Tariffs are a tax on consumers, and not the right way to address China's industrial policies and unfair trade practices, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says. U.S. Chamber CEO Thomas Donohue said March 15 that sweeping tariffs against China "could lead to a destructive trade war with serious consequences for U.S. economic growth and job creation. The livelihood of America’s consumers, businesses, farmers, and ranchers are at risk if the administration proceeds with this plan." Administration officials say the Section 301 technology transfer and intellectual property investigation response will be released in the coming weeks.

Congress needs to reach agreement on cross-border data seizures before the Supreme Court rules in U.S. v. Microsoft, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation said Monday. The high court is scheduled to hear oral argument Tuesday, to decide whether a law enforcement warrant can force a U.S. service provider to produce customer's emails stored abroad (see 1710160009). ITIF Vice President Daniel Castro said if Congress fails to act, U.S. competitiveness will feel negative impacts no matter what. If the court supports use of search warrants in obtaining data abroad, it will fuel incentives for storing data overseas with non-U.S. providers, he said. Conversely, if search warrants are ruled illegal overseas, foreign governments may force companies to store data domestically to block U.S. search warrants, he said. Castro said lawmakers should reach a legislative solution, describing the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (Cloud) Act as the “best option” (see 1802050057). The bill would establish a formal framework to resolve disputes over law enforcement access to communications and data stored on overseas servers via international bilateral agreements.

Congress needs to reach agreement on cross-border data seizures before the Supreme Court rules in U.S. v. Microsoft, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation said Monday. The high court is scheduled to hear oral argument Tuesday, to decide whether a law enforcement warrant can force a U.S. service provider to produce customer's emails stored abroad (see 1710160009). ITIF Vice President Daniel Castro said if Congress fails to act, U.S. competitiveness will feel negative impacts no matter what. If the court supports use of search warrants in obtaining data abroad, it will fuel incentives for storing data overseas with non-U.S. providers, he said. Conversely, if search warrants are ruled illegal overseas, foreign governments may force companies to store data domestically to block U.S. search warrants, he said. Castro said lawmakers should reach a legislative solution, describing the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (Cloud) Act as the “best option” (see 1802050057). The bill would establish a formal framework to resolve disputes over law enforcement access to communications and data stored on overseas servers via international bilateral agreements.

Workforce automation won't result in the mass unemployment many experts predict, but modern American workforce-training programs are ill-equipped to deal with rapidly changing tech, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation reported. Forecasts say 15 to 85 percent of the workforce could transition to automation in coming decades. McKinsey & Co. in November projected as much as 30 percent of modern workforce activity could be replaced by automation by 2030, saying 15 percent is more realistic. ITIF President Robert Atkinson said during an event Tuesday that many agree with 15 percent, but some have much bleaker forecasts, painting a technological “apocalypse.”

Workforce automation won't result in the mass unemployment many experts predict, but modern American workforce-training programs are ill-equipped to deal with rapidly changing tech, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation reported. Forecasts say 15 to 85 percent of the workforce could transition to automation in coming decades. McKinsey & Co. in November projected as much as 30 percent of modern workforce activity could be replaced by automation by 2030, saying 15 percent is more realistic. ITIF President Robert Atkinson said during an event Tuesday that many agree with 15 percent, but some have much bleaker forecasts, painting a technological “apocalypse.”

Workforce automation won't result in the mass unemployment many experts predict, but modern American workforce-training programs are ill-equipped to deal with rapidly changing tech, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation reported. Forecasts say 15 to 85 percent of the workforce could transition to automation in coming decades. McKinsey & Co. in November projected as much as 30 percent of modern workforce activity could be replaced by automation by 2030, saying 15 percent is more realistic. ITIF President Robert Atkinson said during an event Tuesday that many agree with 15 percent, but some have much bleaker forecasts, painting a technological “apocalypse.”

Self-driving technology would benefit from bipartisan legislation to “prioritize protections for consumers, enhance cybersecurity protections, reaffirm the role and responsibilities of federal and state governments” and update federal motor vehicle standards to account for advances in technology, said Reps. Fred Upton, R-Mich., and Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., in an op-ed in Monday's Detroit Free Press. They said they've been working on the bipartisan legislation, Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research in Vehicle Evolution Act (Self-Drive) Act (HR-3388), which the House passed unanimously in September (see 1709060035) that would grant automakers exemptions from safety standards to test more vehicles and would pre-empt state laws that the auto industry said would create a patchwork of regulations. The North American International Auto Show is this week, exhibiting mobility-focused technologies in vehicles, and some lawmakers will be there. Tuesday, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation recommended policy principles for connected vehicle policy issues: support vehicle-to-everything (V2X) infrastructure; promote national cooperation and interoperability for V2X; incentivize companies to protect consumers; ensure regulations are technology neutral; rely on transparent industry-led standards for data protection; restrict scope creep for regulators overseeing connected vehicle privacy; allow vehicle owners to access and use their own data; and permit after-market modifications and repairs while protecting copyright holders’ rights.

Self-driving technology would benefit from bipartisan legislation to “prioritize protections for consumers, enhance cybersecurity protections, reaffirm the role and responsibilities of federal and state governments” and update federal motor vehicle standards to account for advances in technology, said Reps. Fred Upton, R-Mich., and Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., in an op-ed in Monday's Detroit Free Press. They said they've been working on the bipartisan legislation, Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research in Vehicle Evolution Act (Self-Drive) Act (HR-3388), which the House passed unanimously in September (see 1709060035) that would grant automakers exemptions from safety standards to test more vehicles and would pre-empt state laws that the auto industry said would create a patchwork of regulations. The North American International Auto Show is this week, exhibiting mobility-focused technologies in vehicles, and some lawmakers will be there. Tuesday, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation recommended policy principles for connected vehicle policy issues: support vehicle-to-everything (V2X) infrastructure; promote national cooperation and interoperability for V2X; incentivize companies to protect consumers; ensure regulations are technology neutral; rely on transparent industry-led standards for data protection; restrict scope creep for regulators overseeing connected vehicle privacy; allow vehicle owners to access and use their own data; and permit after-market modifications and repairs while protecting copyright holders’ rights.

Self-driving technology would benefit from bipartisan legislation to “prioritize protections for consumers, enhance cybersecurity protections, reaffirm the role and responsibilities of federal and state governments” and update federal motor vehicle standards to account for advances in technology, said Reps. Fred Upton, R-Mich., and Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., in an op-ed in Monday's Detroit Free Press. They said they've been working on the bipartisan legislation, Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research in Vehicle Evolution Act (Self-Drive) Act (HR-3388), which the House passed unanimously in September (see 1709060035) that would grant automakers exemptions from safety standards to test more vehicles and would pre-empt state laws that the auto industry said would create a patchwork of regulations. The North American International Auto Show is this week, exhibiting mobility-focused technologies in vehicles, and some lawmakers will be there. Tuesday, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation recommended policy principles for connected vehicle policy issues: support vehicle-to-everything (V2X) infrastructure; promote national cooperation and interoperability for V2X; incentivize companies to protect consumers; ensure regulations are technology neutral; rely on transparent industry-led standards for data protection; restrict scope creep for regulators overseeing connected vehicle privacy; allow vehicle owners to access and use their own data; and permit after-market modifications and repairs while protecting copyright holders’ rights.

Phone and electric cooperatives may be best equipped to spread fiber broadband across rural America, but are often overlooked, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance reported Tuesday. USTelecom said deploying broadband in rural areas is a priority for its big ISP members and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation said it’s best to support incumbent ISPs except in the most unserved areas. The Phoenix Center supported cooperatives deploying broadband so long as they don’t partner with municipal networks.