Senate Judiciary Chairman Wants Movement On Tech Issues

Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy on Thursday reaffirmed his commitment to moving forward on several technology-related measures this summer. High on the list of priorities is the Performance Rights Act which would end a long-standing copyright royalty exemption afforded to AM and FM radio stations that has been backed by the music business but panned by broadcasters. The Committee will also consider provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act that are slated to sunset on Dec. 31. The expiring sections include a "roving wiretap" provision that allowed government bugs on a phone used by a person being tapped as well as language broadening law enforcement access to library and bookstore patrons' records. Waiting in the wings is the Satellite Home Viewer Act which would permit satellite systems to retransmit local and distant TV signals into markets across the country.