Politico

The Senate on Dec 19 failed to move forward on two inspectors general because 12 Senate Republicans were absent, potentially costing President Donald Trump some lame duck appointees. In back-to-back 39-48 votes, the Senate was unable to take procedural steps to confirm John Chase Johnson to become inspector general of the Federal Communications Commission and Eric Soskin to become inspector general of the Department of Transportation. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) voted against the nominees, a move that allows him to bring them back to the floor whenever he wan

Dozens of tech hubs around the world have dreamed of nipping at Silicon Valley’s heels, but in 2020 those dreams are starting to look like reality. Thanks to Covid-19, “the spreading out of tech is having a 10-year acceleration,” says Rana Sarkar, Canada’s consul general for San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Before the pandemic, mid-size cities across North America and Europe and major Asian centers would create startup accelerators only to struggle to retain their local talent or attract venture capital — one of the leading measures of success, pre-pandemic.

Rep Greg Walden (R-OR), one of the most influential conservative figures in the technology and telecommunications policy landscape, is set to retire from Congress. He pushed back on GOP-led calls for the Federal Communications Commission to step in on Section 230, even as FCC Chairman Ajit Pai faces pressure to do so before he leaves the agencyin January: “I'm not so sure that I want the FCC in the middle of all of this,” Rep Walden said. “Even if some think they have the authority, I'm not convinced that's the case.

Carolyn Roddy is now listed as acting chief of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration following previous acting Administrator Adam Candeub’s jump to the Justice Department.

Adam Candeub, the acting head of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration, has been named deputy associate attorney general. The political appointment does not require congressional confirmation. Candeub helped lead President Donald Trump’s crackdown against social media companies. Candeub has played a central role in carrying out Trump’s executive order targeting social media companies like Twitter and Facebook over allegations they censor conservative viewpoints.

Outgoing-Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O’Rielly participated in his final FCC meeting Dec 10 before Nathan Simington is sworn in to take his seat as one of the agency’s Republican commissioners. Although there were many appreciative send-offs, the departing commissioner also touched on the hot-button tech issue that likely led to President Donald Trump killing his renomination this past summer: Section 230.

Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr endorsed Simington’s nomination, saying he needs another Republican alongside him on the five-member commission come Inauguration Day to stymie Democrats in a deadlocked 2-2 FCC. “It’d be very valuable to get Simington across the finish line to help forestall what really would be billions of dollars worth of economic damage that I think a [Democratic] FCC would look to jam through from Day 1,” Commissioner Carr cautioned during an appearance on Fox Business.

House Republicans tapped Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) to lead the party on the House Commerce Committee, making her the first woman to hold a leadership role at the committee that has sweeping authority over the nation’s health care, technology, environmental and energy policy. Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers beat Reps. Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Bob Latta (R-OH) to win the position. Rep McMorris Rodgers will replace retiring Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR).

A bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers, including Sens Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), is allocating $10 billion for broadband connectivity as part of its $908 billion emergency relief plan.