WEEK OF MAY 12, 2025 

Tariff Truce, IP Tensions, and Cyber Questions

State of Play: 

  • The House and Senate are in session this week. 

  • Reconciliation markups return to the House, where three prominent committees plan to dive deep into their jurisdictions of President Trump’s “megabill” including Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Agriculture. Speaker Johnson remains optimistic that the reconciliation package can make its way to the Rules Committee by May 19 ahead of the Memorial Day recess. 

Driving the News: 

  • The US and China agreed over the weekend to a 90-day mutual tariff reduction, lowering US tariffs on Chinese goods from 145 percent to 30 percent and Chinese tariffs on US goods from 125 percent to 10 percent, in a temporary de-escalation of their prolonged trade war. In announcing the deal, Treasury Secretary Bessent signaled further decoupling with China.  

  • President Trump Saturday fired the head of the US Copyright Office, Shira Perlmutter. The Register of Copyrights is a position appointed by the Librarian of Congress. The previous Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, was dismissed from her position last Thursday. 

Follow Franklin Square Group on LinkedIn!

Three Things to Watch in Tech:

1. Senate Judiciary Tackles Global Competition and IP Concerns:  The Senate Judiciary IP Subcommittee will tackle ways to protect American innovation from foreign threats. Witnesses for the hearing include stakeholders from across several different industries including faucet manufacturers, pipe makers, tech trade associations, and motion pictures. 

  • The House Judiciary IP Subcommittee Committee held a similar hearing last week to examine the intersection of US IP and AI, and how best to safeguard the country's AI developments from global competition. 

  • Tariffs are likely to come up during the hearing, particularly in reference to calls from the Administration to put 100 percent tariffs on foreign-made films. It will be interesting to see how Members and witnesses respond to the intricacies of US IP and foreign adversarial interference. 

2. US-China Trade De-escalation Impact on Tech: The temporary de-escalation between US and China’s trade relations has eased some economic uncertainty, at least for 90-days. But what the tariff reduction means for tech firms remains unclear.

  • Several big tech companies whose supply chains rely heavily on Chinese manufacturing are unsure of the Administration’s next moves following the 90-day period. President Trump has yet to announce long-term tariff plans for electronics and semiconductors. 

  • However, in the wake of the announcement, tech companies have seen rebounds in stock and market reactions. 

  • It’s also important to watch Congress’ role in the trade fight and its hyperawareness of tech competition concerns with China. The House Select Committee on the CCP is continuing to hold events and hearings on Chinese aggressions toward the US, including a hearing this week focusing on China’s interference in Taiwan and potential impacts to US supply chains. 

3. Future of Federal Cybersecurity Information Sharing: Cybersecurity remains a top focus for Congress, particularly for committees with jurisdiction on national security concerns. With several changes to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Members are keen on ensuring congressionally mandated cybersecurity protections. 

  • The House Homeland Cybersecurity Subcommittee will hold a hearing Thursday to review the reauthorization and potential reform of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 (CISA 2015), which is set to expire in September 2025. 

  • Subcommittee Chair Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) emphasized the law’s importance in fostering public-private information sharing to combat evolving cybersecurity threats.

  • It will also be interesting to see where the Department of Homeland Security places cybersecurity measures in its budgetary priorities, as the full Committee will hear from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem this Wednesday.

What's Happening This Week

Tech Hearings

  • The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation to hold a business meeting to consider the nomination of Paul Dabbar to be Deputy Secretary of Commerce - Wednesday, May 14 at 9:45 AM EST

  • The Senate Finance Committee holds a hearing on "Trade in Critical Supply Chains" - Wednesday, May 14 at 10:00 AM EST

  • The House Financial Services Subcommittee hearing on De Novo formation - Wednesday, May 14 at 2:00 PM EST

  • The Senate Judiciary Intellectual Property Subcommittee holds a hearing on "Foreign Threats to American Innovation and Economic Leadership" - Wednesday, May 14 at 2:30 PM EST

  • The House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the US and the CCP holds a hearing on “Deterrence Amid Rising Tensions: Preventing CCP Aggression on Taiwan” - Thursday, May 15 at 9:00 AM EST

  • The House Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee holds an oversight hearing of the US Federal Trade Commission - Thursday, May 15 at 10:00 AM EST

  • The House Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee holds a hearing on "In Defense of Defensive Measures: Reauthorizing Cybersecurity Information Sharing Activities that Underpin U.S. National Cyber Defense" -  Thursday, May 15 at 2:00 PM EST

Tech Events

Reply

or to participate

Keep Reading

No posts found

© 2025 Franklin Square Group Tech Weekly.

Privacy policy

Terms of use

Powered by beehiiv