WEEK OF NOVEMBER 18, 2024

Lame Duck Hearing Takeoff

State of Play: 

  • Congress is in session this week before adjourning for the Thanksgiving holiday. 

  • Senator John Thune will serve as the next Senate Majority Leader following elections last week.

Driving the News: 

  • House Speaker Johnson says he will push for a short-term, three month continuing resolution to fund the government after December 20, in order to give Republicans more control over FY25 spending levels. 

  • President Biden sends a $100 billion disaster aid supplemental request to Congress for damage caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Three Things to Watch in Tech:

1. Cybersecurity Sweeps Congress: Several Committees this week will hold hearings centered on cybersecurity and national security threats as Members work to wrap up their priorities for the year. 

  • China is the primary focus for the Senate Judiciary Privacy Subcommittee, as Chair Blumenthal (D-CT) leads a hearing to examine China’s cyber operations and how they have had sector-wide impacts on U.S. citizens. Subcommittee Members will hear from a number of industry stakeholders and academic experts including from Crowdstrike and Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET). 

  • The House Homeland Security Transportation Subcommittee will be examining the impacts of emergency authority cybersecurity regulations on the transportation sector, notably through the lens of the GAO and TSA. The hearing will likely be a sounding board for industry stakeholder witnesses to voice concerns with how federal regulations can hamstring certain cyber industry functions, while expressing the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures for critical infrastructure.

  • The House and Senate Homeland Security Committees will also be holding hearings to examine the current threat landscape to the U.S. from foreign adversaries. Members will hear directly from key intelligence personnel including DHS Secretary Mayorkas, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and National Counterterrorism Center Acting Director Bret Holmgren. 

  • The House Veterans Affairs Technology Modernization Subcommittee will also be diving into cybersecurity, and how the Agency is working to protect veteran data from evolving threats.

2. Senate Commerce Takes On AI Fraud: AI remains on Congress’ radar, as the Senate Commerce Consumer Protection Subcommittee takes on AI-enabled fraud and scams in its

hearing

Tuesday. The hearing is set to focus on how technologies like AI labeling, detection and disclosures can protect consumers, and center around the sophistication of current technologies and how they are being used for deceptive purposes. 

  • Witnesses range from academic experts to industry stakeholders, as well as a parent of a deepfake victim, likely spurring conversations around content moderation and online protections. 

  • The hearing will also be a test for Democrats to frame their views around AI and consumer protections before Republicans assume control of the Senate. 

3. Trump’s Latest Personnel Moves: President-elect Trump continues to express his intent to nominate key individuals to serve in the upcoming Administration.

  • Matt Gaetz for Attorney General - Trump named Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) to serve as the next Attorney General. Gaetz has historically been tough on big tech and was one of the few House Republican House members who supported antitrust legislation to help the DOJ go after Google, Apple, and other tech giants. Gaetz has also been vocal about concerns of big tech censorship in content moderation practices. 

  • Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence - Trump has named former House Member Tulsi Gabbard to serve as the Director of National Intelligence, in which she would oversee 18 intelligence agencies including the CIA and NSA. The move could bring significant changes for the intelligence community. 

  • Brendan Carr for FCC Chair - Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr has been named to serve as Chair of the Commission. Carr was appointed during the last Trump Administration and unanimously confirmed to a new five-year term last year. He has been a critic of “Big Tech” and China while also a vocal advocate for free speech who has pushed for greater spectrum allocation to the private sector.

  • More to Come - We expect to see the President-elect continue to issue his nominee intentions over the coming weeks, including other key agency roles important to tech policy that will shape the Administration’s tech agenda. 

What's Happening This Week?Tech Hearings:

  • House Homeland Security Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee hearing on "Impacts of Emergency Authority Cybersecurity Regulations on the Transportation Sector" - Tuesday, November 19 at 10:00 AM EST

  • Senate Judiciary hearing to examine the Visa-Mastercard Duopoly - Tuesday, November 19 at 10:00 AM EST 

  • Senate Judiciary Privacy, Technology, and the Law Subcommittee hearing to examine “Big Hacks and Big Tech: China's Cybersecurity Threat” - Tuesday, November 19 at 2:00 PM EST

  • Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Data Security hearing on “Protecting Consumers from Artificial Intelligence Enabled Fraud and Scams” - Tuesday, November 19 at 2:30 PM EST

  • House Veteran Affairs Technology Modernization Subcommittee hearing on “VA Cybersecurity: Protecting Veteran Data from Evolving Threats” - Wednesday, November 20 at 9:00 AM EST

  • House Homeland hearing to examine worldwide threats to the homeland - Wednesday, November 20 at 10 AM EST

  • Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing to examine worldwide threats to the homeland - Thursday, November 21 at 10 AM EST

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