand Progress Senior Policy Counsel Sean Vitka. The CIA lawfully collected foreign intelligence information under the National Security Act and executive order 12333, an agency spokesperson emailed: The activity includes incidental collection of American data, which is subject to DOJ requirements. Certain information in the PCLOB reports remains classified, the agency said. The CIA follows the Constitution, EOs, other statutes and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act for all collection activities, the CIA said.